Evening star., 1927-10-23
Capital Sidelights

are fiocling back to their offices here
so as to be ready for the duck hunt.
ing season which is as good along
the reaches of the Potomac and
Patuxent rivers as anywhere in the
whole United States. There are many
enthusiastic hunters In Congress; per-
haps one of the most enthusiastic IL
Senator Hale of Maine, who starts
in early on woodcock in Maine, then
has a few weeks of It here and later
drifts down to North and South Caro-
lima. Practically all of the outdoor
men" in either house of Congress.
those who are remarkable for their
ruddy complexion and clear eye, keep
themselves fit for the legislative grind
by devotion to such outdoor sport az
hunting, fishing and golf.
These legislative huntsmen are en-
thusiastic about the duck hunting
from Washington as q take.off. Here
are practically all kinds Of wild duck
-mallard, black. red.head, canvas
back. etc.--along all the tributaries OF
the Chesapeake Bay area.
Also there Is good partridge hunt
ing. UP North they call them quail,
and the best authorities say the real
name is "bobwhite." The ducks are
hunted both from blinds and skiffs
pushed into the salt and fresh water
marshes. There are also wild geese
in these same water stretches, but
they prove much harder to get be.
cause they are more difficult to ap'
| proach.
In recent years, since the migratory
bird treaty with Canada and the act
Of Congress to enforce 1t have been
in effect, the congressional hunters
report that there has been q very
marked increase in the number OF
wild duck Of all species found in the
Chesapeake Bay waters. The princi.
pal effects of this treaty are to fix
a bag limit and to absolutely pro.
hibit Spring shooting.
When hunting from blinds the Eena.
tors use both live and wooden decoys
They quit their warm apartments In
the crisp early morning, bundled UP
in feece-lined hunting jackets, be-
legginged, and prepared for a long,
cold. inactive wait.
The partridge are hunted with set
ter and pointer dogs. Those who
motor these days into the outlands of
Washington almost invariably encoun-
ter men and dogs who are not actually
on the hunt, but enjoying the prelimi-
naries Of working out the dog so they
will be at their best when the ap-
preaching season opens.
Rabbit hunting comes about the
same time as the partridge hunting.
They are hunted with rabbit hounds,
beagles and other dogs--but this Is not
counted quite SO sportsman1y as duck,
geese and partridge hunting.
In MARYLAND and Virginia CIoao IN
Washington. woodcock are sometimes
to be found.
The so-called ducking shores, where
the wild duck are known to come in
to feed, are in great demand, either for
outright purchase or lease by clubs
and groups OF eager hunters.
One of the younger members of
the Senate, M. M. Neely' of West Vir.
ginia, was born in log house, which
was just one room more pretentious
than log cabin. His father might
easily have been the hero in real life
Of Barrie's THE Doctor Of the OLD
School" This DR.. Alfred Nicely was a
cripple from birth and devoted his
entire life without thought of finan.
cial reward to the services Of affiicted
people in several wild counties of
West Virginia. Senator Neely's ma.
|
War, was captured at the Second Bat.
tie Of Bull Run-just a short distance
from Washington--and died In Ander.
sonville Prison.
The Senator's youth was spent as
the only boy on a 150-acre farm where
he did all the drudgery Of Chores
that nobody but a boy on a big farm
Is ever called upon to do. He is to-
day q strong advocate of good roads.
because he has an abiding memory of
the real anguish he suffered In jour-
neying during the four-month Win.
ter term over a road that did not
seem to have any bottom.
*&s
Old Congressional Records are fn-
teresting reading these warm Summer
days and give surprising information.
For example, speech made by
Daniel Webster in 1888 on the cur
rency discloses that hides were money
in the State Of "Franklandp'
where's that?" some one asks.
II Is not generally known historf.
cal fact that from 1774 to 1884 the
territory now known aS Tennessee
formed part Of North Carolina, and
that in 17S5 the Tennesseeans, beconn-
Ing dissatisfied with their government,
organized state government under
the name Of "Frankland," which was
maintained for some years. It was
afterwards disbanded. and territorial
Tennessee was again annexed to
North Carolina
Webster called attention to a Frank.
land act setting the salaries of the
commonwealth as follows: The gov
ernor, 1000 deer skins: the chief
Justice, 500 deer skins; the governors
secretary, 500 raccoon skins; the State
treasurer, $50 raccoon skins: each
county clerk, 900 beaver skins: the
clerk Of the House of Commons. 200
raccoon skins; members OF the as
sembly. per day. three raccoon skins;
Justice fee for signing q warrant. one
muskrat skin, and to the constable