Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-02
Tales of Well Known Folk
In Social and Official Life
President Machado Regarded as Instrumental in
Having Cubas Legislative Building Fashioned
to Resemble United States Capitol.
Rx~AtARGARET n. DOWNING.

his friend and colleague. Ambassador
Don OreStes Ferrars, in May. 1927, as
will be remembered was an intense
observer Of public buildings and the
general plan OF this comparatively new
and beautifully planned National Capt.
tai Cuba was then erecting the new
Capitol which was SO obviously designed
from DR.. William Thornton's drawings
and which now rises in majestic form
opposite the lovely little Parque Isabel
Ia Caiolica. which is an extension of
the historic Prado. To an architec-
furally trained eye. the Cuban legisla-
tive house may differ from the vast
pile on Capitol Hill Of this Federal
city. but 10 the paSSerby II is replica,
and likewise It is situated on vast open
space all concerted and illuminated by
night by ryriadS of electric lights placed
on huge and ornate bronze pedestalS.
For ali the world 1t seems to be the
same halls Of legislature where IL fronts
East Capitol street edging into Penn
Sylvsnia and Maryland avenues. The
Cuban architects. however, made but
tvo full stories of their masterpiece, eX-
cept at the rounded wings which serve
Senate and House as in the Older struc-
ture where some half windows have
been placed III storage rooms. The
lofty dome resembles that Of st. Paul'S
In London. being higher and less wide
than that Of the United States Capitol,
Some Of the minor details which have
resulted from President Machado'S in
koection OF DR.. ThorntonS work make
the Cuban Capitol more correct, accord
ing to the classic ideals There are no
terraces and the stately flight of steps
on the west side down TO Pennsylvania
avenue are missing.
The new Secretary of the Interior, Mr..
Roy Owen West, is the third native OF
Illinois 10 be chosen for this particular
honor his successors having been Judge
Oryille H Browning who was appointed
b. Andrew Johnson in 1866. and PreSi-
dent William Howard Taft'S second
Secretary of the Interior, successor to
Richard Ballinger of Washington
State, Walter J. Fisher, and like
Mfr. West. a citizen of Chicago. BY
coincidence. all three of the Illinois
men who have become Secretaries of
the Interior have filled only part terms
Judge Browning succeeded James Har-
Ian of Iowa who went into the Senate
Il was the daughter of this statesman
friend and conf1dante of President
Iincoln--who married Robert Todd Lin
coin and who has survived him. Mrs
Robert r Lincoln was Mary Harlan and
o belle of Washington during her ia
ther's service in the Johnson cabinet
and later in the Senate She resides in
the beautiful old mansion on Thirtieth
street, Georgetown, which her husband
had purchased and refitted some 10
years previous to his death Mr. Fisher
served two years In the last half of
President Taft's administration and Mr.
West had but nine months certain in
ellmbency when he became DR.. Works
Rlccessof President Zachary Taylor
appointed the first Secretary of the
Interior. Thomas Ewing of Ohio, in i849.
Mr.. Arthur Curtiss James. who has
tust obtained from the Lighthouse
Board title to q neck of land stretching
out of Newport Harbor and known for
q century past as Lime Rock, acted in
behalf of the Narrangansett Bay Regatta
Club, which will take over this hallowed
ground as a headquarters and general
rendezvous. The Treasury Department,
which. because OF the unceasing efforts
of the aquatic organization at Mar
raganSett changed the name of the
lighthouse, which for nearly a CEN
fury has safeguarded the craft making
TO the harbor from Lime Rock to Ida
Lewis Light, of course, keeps the
small area on which the beacon has
been built. Ida Lewis. one of the
romantic figures in the long records of
the Lighthouse Board. was heroine
who saved lives by the score. on three
occasions by rowing out herself and
drawing drowning persons from the
surf and making the shore safely. No
more heroic annals are to be found in
the chronicles Of this division of coast
guarding than those which relate 10
this intrepid woman AS a child she
lived in the old lighthouse with her
father who was the keeper, and her
first rescue came when she was in her
early teens. On her fathers death she
succeeded to the coveted position as
keeper Of the light until her death at an
advanced age, which took place In 1912
But romance Is rapidly passing from
the world and the Ida Lewis Light is
now fed electrically and requires no
special keeper. However, her memory
Is green in every inch about the point
Of land which will soon be the busy
scene Of the yachting clubs activities.
~ -
Queen Mary Of Britain. who it would
appear has become reconciled to the
bachelorhood Of her eldest SON has
taken over the management Of the once
House, nov the London home of the
Prince II Wales. and has been restor-
ting the ancient beauty Of the place for
which il was noted under its late
occupant. Queen Alexandra. As this
lamented royal lady always spent the
entire Spring and early Summer in
London, her gardens we're planted prin-
cipally in rare Spring bulbs and those
flowers which reach perfection before
June is over The Prince OF Wales
who does not add Horticulture to his
many accomplishments. did not con-
siGer the gardens in his plans TO ref1t
snd renovate the old palace. The Lon
don public has greatly missed the beau
tiful display Of hyacinths, tulips and
lonquils which appeared IN March in
the border and beds near the street. AND
they iamented that these wonderful
color effects. planned by King Edward
when he was Prince Of Wales, have
been allowed 70 pass. So Queen Mary
has ordered large consignment OF the
gsyest and richest Of Dutch bulbs and
every spot will be restored ana, as far
rs possible according TO the old scheme
King Edward delighted in bright flowers
and he never made q tour OF the
Riviera or the Pyreneeg country with
out sending 10 the Marlborough House
garden some novel flower which caught
his fancy. The Duke Of Connaught
only surviving brother Of King Edward
shared his love Of gay flowers and, out
side " the Netherlands. q more brilliant
display of Spring bulbs in flower is not
tn b. enjoyed than a. the dukes coun~
try seat in Kent Bagshot Hall
Booth Harrington, George AIDE and
Meredith Nicholson that robust trio
representing Hoosier letters, have
sarfssEcT IN fHH nttf that q liffip fhes fET
NAV be q remuneratiye venture as well
a. an uplifting influence on the literary
trend Of lis patrons. II was IN 1873
that the little theater Of indianapolis
was opened under the yigilant eye oil
Lady Gregory. beloved director Of the
Dublin Players and with Mr.. Granville
Barker, she kept careful watch over