Evening Star Newspaper, August 21, 1886, Page 2

to CITY AND DISTRIC A BIG ORDNANCE SHOP. ‘The Change to be nde at the Wash- imgton Navy Yard. AN ARMY OF MEN To BE EMPLOYED IN FAB- RICATING HUGE GUNS—THE BUILDINGS TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO GUN SHOPs—HOW AND WHEN THE TRANSFER WILL BE MADE. ‘The consolidation of ali the bureaus of the ‘Washington navy yard into the orduanee bu- Feau gives that department a lot of loose mate- Fial out of which to construct a great ordnanee establishment. It will be a long time before they can tell Just what they have got to do with. Consequently no plans are matured. ‘Thirty years ago efforts were made to have thie yard the great naval arsenal. Its great natural advantages for'ordnance work marked for this. From that day to the present Mt has been looked upon as destined uiti- mately to be the great ordnance work shop @ the country. Conflicting interests and ‘Various things prevented this consumma- fon. At one time the yard was almost taken on of by the steam engineering department. Provably because they have been trained directly under the watebful oye of the ment the workmen in ail branches at | thls yard are suld to be equal in skill to any In the world. The making of engines and boilers has been largely done at the Norfolk ana New York yards, but certain classes of this work were done here because there was au Idea that it was Detter done, and, it is said, at less expense. Heavy castings, boilers and smail iaunea en- ines were made here. The yard is quite for ity castings. It was EN THE DAYS OF WOODEN VESSELS, ‘place for construction and repairs, but has been unfit for this sort of work ior some time. Being near the department the yurd has been very useful as an experimental yard. It was easy for the officers of the bureaus to keep an aye to the work as it progresses, and make Necessary changes. But its pecultar adaptavil- ity for that sort of work has marked it ior the ordnance shops. When the work of making fine steel rifle zuns was taken up, it Was a dar- Ing experiment. Congres: did not feel Justified im providing # very expensive plant, as the ‘work might not be @ success. So it was begun under adverse circumstances. There was bo 1. With the tools they could borrow from engineer's department, and the temporary Plant they could rake toyetuer, they bogait making steel guns. Their work was a perfect success, They have demonstrated that THE VERY FINEST GUNS (known to the art can be made here and can be made cheaply. Secretary Chandler first began the development of this braneh of work, subor- inating other work to it. He cut off some of the work in the engineering department, so as togive room for the guns, and from a smail commencement the ordnance establishment bas grown dually until it has finally crowd- ed out all the other bureaus. The order issued by Secretary Whitney on Monday, directing that “all the shops, machinery, tools and appli- ances assigned for the use of the bureau of con- struction and repair, steam engineering. yards | and docks and ae and reeruiting will be turned over to the control of the bureau of ee on the first day of October, 1856, a} tbat the quarters occupied by the representa- tives of these bureaus be surrendered, gives the ‘whole yard up to this work. THE ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT is given the right to take possession of all the buildings and such tools as wil! be useful in the | construction of guns, and the rest will be taken | ‘Sway from the yard. This ts the first step to a Work of great natioual importance. They will | not—Commodore Sicard, the ciiei ot orduance, | said to 4 STAR reporter—atiempt toestablish a great plant all at once. They will go gradually | at work, building up and adding toas they go | on and as necessity demands. Thére are, by ‘thi- order, turned over to them bufidings and imacbinery never intended for ordnauce work, and not,as a whoic, suited toit. Uut of thi ‘Mass that which will be useful must be selected. Many tools that were not fashioned tor this work may be made serviceable; butidings not Broperiy designed may be altered wad reiitted. All must be gone over. The money th the whole is worth would establish « perfect | ordnance plant, but much valuabie property is | Practically useless. . THE BUILDINGS, ‘The officers’ quarters, which will be vacated by the oificers now oceupying them and given to the ordpance officers, are estimated to be Worth about $77,0uU. The other buildings in ‘the yard are valued at about $1,705,861. For Present purposes, of course, they’ de Hot repre- went @ plant such as could be establivhed tor that amount of money. ‘The most vaiuabie a ee the iron foundries, the machine the bolier shops, the chain makers’ shops: and the erecting shops, w eh heretof longed to the steam engineering department. ‘These are brick buildings with heavy walls aud large dimensions. Part of thei are used for erunance work now. The iron foundries occupy @space of 265x300 for one and 265365 for the ether. The machine shops, &¢., occupy an im- be- t Amount of space. They ure fitted, 10, | with machinery, wiich, for the most part, wiil | useful for ordnance work. These will be | ‘Atted up for the working out of greai guns. The buildings were erected many years go, but ‘their walls are thick and strong: euough to Withstand all the pressure it wil! be nece-sary put ugon them. The machine shops proper, which there are two,are valved at about $50,000 and ¥62.000, respectively: The tru ri an ip, are if Der of other buildings, such as the copper mills, the furniture and lumber sheds, timber sheds, saw-mill wad joining shops, shiphouses, store: houses, stables, &c., some of which will be use~ While others Will not, Besides these, the ance bureau has had ali along iu its own Fight the laboratory, the magazine, the ord- Rance ioundry, the ordnance machine shops, the ordnance boiler-house, serap storehouse, gun carriage shops, new ordnaace foundry and miuor sppendages. ‘Then there are th mandant's office, the civil engineer's office, t dispensary, the” museum, the ice house, the naval storehouse, and what not. THE OFFICERS QUARTERS consist of the commandant’s house, the cap- tain’s quarters, the naval construetor’s quarters, ‘the civil engineer's quarters, the commander's Quarters, the quarters of the surgeon, of the ebiet engineer wud of the ordnance officer. Ali this property will be sifted dows until, out of the whole, a permanent and ihoroughiy- equipped ordnauce piant Is established. it will take several years to accomplish this. The Airst ting to be done will be to arrange todo the Work now on hand as rapidly and conveniently as possible, and at the same time to steadily improve the plant. The first thing will be to Fearrange the shops. |The large building occu- | Pied by ihe snops of the engineer's departnent | Will probably ve Mited out with an over-head railway, and the machinery will be arranged in Progressive order, so us to lacilitate work. Tue Recessary improvements will be added from me to time, and the establishment developed in accordance with the needs of ihe service and the means at hand. GUNS To BE MADE, There are now in sight fifty-six six-inch, four elgbtineh and twenty-five ten-inch guns to be made. It is possible that some of tuese may be pat out at contract, but this 1s not probabi Hf they are done at the yard 1¢ will give a lange amount of work aud develop the ordnance e tablisument rapidly. As new war vessels are coystructed they willhave to be armed, and, acdbrding to tle presen: outlouk, We guas Will be made at the Wasuington works. are many years of work in prospect. THE EMPLOYES. In the transfer some workmen may be thrown out of employment, but provably a much larger umber, if not the same ones, will be employ- ed. Iu the engineer's uepuriment at present there are G7 men and 12 boys employ sc, aud | im the docks and yards department ibere ure | @0 men. These, of course, iose thelr places by the closing of those departinents, but they will probably find employm force the orduance departinent must have. Fhe Work done under the bureau of ducks aud yards fe of » character that will have to be done, whether tuere is such a bureau maintained or | not, and the men may be retained ai their Present occupation. The work cousists in the ral supervision of the yard, care of the dings, wharves, quay Wails, sewerage, fire Geparument, furniture, the providing of Water And gas for the buligings, the watchmen, sur- ‘Veys, ce. Ali this work iuust Le periormed. THE PRESENT PLANT. ‘With the plant as it now ts about twelve gens can be kept under way, and about three hundred men are employed ou all branches ot the work—guns, carriages, &c. With the money and facilities placed ip the hands of the bureau by this order, they can svun extend the plant so that twenty’ guns cun be kept under way. benever the establishment 1s put in full Working order there may be @ thousand or more men employed. But tals will not, of eourse, be at once. Now the largest gun nade ig the teu inch. ‘They may gradually enlarge the capacity of the Works io make fiteen and sixteen inch guns, As yet it iy Dot known just what assigu- ments wiki be made, aud ‘the officers wo Jose thelr present occupation vy abolition of te Warlous bureaus do not kuow just whut will oi them. ‘They are mostly in a state of Uncertainty and cousternation, particularly ‘ose Whose famtites occupy tue quarters and ‘Will bave to get out. ———— He Was Still Dead. ‘From the Minueapoiis Times. A good story Is tid of one of our local pole tictans who was canvassing for the nomiaation for a county office. One aiternoou he attended ® gathering in an out township, and meeting an fntelligentiooking young mut! woo be thoseht aight bave some iuflueuce, walked up to bum ‘nd shook bim waruly by “How is the bund, Inquiring: our futher?” The youug wan ut iy father bas been dead three years.” “Thad not he was one ‘Stamy best iriends, yud I regret to hear it; be Was One of the best and purest meu I ever knew; ¥ou have my sympathy,” etc The same eve: uing he met the same person in a village near at im ‘the tnereased | “ j SATURDAY, *AUGU * ST 21 1886--DOUBLE SHEET. Dr. Taylor Explains tecting Oleomargarine. At the recent meeting of the American So- ciety of Microscopists held at Chautauqua, New York, Dr. Tuomas Taylor, microseopist of the Department of Agriculture, answered a paper of Prof. Weber on “Butter and Fats,” and jus- tified his own method of testing for oleomarga- Tine. Dr. Taylor held that it was. great error on the part of Prof. Weber to boil a suspected butter substitute on receiving It, because were butter present In quantity imcombination with lard and beef fat the foreign crystals would be absorbed by the large butter crystals formed by the process of boiling. It should be observed that lard and beef tats have passed through the process of bolling, while the butter combined with it has simply been melted at a low tem- perature. In normal olcomargarine their crys tals are already formed, while the butter shows none unless boiled. To a superticial observer dolled oleomangarine, if it contain much butter, would appear true butter Instead of oleomarga- rine. Whereas, by first making a microscopical n the lard crystal may be at once d save further trouble. examinati ject sought was not the pres- ence of butter, but the presence of foreign tats, and that the’ moment they were detected by the microscope, the parties “may be prosecuted under the butter jaws oi the District of Colum- bia. He said tha: already seven convictions had been made under his testimony, and in no case had he sanctioned a prosceution, unless he found an abundance of lard or beef fat crystals, or other foreign fats In the substance. The par: ties subjected to the prosecution, he said, pub- licly acknowledged, on conviction, that they knew that the substance they were prosecuted for selling was oleomurgarine. Dr. ‘taylor exhibited about 50 specimens of tats, consisting of butter fron and made from several breeds lied crystals are not obse 1 appe arized light lenite plate 4s it pure oll was under ct-gluss, showlug not even a trace of prismatic colors. To gratify the visitors, Dr. Taylor mounted one hai slides with lard, ith pure butter. The lard appeared brilliant with spinous or siar-like forms ol every hue of the rainbow, wile the pure butter ap- peared of pure even brilliant green colors, at once showing the difference between unboiled iresh batter and boiled lard. a WOMEN IN THE DEPARTMENTS. One of Their Own Sex Defends Them from Sjanders of Envious Men. To the Editor of THz EVENING STAR: Referring to the article in THE STAR con- cerning the status of newly-appointed clerks and thelr ideas of the ease and comtort to be found at agovernment desk it was remarked that of these ineflicient ones the ladies were the most noticeable. If this be so pray let the poor souls enjoy the brief respite before the toll which shall surely come to them as time goes on, and their chivalrous. brotier clerks observ- ing thelr skill and industry when once tuey have become initiated into their duties grace- fully sit back and with feet elevated and news- paperor fan in hand coolly look on and see them do al! the work with as much unconcern as that manifested by the late lamented Arte- mus Ward, who was so willing to sacritice all his wiie’s relations to his country’s cause. These frequent flings at ladies who fill positions in government — offices have thelr foundation not in fact, but too often in envy and jealousy, id the refutation of such libeis on honest, 1 dustrious is found in the large number who, in spite of efforts made to keep them in the ‘background and to underestimate th abilities on the part of those who hate to admit that a Woman can do anything, are promoted to second, third, and even fourti-class clerk- ships by nien too generous to allow the matter of sex to prevent their recognition of real merit wherever found, Asa matter of fact there are iustances well known in some of the depart- ments where, among an equal number of men and women, the latter—gradea 2s eopyists and one or two first-class cierks—co the Hon’s share of the work, while men of second and third: class grade enjoy that otium cum dignitate which to them may appear drawing their saiary a without rendering any, or very little, service therefor, but to the overworked wonien who observe, when their duties will allow them to glance from their work, is particularly exas- erating. GERTRUDE PALMER. a ONE VIEW OF BASE BALL. What is Said of It by a Man Who Ev! dently Does Not Play. itor of THe: EVENING STAR: Mauger the efforts of able journalists to either interest or amuse the better class of people in base ball matters, they have utterly failed. The subject of base bail is never alluded to by ladies and gentlemen in their parlors. They are not at all concerned about a pastime that is rele- gated to sportsmen and genteel loafers, The gate money received enables a gang of ball- sluggers to advertise extensively, and to parade whole columns of sickly trash in the newspa- pers for our wives and daushters to read. Morn ing and evening this base ball rot greets the eye, and people of calture who read the current literature of the times, repeatedly express their disgust at the nauseating stuff that appears as news, when it should stand among advertise- ments, and keep company with lotteries and patent medicines. Of course the only amuse- ment there ts in base ball is that which attacies to this species of gambling. The game pleases the rough element of society because it is de- moralizing and has no heart. It is a well- known fact that the bail slucgers ow the one side use thelr utmost strength und skill to bruise | and disable the ranners and clubbers on the other side, in order (o win the game: and when ‘one of their number is physically disabled, the fellow who did it is cheered, and the spectators applaud the wet. This sluzuing is called science! No dount the gangs consider it fun tobrulseand malin each “other. Now whut respectable society would admit these uncouth bail cham- pions into its cirele and consent for a moment to listen to their ring-zang’s jargon? Yet they proudly labor under the deiasion that they are admired by ladies and envied by gentlemen. What lady would choose a companion, or lover, from base bail players? Could she view his disfigured hands without a shudder: or clasp them without thinking of a steer's hoof Butit is enough that he thinks It an honor to carry scars, aud exhibit a broken nose and dis- jolnied fingers with nails torn out by the roots. He proudly covets violence and danger, while his patrons win money through his vulgar am- Uition. He imagines that be is admired when he hears applause that is meant only to urge and jash bim on to win money for those who are betting on him. Let the receipt of gate money and the custom of gambling be pro- hibited, and every itinerant gang of base ball sluggers would soon become unpopular, and there would be a sigis of relief when the reports of thelr games were banistied from the columns Of respectable newspapers. Tuis expression we hear every day, aud it is the wisn of many readers of THe Stax that this view of base bull be presented to the public. AN OLD SUBSCRIBER, ———— Representative Cox, of North Carolina. THE REASON WHY HE WAS NOT RENOMINATED. ‘To the Eattor of Tue EVENING Stan: ‘The newspapers throughout the country have commented upon the failure of Gen. W. R. Cox, of North Carolina, the present chairman of the House committee un reform in the elvil service, tosecure @ renomination for Congress in the Raleigh district. Tiese journalistic remarks, so as my information extends, were invariably based upon the on that he owes his ositiouhe has taken with service iaw, and his well- tude toward the adminis: his, “acquainted with the ase. 1 am ‘enabied to correct this nsiow, Which does the democrats of district an injust. _There unquestionably was some opposition to Gen. Cox developed by bis civil service record during the recent session of Congress, but this Was not suflicient, by any means, to have coun passed his defeat ‘in’ the convention. ‘There an en law, w en enforced in ck ny my recollectiun ex- bat does not permit a Congressman to Serve more than six consecutive years—the term of a Senator—and it was to the adherence of this rule that the failure of Gen, Cox to sceUre a renomination is attributable, he hav- ing been eiected to tree successive Congresses. Gen. ox's Congressioual record—elvil service and all—is indorsed by alarge majority of democrats of biedistrict, “8° MMOFHY of the Major John W. Graham, who recelved the nomination, ts a lawyer with « large and luera- tive practice. He Is 45 years of age, an ex-state senutor, the son of ex-Governor, ex-Secretary of the Navy and ex-Viee Presidential whig candi: date Wim. A. Grabam, and he is regarded us one i tue state. He was no known friendly tration of Mr. att of the ablest men “dark horse,” but is been prominently meu: pned in connection with the Congressional nomination for # number of years. ‘Mr. John Nichols, who was postmaster of Raleigh under Garfield and Arthur, wilt him gs an independent candidate, "Mr. Meuols Knight of Labor, and expects to receive the Notes of the members of that organization, 1 believe; but he is not likely to be eiected. Washingion, August 17. M. J. G. ————s08. A Northwestern Vie George W. Feck in the Milwaukee Sup. If Mexico has hung a Texas horse thief in good standing, let Mexico be given a chromo, and if sbe bas made a mistake and killed an Innocent iman, she ought to apologize and sup- Port the man’s family, and be careful in the juture, though it will be hard for Mexico or ‘Texas to go amiss in the vicinity of the Rio Grande, as they can find herse and cattie Ubleves everywhere. But let the settlement of Uhese affairs be amicable, and conducted with politeness, War means thousands, hundreds vf thousands of graves, cripples by the Fel where, orphans, davis poverty, iarnite, Nene poverty, fam: Bee iB ery pela, Bate jnarrel lenee, hell. means one wud general prosperity alter the Peace ty wortu two in the bt tue governor of Texas be muzzled until tue Weather is over, und let bis army go about ita Let bot vy, aud bavi ae bis _ accosted eae Rios oman le fee, Secanad bim for & moment anu ‘said: fie is still "and walked off. Feguiar business of rounding up eaitle, harvest ing crops aud shooting q - low the Glistening Wheels Have Be- come Part of the Scenery. THE BICYCLERS AND TRICYCLERS—LADIES WHO HAVE FOLLOWED WELVA LOCKWOOD's EX- AMPLE—THE ELEVEN HUNDRED WREELMEN HERE. ‘Washington Correspondence New York San. ; ‘When Mra. Belva Lockwood first appeared on’ the streets of Washington, some years before she was illumined by Fame's white light, mounted upon @ dingy and rattling tricycle, she was the object of rather marked attention. But she bore undaunted the small boy’s jeers and the proud man’s contumely, and cheer- fully trundled around the streets on her primi- tive machine, which involved no small amount of gymnastics and a brave display of red stock- ings. Now, no doubt, she feels the serene self- satisfaction of the pioneer as she sees the mul- Utudes of all sorts and conditions of men and women who spin over the asphalt on tricycles ‘ag well as the more risky and graceful bicycles. Indeed, on a pleasant afternoon to go down on the Mall, or outon the Soldier's Home road, and cbserve the passers for _an hour or two re- minds one of Ezekiel’s visions of wheels, Of course there are all sorts of vehicles. There are plenty of diplomats and Senators and potentates of various degrees in low, heavy curriages with liveries and janglin, chains. | Comfortable family coaches with tat, easy-going horses roll slowly by, and the fast horses attached to spiderly looking buggies, which ram to an abnormal development of wheels, flash swiftly past, driven by gentlemen with colossal cigars and’ phenominally black moustaches. | fn innumerable more or less stylish conveyances youth 1s seen ny with Amaryilis, it not’ in the shade, at Toast, quite undeterred by the glare of the sun. In and out among them glance an endless variety of glistening wheels—tricycles with a little wheel behind and two big ones in front, of with @ little wheel in front and two big oned ‘hind, or with two big wheels at one side and one little one at the other, or. in short, with any possible or impossible combination’ of three Wheels. Young men and old men, women and girls ride them. On many of them iso little Perch where the fond parent may take his in. fant pride to ride with him. In the “sociables” {wo giris may exehange confidences or Darby and Joan Jog peacefully along together, and 1a andem” be ean look comfortably over her shoulder and say what he will in herear. Many of the machines are new and shiny and glisten- ing, others look more business-like, aud others still are wheezy and ramshackle old traps, that creak and groan and rattle and lvok as if they were homemade, but nevertheless seem to afford their ridersunuch satisfaction. One of the latest udaitions on the road isa comfortably cush- joned arm-chalr, with a seat bebind for the mo- Hie Jorce.,,This'te not often seen out tn day- light, but it isin great demand on moonlight nights, and suggests unlimited ayreeabie poss!- biities. Tne postmen on the outlying districts gracefully blend business with pleasure, and spin. lightly along on tricycles specially con- trived for them, with a big, square busket at their feet in front to hold the mail they are bringing down to the office. The bicyclers, however, predominate, and their drivers quite turn up their scoruful ‘noses at the more cautious and conservative riderson three wheels, There are eleven hundred bicy- cies ridden ‘here, and among the riders. are army and navy men, clerks, lawyers and doc- tors, and even a few progressive clergymen, who like as well as any of the boys to see on & clear summer evening the san set in a sea of gold from the top of Ked Hill and to feel the wind rush by them as they skim down Stand- pipe, ‘There are several clubs. The “District heelmen” are mainly—I say it with bated breath—boys. Of course, being young, they scorntully repudiate the’ suggestion that they are anything less than Methuselabs, Tue “Washington Cycle Club” is another organiza- tion, wearing a pre.ty uniform ofgreen and steel, but’the leading club, both for numbers und social and cycling standing, is the “Capitals,” whose dark blue .and silver Uolform is familiar to every one, and whose long cerulean stock- ings cover an extensive variety of bad legs and not a few pretty good ones. ‘One of their number has several times per- formed the daring teat ot riding down the im- mense flight of marble steps at the east front of the Capitol, which has given lim the affeetion- ate sobriquet of “Old Put,” in honor of that achievement. Another ‘careers airliy over town perched, heaven knows how, upon a sin- gle wheel or ubleyele, upon whlch, detying ali the laws of nature, he disports himselt in a thousand vagaries. “The ciub Is building @ ple- turesque house,designed by an architect among its members, on 15th street, Just below Al- baugh’s opera house, and opposite the monu- meut grounds. Out of its wide arched door- way the members proudly boast that they can ride forth over more than fifty miles of asphalt pavement, as smooth as your parlor floor, aud almost as "clean and shady. Every member of the elub feels it his duty to go down eyery day and inspect the progress of this building, and offer a few suggestions to its urchitect and builder, who are ‘by this time reduced to the Very confines of insanity. “Swiftly and Silently” is the motto they wear on their badges, and everywhere you go their swift and silent wheels flash by you, although sometimes the stlence is broken by a lurid ejuc- ulation from the startled waytarer upon whom they come too unexpectedly. Occasionally “Justitia” or “Vox Populi” writes a letter to the newspaper complaining that they irightea his horses by shooting past thetn, or that they do not ring a bell or carry a light, but startle bis nerves by coming too quietly to give him time. to get out of the way. But some irate bicycler isulways ready to reply that they don’t ask him to get out of the way; all they want fs for hi: quietly to proceed and they will get out of uis Way, and that the sooner his horses are trained to endure the alarming sight of wheels going without horses to draw them the better, as the wheels have come to stay. The bicycler reserves his curses, not loud but deep, for the agitated female who sees him coming and thinks she eun get by in front of him, and runs forward a little way, and then changes her usind and thinks she can’t, and then rus back a littie way, aud then vacillates, poised between the curbs in_an agony of trizht'and Indecision, while he valnly tries to decide which side to go to avoid her. 1 is observed that the riders who carry a headlight as big and ring # bell as loud as a locomotive's are the elderly men, who jog sedately long on their little “Sufeties” or “Far ciles,” and wouldn't be likely to ruu downs toricise or even a District messenger boy. The wheelmen have a jolly time on their club Tuus, and long, lelsureiy, golden afternoons in the country, drinking lemonade at Brightwood, climbing Good Hope and Boone's hill, crossing the Long bridge, or Benning’s on thé Eastern branch, seeing the sun sink red in the river as they cross the Aqueduct bridge to Arlington, or sicim along the hard, smooth river up’ to Cabin John bridge ‘or the Great Falls, feeling the wind blow fresh in their fuces as they dive down into the shady depths by Rock creek, or seeing the city le white in the moonlight ‘he- neath them as they come down from George- town heights. But ihe wheel is something be- sides @ pleasure to many of these busy men, saving Ume and annihilating distance. Man; # belated Treasury mau blesses it as he scuds Up the avenue just in time to get in before 9 o'clock and avoid being summoned and repri- manded unless he can show a written excuse from his parent or guardian, A good many use them, and i big room in the basement has until lately been set apart to hold the motley collec- tia of two and three wheelers. Since the car pets have been taken up for the summer the room has been filled with them, and greatis the Wrath of the wheelmen at bavibg to stock thelr carefully kept darlings in a courtyard, exposed to wind, rain and sun, They do not receive inuch sympathy, however, from the custodians, one of whom, when appealed to the other day, was rd to inquire indifferently of another, . Jin, is thim min to kapé their hobby horses in heer?” o+—____ THE WOODLAWN FARMERS, The Anniversary Exercises Held Un the Patriarchal Trees of Woodlawn. The twentieth anniversary of the Woodlawn Farmers’ club was held at “Woodlawn” on the 14th Inst. A letter from W. M. King, chief of the seed division of the Agricultural department, wus read, in which he urged the club wo co- operate with the grangersin thelr coming fair at Loring station. He also recommended @ trial of the new variety of wheat called “Ful- caster,” forwarding a descriptive elreulur of the same. The assemblage was then addressed by Col. Edward Daniel, who alluded to the absence of many familfar and honored faces, but was rejoiced to see so many of the rising generation coming on to fill thelr places, as he hoped, ina worthy manner. He referred also to the splendid possibilities of Virginia agri- culture, aud heurtily denoyneed what she termed’ the growing tyranny of the money in- terest, He urged the farmers, and all other producers, to Jook into these ‘matters intelli- gently, and correct the evil tendencies, Col. tT. W. Parmele, ot New York, who was next called upon, told the members of the club what he di not know aboat farming, and dwelt upon the importance of ussociation and interchuuge of ideas, He made an appeal for the lightening of the labor of women, tor which he was rewarded with a boquet by some of the ladies, and finally wound up with a little tilt with Col. Daniel about his financial reforms, #E. Mason followed with some remarks as to the evils complained of 1@ other speak- ers, ad differed somewhut with boum, meertiog that the politicians were mainly to Blame for all our ills of the character reterred to. 8. W. Mason next taced the audience and presented @ remedy for the troubles com- plained of in @ poeti¢al allusion to the of the ballot-box, and sald further question of temperance was to be the same way, ‘The venerable Jobp pow, in his eighty-eighth year, arose and thanked the as- semnbiage for this gathering at Woodlawn, re- minding them that the Immortal Washi had looked upon the sameuged trees that they were then seated beneath. He said that some of huis ancestors were very near the Father of His uniry in his metsorable sirugg iberty, and he earnestly bi ‘ihe “Woodibwa iss would continue to ite anni at that place ws long as it was in the ‘his family, ‘The old officers were then, conacut, re-vlecied for the coming J ‘The Sexe meeting will be att W, Bludte’ on tbe 11th of September. Bg oy is ot J. Nc iworth Sospoeea ze, lorman Gibbs, “Always aim a little bigher than " wi kiss a | Sear e SENATORIAL FISH STORIES. Seasonable Yarns Told by Distin- guished Legisintors. MR, KENNA TELLS OF THREE CATFISH THAT TELESCOPED EACH OTHER—MR. VESTS STORY ABOUT PRESIDENT ARTHUR—THE KENTUCKY’ SENATORS AND THEIR DoGs. Senator Vest, who has fronw the inception of the project felt and manifested great interest in the Yellowstone park, by special invitation ‘accompanied President Arthur and Gen. Sheri: dan on a tour through that extensive reserva- tion year before last. The Senator isa genial companion and a superb story-teller, and it was @dmitted by the party after their return that he was the life of the excursion. Just after Congress adjourned Senator Vest was one of a group that was engaged in a dis- cussion of angling and in relating fish stories. SENATCR KENNA’S CATFISH YARN. Senator Kenna had just related an incident showing the voracity of the catfish, which came under Bis {mmediate observation. Accompanied by several other Senators— among them Mr. Vest—Mr. Kenna was fishin, in West Virginia. A sudden rain had muddled the water, and bass were not feeding. One ot the party’had caught three catfish, each a size or two larger than the other. He sirung them, utting the largest first on the string and at the ttom, then the next in size, and the stnallest ‘on top, and then tled them in the water, intend- ing to take them in the boat upon the return home, ‘Several hours later, when the party re- turned, they found that while upon the string the second fish had attempted to swallow the small one, aud had succeeded in taking him in up to the fins; and the largest. at the bottom of the string, hud endeavored to make a meal off Of his next neighbor. “Now, Vest saw that,” conciuded Senator Kenna,’“and ean vouch for the truth of the story.” ‘A TALE ABOUT PRESIDENT ARTHUR. Senator Vest asserted that he suw and exam- ined the string of catfish, one swallowing the other, and then said: “President Arthur is the most expert and graceful angler I ever saw handle a rod, and I have seen some ot the best. While we were duing Yellowstone Park, one Sunday, the President, and several others be- sides mjself, rode ahead of the main party, and Feached our camping-place quite early in the day. It was a beautiful spot, well-shaded, with a splendid spring at hand and near the bauk of ariver. After we had dismounted I sirolied to the edge of the stream, aud on the opposite side in a hole just below a little rill I saw a splendid trout playing. He was a magnificent fellow, and seemed ‘to be disporting himself in the clear water—it was a ras erystal—for his ownamusement. I called to the vihers to come and havea look at him, and expressed iny re- gret that I nad left all my rods and tuckle with the pack mules. One of the party remarked that he had brought hfs rod wiong, and he at once returned to ibe horses tor it. Ii a few moments he placed it in my hands and I rizged it and attached a fly. The President, with urms folded across his breast, was quietly watching the trout. As ‘soon as I had the fly properly secured I extended the rod to the President, saying I want you to catch that fellow. “No, no,” he responded earnestly, half turning away from me, “I never touch @ réd on the Sabbath.” “I was determinea,” continued Senator Vest “that the President should have that trout; 80 stepped to the edge of the brook, which was high and almost perpendicular, and pretended to make acust or two. I'm no’ slouch with the fly, and could have made the cast had I wanted to,” After several Ineifectual ctforis T again turned to the President, who by this time w. eagerly alive to the whole proceeding, and sald: ‘Mr, President, you mustinake the cast. Itis two far for me.” The keen instinct of the sportsman was fully aroused “in him, were fairly snapping, He Vest, Til’ consent “to hook im, but Iwill not land iim on the suubath.” I said very weil and passed the rod over to bin, He stepped forward to the spot on which I had Stood and made acast. It felt a littie short; but the next time he put the tly within two Inches, Of the trout’s nose and with a swift dart the fish seized the lure. The President hooked him and turning towards me he extended the butt of the red in my direction aud said bur riedly: “Tuke it, Vest; take It quick; quick. I won't land him on Sunday. “1 grabbed the rod,” coutinued the Senator, “and aiter playing the fish for a while landed him. He weighed three pounds and a quarter and the President ute part of him fur supper.” SENATOR BECK’S CONSTITUENT. Senator Beck not long ago reccived a letter froma @ Kentucky constituent informing him that some person in Cumberland, Md., had promised the constituent a puir of poluter Pups. ‘The Kentuckian was anxious to gel the pups provided they nad certain marks, but Un- less thus distinguished he did not’ care for them. He wrote to Beck that as “Cumberland as Not very tar from Washington he_ wis..ed he (Beck) would go up tuere, examiue the pups,”and if marked as he described have them shipped to Kentucky. HOW SENATOR BLACKBURN LOST HIS PUPS. As illustrative of the peculiar requests made of Congressmen, this letter was mentioned in the presence of Senator Blackburn, “Well,” he deciured, “it Beck had youe and the pups had been any account that coustituent would never have seen them. When Beck gets hold of a really fine dog he holds on toit. In the Forty-lourth Congress Iwas chairman of the sub-elections committee to which was reterred the contested election case of Le Moyne against Farwell. As Le Moyne was the democrat I found the equities of the case with him, and after atime we got him seated. Le Moyne is very wealthy, and he imports the tiuest strains of ‘hunting dogs. Some time afer he was seated he told me one day that he intended to send me one of the finest Laverack setters that Was ever seen. Weil, he went out of Congress, and “I forgot all’ about th: promise.’ Five or six years elapsed, and one day, just as Congress adjoarued, T received’ a letter trom LeMoyne telling me he had been waiting to yet a pup that 1 would be proud of, and that at last he had purcuased one that he could vouch tor. He sent the pedigree and wrote that the pup would be shipped by express ata certaiu thine then near at mand, Very foolishly showed tue letter to Beck and bousted w him of the fine dog I would have. I hud toleave for home, so I made arrangements with a friend to receive the pup here. tu out of the box and feed him’ up‘tor several day aud then reship him to iny hoiue in Kentuek! When my iriend culled at the express omice George Moss told him that Senator Le got the pup. *Why,’ said Moss, ‘the Gulled and sald that as Joe Biackdurn hag home hi bad promished to take eure of tie for him. “Well, Beck got the pu, Blackburn, “and 1 have never laid eyes upon i. Lusked him what beesine of it, and with one of bis big lungs he said it dled.” ses. TO FIGHT CATERPILLARS WITH TRICKS. The Curious Torch which Agent Key Proposes to Use in Battling with the Worms. Mr. M. P. Key, agent of the Humane Society, sends the following to THz StaR: When the caterpillar first made its appearance on our beautiful shade trees in the spring there was @ great deal said about how to destroy them, who should destroy them, und what woald destroy them, &e., but still they were not destroyed, and now that the second crop, or cycle, are tented on the trees, 1 would like to make to your numerous readers one or two practical suggestions: In view of the fact that the city has given so many and such beautiful shade trees to ward off the hot raysof the sun and cool the air around our dwellings, ought not the owner of that tree and that bouse (or its oceupant) to k! the worms that are soon to strip its leaves off, sand in place of the once beautiiui follage leave adirty, flthy-looking mess? If I were to take some bad boysin front of Mr. A.'sor Mr. B's house and proceed to strip the follage trom the limbs of nis trees us those worms are doing he would not hesitate to prosecute me at once, nnd would grow eloquent In defense of his summer friend, the tree; but he will not turn a thought oF act toward ‘it now, unless it isto abuse the king commissioners, Congress or the poor, little, over-abused sparrow, or the man who kills the sparrow, and all the time the worm 1s eating away! Keep on talking, keep on writ ing, and in another week your trees on many ofthe streets will be ruined for this year ut jean In Rio de Janeiro, South America, there is a society for the prevention of cruelty to animals and plants. Ob ! it we hud such soclety her would we not have the trees cleaned quickly What would you think if a richly dressed lady, with her ebifdren, were to stop an “umbrella: to-mend” man, take his shabby old trames and hoist them over her head, and walk the streets, of Washington? Would’ not every lady cry “crank?” ‘we must soon cry “Crank, crank!” to all who permit their trees to bé stripped, | Take u plece of soft brick, commonly termed salmon brick, trim it to an’ egg shape; then take two soft wires, cross them over this brick, wrapping them together around the Pusite side so as to firmly secure t; now tle this pup ” concluded end toa long stick, such as the boys get at the planing mills, by wrapping uround it; then soak the brick in coal ofl, light it with a inatch, and you are armed with ihe best and i st Weapon known tosclence, Holding this brok torch under the nests of caterpillars will pre- cipitate to the sidewalk all the worms on one from one soaking of the Bra’ USED Gi sRiehgaenenbcar we ease ru WEATHER PROPHETS. The Science of “High” and “Low”—A Cheap Way to Achieve Reputation asa Meteorologist. To the Editor of Te EVENINO Stam: The cheapest way to obtain the reputation of “meteorologist” seems to be to publish some sensational advanced weather report, No mat- ter how absurd, it will not fail to attract even respectful attention, The nuriber of perso ambitious for the honor (?) of “weather prophe is surprising. The absurdities and failures of one of this class do not seem to deter others from following in the same track, and they all, in some form or other, possess the idea that the weather {s, in some way, a great mathematical problem; that the changes of the future are to be computed by the changes of the past. These rophets (?) apparently kuow nothing of the Rictors which produce the changes of the weather, for if they did they would not attempt the absurd role they do. The all-important factors, which th and all, ignore, are, first, the heat power of the in; second, the varied suriace of the earth. ‘The one acting on the other produces the factors ‘we term high and low barometer; on the map, for short, designatea “High” and“Low.” These primary’ and secondary factors are the cause, und the changes wrought, which we term the ‘weather, are the effect Now it would seem that if person were wise enongh to know anything about a subject, he would know, where, as In Unis case 1t is now possible to know, the cause as well as the effect, and kuuwing ihe eaise he would go to that and not be content with the mere effect. ‘The weather map shows the conditions of the atmosphere on the same principle that the geozraphy shows the topography of the surface Of the earth. If person knows the geography of the earth he knows the relation of the hills, valleys and water-courses. He can locate them, if'@ section of country is overflowed he knows more about it than the mere effect. He Knows what river has produced it and from what direction it has come and in what direc- tion it will flow; he knows the cause as well as the effect. In meteorology we may now, relatively, know. as much about the changes of the weather—the cause as well asthe eect, as We do in the line of geography. In the weather all the changes are wrought by the factors above mentioned; the weather map, day by day, reveals the ‘conditions of thesé factors. If tle conditions are favorable, we can, sometiines even for three or four d in advance, have a fair idea of what the Weather will be; then, at another time, when the conditions are unfavorabie, it may bé more difficult to say what the weather will be for only a day in advance, But there is no way under the sun to foretell the weather Independent of this map; indeed, there is no way to understand the science of meteorology but by this map, and until we had the map we were ignorant of the beautiful laws that govern our meteorological system, Where the “High” is there will be a certain kind of weather, while the “Low” and the bor- der lines between will have their peculiar Weather. There is no possible chance to have “High” weather with a “Low” lntluence, or the reverse, Therefore the student of the weather map challenges all the “weather propheis” singly or collectively—all that ever lived or may live, to foretell the paths of the “Highs” and the “Lows"—tell where the next “Lows” will enter the territory of the United States,—map out the tracks over the country,—give the intensity, size and outlines of centers, together with the speed and divers changes ‘that trom hour to hour oceur,aud which ure the cause of the elect which is revealed to us, If these weather prophets (2) can discover any mathematics or evidence from nautical or other almanac by hich they can foretell the nature of the cause which produces the effect, and to witch the cect is subordinate, then indeed they will dis- cover the greatest ting yet known to man, but uniil they can do this they bad better discon- tinue their present foolish practice, tor the world is getting beyond them and day by day the great weatuer map is published aud reveals their jguoranee of natural laws, ‘The best thing they can do is to study this map,—let them study it well; Indeed let ail Ue people study it, and there’ wiil be no more seh pretenders or regard for them. But the map will grow In favor, and more and more its, beauties will be revealed to man, and more and more willman thereby compréhend the wise meteorological laws that govern the universe, and by this knowledge become entitled to the honor of being a “meteorologist.” L PLN. one ‘Throngh Virginia in a Buggy. A WASHINGTON MAN TAKING A LONG DRIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, Correspondence of THe EVENING STAR. BACK Creek VALLEY, Va., August 15, One day last week your correspondent started, from Washington city with bis horse and light buegy on a three weeks’ drive among the mountains of Old Virginia, The road from Washington to Leesburg was very rough n- deed, by the route taken, being the old ndria pike. From Leesburg to Win- ter, via Hamilton and Round Hill, crossing the Blue Ridge at Snicker’s Gap the goad was very good. After nearing the Blue {Ridge mountains the scenery is grand and in— Heresting—being that of ever changing moun- ‘jain and valley—the latter in a high state of ‘cultivation, the former well wooded and ple- turesque. The air in these mountains is pure and bracing, without a taint of malaria. ‘The nights are always cool and invigorati We are enjoying delightiul drives every day over the highest mountains in this part of the country, Whence we get magnificent views ot the couintry far and wide. On Sunday we drove up to Rock Enon, where we found many Wash- ingtonians, Mineral springs of various kinds are found in abundance’ all through this section of Virginia, About fifteen miles to the westward—in West Virginla—there is a place | known as the Ice mountain, where, itis said, lee may be found the yeur round on or near’ the surjace in the gorges and amongst (he loose rocks, A small party went over from here yes- terday to visit this wonderful natural ice-house. They failed, however, to find veritable Ice, but Uiey did ind very cold currents of alr—altaost ice cold—coming ‘up from every fissure of the rocks, and by taking upsuch rocks as they could handie, whieh were only partiaily imbedded, les to be Very cold—so cold Indeed as to make their fingers ache very much as one’s fingers do after handling tee. No satistsetory theory has been assigned for the existence of this cold spot, and thereiore I shall mitke uo effort to account for it, When you go to the country for the purpos2 of Laviug a good time, Just take your horse and buggy, spend all the ‘time possible ramoling about’ and over the roads whence the most pleasing scenery may be viewed, thus getting the full benefit of the best’ alr and. at the same time the pleasures derived from the ever changing beauties of the mountains and ulieys betore you. Already I feel greatly benefited with but’ one week’s rambling. I expect to remain some two weeks longer and then put on my working office harness, and again begin to swelter in the good city ot Wash- ington. M. see A Common Language. To the Editor of Tirk EVENING Stak: I noticed @ suggestion offered in last Satur- day's Stak regarding teaching Spanish, which I thought very sensible. Yet I would have a further suggestion to make. As much progress and advancement as the world is making at present, why not go still further and hold a convention, to be attended to by all civilized nations of the world. At thelr meeting leta language to be.proposed, say French, German, English, Tiallan or Spanish, and should the con- vention’ adopt either of tle languages named, then agree that from a given time that lan™ guage should be taught 1n the schools ail over the world. ‘Chis, however, shouid not interiere with ‘the language now in use anywhere, but only add the additional language. Thus, if properly carried out, in 10, 15 or 20’ years the whole civilized world could speak together. -C. ‘Transfers of Renl Estate. Deeds in fee have been filed as follows: Thos. H. Ferney to Harry F. Clark et al. trus- tees, sub lot 21, sq. 465; $10. In trust tor the benefit of Harriét E. rervey, wile of grantor. Geo. W. EAE to Agnes Beuchert, purt lot 7, 8q. 1042; $1,650. Chas. H. Carrington to Mar- tha E. Pitney, lot 3, block 33, Columbia Heights. Geo. C, Miller et al, to Rosina Miller et al., part of lots 24, 25, 26, sq. 516; $2,000. Christian A. Riede to John P. Ardeeser, sub- lots 38 and 39, aq. 669; $800. Harriet R.Wind- sor to Miranda Fraser, sub lots 21 and 22, sq. 331; $2,964.84. Wm. F. queuing et al, trs., to Frank T. Browning, ‘sub lot 51, sq. 307 $5,200., Ellas Sternman to Geo, M. Emmerich, Sub lot 18, sq. 354; $10. Geo. M. Emmerich to Elias Sternman and wile, sub lot 18, sq. 354; $10, Samuel Goodrick to Maria C. Emrich, art lot 63 in old Georgetown; $850. Wm. E: larley to Ella E. Davidson, sub lots 5 and 6, 49. 985; $2,500. Robert E. Morris to M: at Goa Lockwood, pt. lot 10, sg. 523; $800, Edw. ley et al.’ to Fred'k'W. Jones, trustee, pis. lots 90 and 91, in Beal's addition to George- town; $1, Fred’k W. Jones, trustee, to Edw. Godey, part of the same property; $5. Same to FannieS. Godey, partsame property; 35. Same to John W. Godey, part same Property: $5. Jobn Sherman, trustee, to Augusta D. Hutch- ings et al, lot 15, in blk, 36, Columbia Heights; $937.59. Laura A. Morse to Avarilla Lampbeti sub. lot 5, 8q. 282; $6,000, Geo. E, Mitchell to Eagar M. Marble, lots 190, 192, 194, 11 198 HSigee Jf to Abriuant Fistoe pa to espe, J to aprguant Fistor paar M. Demonet to Jules A. ‘De Secs part iot 119; $8,000. Walter 8. 01 . Cox ot ely trey i Win, ie Fristlo etal Sus iat Cox et 148, sq. 672; $600. ‘To the Liberator. How wilt thou come to tell I may; (geen Shs anes eat oes (Or will thy step draw nigh on leaves? illed to the heart, I that. it should Rieter cet A SrA aoc ‘Must bring thee nearer, ad may bring thee meart” (Oh mightiest, veoderest angel—Azree!! ‘Timed ticpibinet rnp bngeo tin On each’ se wall— —Ne py ay rac aaa How Bi 1s Jones. your are I'll ask Saas stay where ADIRONDACK SCENERY, Pleasares of Camp Life im the Nerth Woods, WHERE LAKE, MOUNTAIN AND SKY COMBINE To PLEASE THE EYE—MILLIONAIRES LIVING IN LOG HOUSES—GAMB SCARCE AND TROUT WARY—BAD MOUNTAIN ROADS, ac. Correspondence of THE EVENING Star. Ix CAMP, IN THE ADIRONDACKS, August 18. This region is no longer the wilderness it was ‘@ few years ago, and old sportsmen find here no more the attractions whieh in the past endeared the Fulton cbain of lakes to their hearts, The Fulton chain contains eight lakes, all but one, the Fourth, at the foot of which our camp is sit- uated, being small sheets of water, hardly worthy the name of lakes. They are connected by Inlets, and a small steamer plies as far up as the head of the Fourth lake, which curves like @ vast crescent of oxydized silver among the densely wooded mountains for a distauce of six miles. It is as pretty asheet of water as can well be imagined, Peak over peak the mountains retreat in all directions away from i, and above them like irregularly drawn eur tins of gauze the haze hangs in varying shades of beautiful smoky blue, becoming more and more deep in the distance until the farthest spurs seem like faint clouds anchored on the norizon or the ghosts of departed mountains. Here and there through the dense vegetation which covers them like a growth of giant moss, rocky ‘spurs and ridges show yellowish amid the beautiful slopes of dee] green. The Fourth lake is prettily diversi with ‘bays and iniets, and there are several islands in_it, one of them about thirty acres iu extent. Nearly every desirable point of land ‘or cape Is_now occupied by a “camp.” These gamps for the, most, part are built of rough hewn ‘logs and plank, and are intended summer occupation only. There are a few very picturesque camps, constructed alter rustic de- signs, of uuhewn pine logs, with verandahs on two sides and carefully sealed with narrow pine boards within. A tew of the pubile camps, where sportsmen and other visitors tind accom: modations, are pleasantly Mtted up, and fair meals and’ tolerable beds may be obtained at low rates. A few years ago it required a good deal of courage on the part of a lady to come into the wilderness’ and put up with the rough fare and rude camps which seasoned sportsmen endured rather than enjoyed. The CHANGES OF RECENT YEARS have, however, rendered this part of the wil- derness quite attractive as a summer resort even for people who are accustomed to coddle themselves, while the sportsmen seek more #@- questered and congenial retreats farther north in iess accessible regions. The majority of the people to be met here, however, have the cadav- eroms appearance aid the dry, hard cough witch indicate that most dreaded and destruct- ive of diseases, consumption, Many of the camp-Keepers originally sought these wilds in hopes of relief or cure of lung’ troubles, and as a rule they claim to have been greatly benelited, Indeed, there can be litte douvi that “peuple” with incipient consumption may check the ravages, if not Permanently cure the disease, by # residence amid the aromatic pines and baisains of these woods. Numerous alleged cures of people far gone in constmption occut every year, Atver a Tesidence here of six weeks or two monihs the invalid, who came in feevle and emaciated, re- turns (6 the city fat and apparently strong. A couple of months pussed under the same condl- tious which origibaily brought on the trouble usually put the patient down lower than he was when he first went to the woods, and from these relapses, as a rule, the rallies are 1ew.. A residence of a iew weeks in the pure, bracing air of the mountains, while it tones up the sys tem generally and relieves the more marked symptoms of diseuse, leaves the lungs more sax ceptible than ever to the bad airof the city, and this is the reason why the supposed cures do not prove permanent. ANOTHER CLASS OF INVALIDS who come here expect that the mere residence in the woods, no matter how irregular and un- hygienic their hubits may be, should make Ulem weil and sirong, ‘They take violent ex- ereive until they are in a profayo perspiration, sitout when the dew is falling, eat unwhole- some food at all hours, and sit up late at Dight Teading or playing cards, Then uhey are terri. biy disappuinied it they do uot grow strong and “get rid of their cough.” Que great drawoack to these woods as a resort tor invalids Is the difticulty of obtaining wholesome und well covked food, unless one brings in his own ma- terials and siarts a camp of his own, Ofcourse the bracing air aud outdoor Ife speedily give one a ravenous uppetite, but no appetite, how- ever ravenous, cun long hold out against the strong butter and canned fruits and vegetables: which, unbappily figure so prominently in all north ’woods menus. These drawbacks will doubtless disappear in a season oF two, as most ot the camps now have small clearances about them on which are raised garden vegetables, and at one or two places a cow is kept. Quite a number of purties of ladies and gen- Ueten are summering at the diferent camps on the lakes this summer. They are trom Rochester, Syracuse, Utica and other cities In New York state. The finest private campon the lakes is owned by a weaithy gentleman ot Utica, Lewis Law- rence, chiefly Known to fame asan extravagant admiter of Roscoe Conkling. Lawrence's ad- miration of Conkling once cost him about $40,000, which he sunk in an endeavor to es- fablish Conkling organ in Utica. On Little Moose Lake, whieh is about a mile distant from the firet lake of the chain, Mr. Taylor, » mil- lionatre iron founder of High Bridge, N: J. has ‘one o1 the finest camps in the woods, and spends a large part of the summer there, GETTING INTO THE WOODS, The elevation of these iakes, and the great beauty of the region in which they are situated would undoubtedly make them a favorite re- sort for thousands of summer tourists in Search o1 rest aud health, if they were at all ble. The difficulties of the road leading e keep ali bu. the most enthusiastic away. The tourist leaves the railroad at Boon- Ville, whence the ride of 18 miles to Moose river is over a yood road. At Moose river the trouble begins. “The 134 miles of road from that point to the Uid Forge, at tue foot of the lakes, is indescribably bud. ‘The formula tor getting an Idea of it is, Imagine the worst sible road you can, and then multiply it by four, IUruus through the woods nearly all the way, and can be traveled only on horseback or by buckbourd. It is more like the dry bed of a niountain torrent than a roadway, so full is it of boulders and fragments of wrecked trees, and so sudden und tortuous are its turns. The unsophisticated traveler who goes over this roud for the first tme usually requires two ys to recover irom the effects of the ride. The road ends at the Old Forge house, so called because at the beginning of the cen: tury an attempt was made to establish there a foundry for the purpose of making iron out of the excellent ore with which these mountalas abound. In those days it was necessary to draw the iron to Albuny, several hundred miles, so it is not difficult fo believe the tradi- Uon still current here that every pound of iron made in Brown's ‘Tract cost un ounce of gold. Atthe Old Forge you are met by the litue Steam tug, whicu takes you up the lakes at a rate of about tive miles an hour, except when there isa head wind,when she lies by In a sneitered bay until the wind goes down, But oF all these discomforts and tribulations one feels amply repaid the next morning, it the ‘Weatties 13 fine, on coming out into the detight- fulairand surveying the magnificent torest- covered mountains that stretch away in every direction into the sott und hazy distance. “FLOATING” FOR DEER. Amateur fishermen and hunters who come here with the idea that the woods are fall of gume loafing around to be shot at and the Waters stucked with trout just longing to be caught, are grievously disdppoluied. Except in tie éarly spring trout are not caught without inieiligent and persevering work. Game is always hard to get, big game especially. The foresis are surprisingly devoid of small game, ‘The hunting of deer by “floating,” this year be- came legal on the 15th instant, Sunday last, AS u consequence, ull the waters which deer were known to frequent were filled Saturday night with silently gliding bocts, each bearing ut the bow a large juck-lantern which threw brilliant light uhead, revealing to the patient sporisman, who sat. gun in band, just bebind it in the boat, all objects on shore. The guide oF paddler ails in the stern, and the manner 18 which they propel the boat is really admiral So silently and skilfully ts done. With thelt little paddies they send the boat torward or draw her back, turn sharply and rapidly and shoot, inand Out amid the most bewilderi labyrinths of marshgruss, eat-o-nine talls, IIe pads and the branches of fallen and submerged trees, and all thisin nearly absolute silence. Not @ word is spoken atove a whisper, and no nolse of any kind made, as tie’ slight ext undsual sound) will frighten, the wary ame. On the silent canoe glides wil revealing every bush aud outer object on the Tevealing every bush and other on shore to the watchers. When a deer is sighted there fs, 48 @ rule, much suppressed emotion aud commotion in’the bout, particularly ifthe sportsman is anew Land. But even with old sportsnen and even the guides themselves Will occasionally be seized with what Woodsmen call the “buck 1ever” when a d sighted. The buck fever is a severe att nervousness, which is sald o cause very men to completely “raitied,” almost forget how to shoot, When it green band the guides are sometimes pelled to resor! to heroic measures to the frustrated sporteman from shooting and endangering his own or lives, Many amusing tales are told of Sequences Of an attack of buck fe year, in consequence of the somew ‘enforcement of tbe game laws, which Plentisul. Of course, many deer, were ent course, Before the expiration of the clove season, is generally uumitied that ‘more respected BESe BER + ilualilil, ae the game ‘than ever before. ‘From the St. Paul Globe. “Why, Clara, where have you been?” ex- claimed gushing Iola as tLe two former school, mates met on Summitavenue. “Let me see, the last time 1 remember seeing you was at the skating was generally Seis heres oe pee ah Me who used o skate around with us there? You whpert yeaa “He's my husband. Son bow roweale, Tell me all about it. Dia ‘a nobleman?” entet style. Pred and sega ae you been at home? ry ON A SUMMER ISLAND. | Gossip Brought on the Rreeses from Martha's Vineyard. MOW WASHINGTONIANS THERE AMUSE THEM- SELVES AND THEIR NEIGRBORS—A PLAY WITH THIRTEEN REROINFS—MR. A. K. BATE- MAN'S SWIFT YACHT—A YOUNG MAN WITH A SILENT S0RROW. Correspondence of Tae EVENING STAR: Maxrua’s VINEYARD, Mass. August 19. The crowds still cume, and the excitement and pleasures of the place still continue, Hotels and cottages are crowded notwithstanding that each boat that goes seems to carry away hun- reds of those whose summer holiday is at an end. Lieut, Gov. Ames, by bis presence, has kept here a number of politicians; his cottage, that has bee 1 long closed, exhibits signs ot life. Mrs. Ames and her fair daughters grace the plazza, The plano ts opened, songs and merry Voices give forth giad strains from the lovely home. It is all done because “pa” wants to be governor, only that and nothing more. He will get the nomination. There seems to be no doubt about that. Howes Norris, the senator from this district and a rising politician, says #0, and what he saya is believed fm this section, WORLDLINESS FOLLOWING CAMP MEETINGS. Now that thecamp meetings are closed many ‘of the chosen people have goue bome, leaving the piace to those thal, while coming under the ttle “worldly,” are not altogether 30. There is every kind of’ pleasure to keep moments fly- ing, irom “Muldoon's Picnic” to adip in the sea. The hops at the Sea View house ate tbe most brilliant terpsichorean events,” One on Saturday evening last’ was led ‘by a Washing tonian and, largely attended by a most distin- guished gathering. About hundred couples Were upon the floor and about five hundred spectators occupied the, piazzas surrounding the duncing hall, Miss Marguret Washington, so well known in Washington, assisted imma: tronizing the affair, with Mrs. Hay, Mra. Mitehell, of Leesburg: Mrs. Potter, of 'Provi- dence, K. L; Mra. E. Winsiow Plaisted, of New York,’ and” Miss Tissington, of “New York, Among the young ladies were the Misses Raum, Gaughters of | ex-Commissioner Raum; “Mist Mildred Brown, of Frederick, M4; Miss Clare Block, of San Francisco; the’Missés Archer, of ‘orth Adams; the Misses Ames, of. North Easton; Miss Brisbane, of Philaaelphia; Miss Dukebart, of Baltimore. Mr. Edward ) Mr. Fred. Smith, Mr. Murphy and. Mi ot Washington, wonder easton, Abow . Ames, were among the beaux. For a Kentlemen were not scarce on this oc- V here they came from is only known, Prayers of the tair sex must have been nd Uhus substantially answered. A PLAY WITHOUT A HERO. It does not denote the scarcity of young gen- tlemen that Miss Anna Richardson arranged and presented on Tuesday evening a play en- titled “Rebecca's Triumph,” in which thirteen young ladies ail played ‘leading roles. The play really had plot, even though there was ho hero. ‘To one of the male persuasion, proud of such a distinction, this would seem ‘almost Anpossible, Nevertheless it was done, and a most Interesting play it was. Three of the parts were assumed by Washington ladies, who carried off the honors and won the of everybody, not only for their sprightliness in acting, but for their personal love- lines, excepting that to the charac ter of Gyp the latter term cannot easily apply as It is a character similar to that of Zopsy. In this instance never did a Topry among professionals ever say “1 speck growed” with more vim and better dialect than did the sweet girl who did the burnt cork actin this. As merit bas itsown reward the name of the dear girl will not be mentioned for Jeur pa might hear of it. A number of the guests at the Bluffs attended the entertain. Ment, Parties took what was culled straw rides over. This has no reference to Hay.” Did you ever take a straw ride? Filla lange apriny wagon with straw and pile in the girls au boys until you cannot tell which ‘is which, Laugh, sing and be merry is the motto—that is @straw ride, That is the way some went to this entertainment, Mr, Fred. Smith was lett; he went over in a baggage wagon, Which broke down abont midway; bis shoes when he ar- rived showed that he been straggling in the sand, SINGING FOR PLEASURE, AND NoT MONEY. Musicals given in the parlors are favored with talent varied and brilliant, as it comes from almost every section; even those way up in the profession really allow the tetlowship and gen- eral communion of the place to aliow them to be liberal aud to miugle in these pleasures as if they were ordinary living, singing and reading tor the beuefit of their iriends, Some who are well Known in musical circles are bere at this time, and without any suasion joined in several of these seances, mot them are Mr. James Aiken Metcali, ot New York; Mra. Carrie Hun King, of the Strackosh opera com- pany; Miss Fowler, of the American opera company, and Miss Kibbe, of the same eoin- ny; Mr, A. P. Tanvert, violinist, of New York; ir. C. B. Dennis, pianist, of ‘and; Mr. Leo- wid Lichtenburg, of Boston; Mr. Roberts, of New York, and Prof. Churchill, ot Andover, readers. Miss Kibve is the daughter of Gen: Kibbe, stationed for a long time at Washington. Heory Irving and Ellen Terry are daily ex- ected, as it has been annou.aced that they left ew York with Mr, Buck in the yacht Rambler Jor this Place, A fitting reception will be given to these English artists. MR. BATEMAN'S WONDERFUL YACHT, Last Sunday A. E. Bateman, formerly of Bate- man &o., of F street, now of Bateman & Green, New York, landed here with his beau- titul steam yacht, the Meteor, which he = is Ube fastest yacht in the world. It was built for the contemplated enterprise of making the trip trom New York to Liverpool in tour days, it being designed to run twenty-eight miles an hour. Failiug in this, its record is that of twenty miles au hour, Mr. Bateman bought it and gets as much pleasure out of it as Mr. Gould does out of the Atalanta, It s without question about the prettiest yacht afloat, and is said to be fitted up with regal elegance.’ His party consisted of several ladies and genUemen, among whom were Mrs. Bateman, Miss Green, ber sister, and Major aud Mrs. Boggs, of Wash- ington, * They were doing the seaside resorts from New York to Bar Harbor, in which pleasure they had all become very much bronzed. This yachting is an expensive luxury which only the elect can enjoy. Uve or two bandred doliars a day Ww some of them is but a drop in the bucket. Only those with certain incomes, and that ex- cvedingly large, can enjoy such’ pleasures, ‘as there is noting in whicu there can be so inuch expenditure oi money, for so snort a time, as io @ yachting cruise, and’ the owning and sustain- ing of a yacht in ihe summer, ‘The Mardi Gras carnival is the much talked of topic, and from the interest mauiiested by hose visiting here this season, who expect 10 live until next year, is greai. Prominent people, both male and iematle, ure becoming interested, aud it will be a revelation tothe people of the porth when the pleasures of New Orleans with King Kex and his entire court are landed upon. Ubis island in 1887. AN UNSPEAKABLE SORROW. Among so many people, ladies especially, there must be some little gossip, some little Jeulousies and some little incidents. One of the latest grew out of a recitation by one well known at home, in which there isa rei ss have @ silent ‘sorrow here.” A clerk in the office of Mr. Joseph 5. Spinuey, of New York, game down to spend a few due’ Vacation ai the cottage of Mr. Spinney, which being crowded, caused ‘the young gentleman to be roomed ‘in an adjoining coltage called the “Annex.” He leit at home a confiding but somewhat Jealous wite. Waile here ata musi. cal he heard tue strain, “I have u silent sorrow here.” Those who have heard it expressed in that peculiar tone kuow that it is catching. It became the strain at breakiast, diuner and Supper within the confines of this hospitable home. The hostess sang to it, the young girls sounded it, and “I have a sient sorrow here” was always upon the air. The young gentle- man returned home. Uniortunately torgevting @ very delicate garment, that in which be played a role in Dreamiand, the tuir creatures, always in fora lark, could not resist tue temp: tation to express to him the aforesaid garment, doing #0, however, they indited wu litle nolewith tbe words “I lave asilent sorrow bere” as the burden of its contents. The afore- sald cpnfidiug wife received the precious pack age. Those mysterious words. aro the gteen-eyed monster. “From the Anuex” added bri to those orbs. ‘The young wile met the bi with otherwise “than smiling greeting, chidiug him with betraying all Ler Sontidedce, aud demanding au cxplsaation of the mysterious looking characters in female handwriting appended to u garment so sacred. Ne y ‘have a sorrow ut bis leavi 4s what she wanted to know. She mis! him, abe gave forth the usual briny tears, she upon returning to her parents, to allow him to go to those in the “annex” who bad the silentsorrow. The husband was dumbiounded. fe endeavored to explain, but before peace and ‘armon: ‘who Mr. W. W. L Murphy, of the fish commis sion, while visiting bere ‘a few days ago, hud-a Very embarrassing accident to bis ‘of the strictest secrecy being obecrved DY ‘steam lauuch of the fish com: for an ex- cursion Fiona. party this week. 2,3 i} Er i i it ff i i forever BAL, Je A YEAR IN SIBERIA. Mr. George Kennan’s Journey Through the Caar's Vast Domain. TRAVELING WITH AN EXILE PARTY “EXPLORA- TIONS IN THE MINING REGION®—AKRESTEB AS A NINILIST—A WONDERFUL JOURNEY WITH NOTE BOOK AND CAMERA, Mr, George Kennan, of the Associated Press, who lett Washington about fifteen months ago fora journey through Russia ana ‘Siberia, with the Intention of making @ careful and thorough investigation of the Siberian exile aystem, returned to the city last week, aud was found by @ reporter of Tuk Stan to-day at bis house on Massachusetts avenue, In reply to questions as tothe exient and scope of his Journey, Mr Kennan said that be had traveled in all, since leaving Washington, about twenty-seven thou sand miles, eight thousand miles of which were made with horses. The farthest point which he reached was the convict mine of Kara, on the head waters ef the Amoor river, in Eastern Siberia, where he nt twelve days in October and November of last vear, Seed being asked if he would not give the 8 of THE STAR an idea of the route whion, he followed through @ country so little traveled ghd known as Siberia, Mr- Kennan said: “left M. Petersburg in May last year, and the Ural mountains into Siverin ni tie towe of Ekaterineburg, in the province of Perm. Ekat= erineburg was at thal time the terminus of Russian railway and steamboat system, an@ from there I was obliged to take post horses into Siberia. My first stop was at Tiumen, 200 miles east of Ekaterineburg, in Western Siberia, where there is a |: and important extie-ior warding prison, and where all the exiles virtue ally iu their Siberian journey. This prison 1 wished to visit, and I was desirous also of see. ing the embarkation of exties in the convict On Lue river system oi the Ob. I there tore spentin Tiamen ten or Uwelve days.” “Did you not have difficulty,” inquired the Teporier, “in getting admission ‘to prisoas and convict barges?” “No, notasarule, I carried open letters of Fecommendation from the Russian miuister Of foreign affairs and also trom the minister of the interior, who is ai the head of the Rus- sian prison avd exile administration, and the Bit authorities, who bad been furwarned. of my coming, received me generally with cordiality and showed @ disposition wo tactik tate my inv. jons. I was arrested omoe, with my tra’ companion tn the streets of Perm by some polfoe aut gendarme ofticerrwie thought we were looking wita suspicious at tention and curiosity at ove of the prisons, but ater being escorted with amusing ceremouy to Sur hole: followed by & crowd of "the popuimce who UWought the police bad caught two dauger- ous nibilista, we were released with many apologies from the gendarmes for what they said was a lamentable misun. ing. iin ‘Tiumen we bad no trouble, We went through the forwarding prison, sawand ph hed the loading of two parites of exiles on ‘cone Vict barges for transportation to and 1m oUF investigation of the working of the exile system. TRAVELING IN A TARANTASS. “In Tiumen,” continued Mr, Kennan, “wo oughta Tarantass or Siberian post carriage and started southward and eastward for the city of Omsk, which we reached after five days and nights of continuous wravel over terrible Toads. In Omsk we spent the 4th of July, but witaout being able to celebrate the day in auy. “ppropriate manner without danger of arrested again as nibilists, We then. tra Post across what is known as the great Kingnis steppe, through the chain of Cobsack villages: along the river Irtish, visiting aud being ire quently entertained {a the gray felt tents of the Kirghis nomads. At Semipalatinsk, on the frontier of Central Asia, we made another stop of ten oF twelve duys to Visit prisons and study the Kirghis and Tartars who make that olty their headquarters. We reached there Just 1a Umre to see the closing ceremonies of the great Mohammedan fast of Ramazan and the es and feasting which succeeded it. We then torned to the eastward and ae cended the Irtish to the town of Oust Kameno- gorsk, where we I anpther convict prisoi, and then went on to a Cossack picket in the mountains of the Altai known as the Alta station. Beyond this point there were no roads, bat we organized a sort of exploring expedition, with native guides, and in the course of two Weeks succeeded in penetrating on horsebuck, the most rugged fastnesses of the Russian Alta, Teachings wild Alpine region on the Mongoliag, fronuler never ‘betore seen by auy foreiner. ‘The scenery in this purt of Siberia surpasses in wildness and grandeur anything that I have ever witnessed—even in twe Cancasua W: were finally forced by lack of provisions to re- turn to the Altal station, from which ph ailer a short interval of’rest, we proceed northward to Tomsk, arriving tere late im August, MARCHING WITH AN EXILE PARTY. In Tomsk we saw the disembarkation of exties from the convict barges, went through | the exile forwarding prisons, barracks and bos- pitals, and then started eastward along the great Siberian road with # marching exile party sbout tour hundred strong. The lise and ex- perience of this party on tue road we studied carefally and thoroughly, riding or walking beside ihe exiles taiking’ with “them, eating thelr food and photographing them irom time to Ume at their halts.” As they were m: however, only 15 of 20 miles a day, we soon left them and proceeded by way of Krasn to Irkoutsk, the capital of Eastern siberia, passing ten or twelve other parties on the road, and stopping frequenuy to examiue prisous and tapes. In Irkoutsk we were over taken by ‘Lieutenant Schuetze, who was on his way to Yakoutsk ‘with oe ents for the natives and officials who ren assistance to the survivors of the Jeannette, Abort the middle of September we took w Steamer across Luke Baikal, and then traveled by post to Selenginsk, inthe Trans-Baikal, Where we Visited the largest and most important Buddhist lamasery or monastery in eastern Sie beria,saw the auuual sacred dunce of the monks in masks and costumes, and an impressive temple service, Ip which seventeen lamas an & large number of acolytes participated. We then Went on tothe town of Kiacuta, on the Chinese or Mongolian frontier, and visited the Mongolian town oi Maimatciin, # place of four OF five thousand inbabitants, but WITHOUT A SINGLE WOMAN, In Kiachta I lay sick two weeks with tever, but as soon as J was strong enough to ait up we went on i the eustward by way of Verkhne, Udinsk, Chita and Nertchinsk to Stretinsk, the head of Amoor river navigation, which We reached in October. Winter Lad by that Ume set 1, wad in order to reacu the con- Vict mines of Kara we hud tw ride on horscbuck four days over slippery icy mouutain trails, 1a temperatures ranging froin zero ws twenty-five degrees Uelow. We reacbed our destination in saiety, but were greauly exhausted by nardsbip and expusure. We remained there twelve days, muking @ careful examination of the imines, which are gold plucers, puotogr. the exiles at work in them, and going’ throug! all the prisons. We then made a circular journey of 600 miles around te Nertouiusk Sliver inines, whieh Lie scattered over the cuun- try between the Shiika riverand tie Mongodan, frontier, are all worked by couvicis. Wweut Uirough every imine aud every prisoa in that whole mining district. dn December we returned tw Irkoutek, and the reiaineder of the winter we spent in getting back to European Russia, making frequent detoursdrom the main Toad W visit prisous aud penal’ settiements, wud studying tue life of the exiles under win ter conditions, We reacaed St. Petersburg in BMarch, and went direcly through to Loudon, and my trav- eling companion, Mr. Frost, returned to Amerk ca, [then went buck to Baropean Russia with my wite, who bad met me in Engiand, aud we visited St. Petersburg, Moscow, Nizhul, Novgo- rod and Kuzan. ‘That, in brie, is an outilue ul my movements siuet I lett Wasuingion is 1885.” ‘Mr. Kennan is looking as well as usual, and says he does not taink that the severe burd- ships and exposures of the past year have in any way Injured bis beaith. “lie is already engaged in working up the muss of literary mae terial which he bas brougut home, and whic it is understood te destined for Ue Century mag. —— LAKE MINNETONKA. Correspondence of Tae EVENING Stan Lake MINNETONKA, MINN., August 16, The National Rifles, you will remember, visited “Minnetonka” in June, 1884,a0d will bear me out in the assertion that the “ of the West” is located in this immediate vicinity. The seasoa is now at its height, and the attendance this year, it is expected, will be far greater than last. When last season closed. 1am tola that 250,000 people had visited the take, The shores jotted with pretty cot- 4 there are three large vies ‘Lafayette, Lake Park and Hotel St. Louls, ; the bathing is uck =bouting will this and miles of suore, and would be aifiioutt to ae Sew weeks’ enjoyment 2s winter season. ae the brecse that ts eure at really the greatest. enabled to rea PiSapring Park” is the name the most and is a club house owned clUgens of Minneapolis and have ex- of this club comprise of