Evening star., 1935-04-28

Digger Rs Ills ONCE grows Older, ana
his being is now wrapped round with
red tape from great toe to crown.
Speaking OF pedestrians, George
Bancroft. the historian. has stopped
riding horseback and has taken to
walking. He walks with a firm step
in spite Of his great age, and although
he is always accompanied by his valet,
he receives no support from his arm.
Bancroft was great friend of the
Emperor William of Germany, and 1t
may be that he has adopted the VI
zored cap which he affects. from the
German army in difference to him. He
wears 1t with the vtzor pulled we'll
down over his eyes as he goes about
the streets of Washington, as clipper
as boy. He has practically given up
his literary work, and though he still
plays at writing he accomplishes little.
Private Secretaries.
tary. Every public man here at Wash
ington now requires one or more of
these Watchdogs TO protect him from
the public; the richer the man and the
higher his position. the more careful
are the watchers placed around him.
President Harrison is guarded by mes
sengers and secretaries at every point,
while each cabinet minister has a mes
Senger sitting before the front door
Of his Office, and a secretary or two
through whose hands the visitors have
to pass before they get to the great
ones within.
1t is the same with regard 10 letters.
These men receive thousands Of let
ters month. all of which have to
pass the argus eyes Of the private sec
retary. If the letters are important
they reach their destination; If they
are foolish. cranky, or impudent. they
are thrown away. President Harri-
sons mail contains at least 300 letters
day. or more than 1000 a week and
over 100000 year. Some of the let
ters received by the President are
funny; some so witty that they COM
mand an answer and so are saved
from the jaws of the demon waste
basket.
Mr.. PeixottO.
A black-eyed little boy in glasses
with a smooth face and pleasant smile
was introduced to me today in the
lobbies of the House as Mr.. Peixotto.
AS I heard the name. I took a second
look at him. and I found him not
boy but a man. He is one CT the
brightest young artists Of America.
and he has already won his palms
His was the first painting of Cardinal
Manning in his pontifical robes, and
his portraits Of the cardinal, one OF
which was for St. Charles College and
the other for St. Thomas Seminary
at HammerSmith, were the talk of
artistic London short time ago. He
is now engaged here on portrait of
Judge White. the painting being done
in the Chief Justices home. Mr..
Peixotto has almost daily sittings with
him, and the work is in a fair way
to completion. Mr.. Corcoran intends
to have it exhibited. when finished.
in the Corcoran Art Gallery, and
though the painting has been ordered
by Judge White himself. it may be
that it will eventually find its way
into the Capitol
Washington Car Lines.
New railroads are being built out
from Washington in every direction.
Three new electric lines are being
constructed and the rails are already
down between the Treasury and the
Patent Office Of the new G street
line, over which cars will be running
by January /, 1890. The business
part Of Washington is changing. A
few years ago all of the chief business
houses were on Pennsylvania avenue.
Now F street property is the most
valuable in the city. John w. Thomp-
son, Washington's millionaire banker.
bought. last Spring, the corner of F
and Thirteenth streets, just below the
Ebbitt House, paying $225,000 for it.
This was considered. at the time, an
immense price. but when Mr.. Thomp-
son came back from his Summer in
Europe few days ago, he sold his
property for S350.0O0. making Sl25,-
900 off it in six months time.
The G street railroad has made a
great boom in G street property, and
that thoroughfare will soon be as busy
as F street is now. The owners Of
residences along it have grown rich
and houses which three years ago
were worth $4,000 are now worth
$4,000.
Gen. Denver, the man for whom the
city of Denver is named. tells me his
landlady was offered the other dav
$4,000 for house which she had
bought for $4,000, and there is a
Negro woman who owned little
$4,000 property on F street who has
made $4,000 on it. Ex-senator
Buckalew of Pennsylvania and Gen.
Denver were chatting together last
night of the wonderful growth of
Washington and of its elements of
prosperity.
The people outside of Washing
ton" said Gen. Denver. cant under
stand it. They say the town has no
manufactures, no water front and no
commerce, and they can't see any,
thing to make it grow. As a matter
of fact, Washington has the biggest
factories in the United States. with
the best paid hands. There is the
| Treasury factory with its 5000 en-
ployes receiving an average of about
$1,000 a year. There is the Interior
more high-priced hands. And there
is the Pension Office, the War De-
partment and the dozen of other
governmental institutions which must
increase in size and which distribute
millions of dollars here every month"
Yes" said Senator Buckalew. land
there is Congress with its 400 men
getting $4,000 salaries and spending
more than $4,000 year here on the
average. There are the thousand odd
people who hang around Congress
wanting to get something out of 1t
and there are the nabobs who are
coming here from all parts of the
country for their Winter residence
and spending here the income of their
great fortunes. There are millions
Of dollars spent every year in a social
way. Washington has, believe, the
best elements of growth of any city
Of its size in the land"
Besides" said Gen. Denver, 1.-The
transient element Of Washington
brings a great deal IN the citv Every