Evening Star Newspaper, January 14, 1888, Page 2

THE EVENING STAR: WASHINGTON, D.C.. SATURDA ae JANUARY 14, 1888—DO CITY AND_DISTRICT. REAL ESTATE GossiP. PROPLE WHO WANT $25 HOUSES IY $75 wrIGHBOR- 8G PURPOSES—M™ GEORGE ALFRED TOWNSEND'S COCNTRY HOME—THE RIDING SCHOOL BUILDING, own Stam hit the nail square on the head on urtay,” exclaimed a young manto @STar re orter whom he met on the street. How do you mean?” asked the reporter. “Why, in printing that Interview about high rents here fn the city,” was the reply. “It tallies eductly with my experience. I have been trying » rent # house for $25 or $30 a month, but it seems iumpossible to dose, Even tae reabestate agents toll me that hoases of this character are very searoe. But Idon't need the ald of expert testi mony on tuis polut; my own experience 1s sum cient. Asicant get a house that comes within my means I am compelled to boar Occasionally 1 start out with the intention of renting a house, god 1 tr ‘over the city to look at houses ich 1 discover are not. worth $15 & month, s { aithongh and even $90, ts asked. A nouse Ghat is at ail desirable fs sure io be Eb, and even 90, per month. 1 was talking with & friend of hllae, not long gro, who lived bere a few years ago, but is now Aiding in Philatetphia, He told ie here he was obliged to board, as he Was Unable to pay the rents asked, When tie 3rst went to Philadelphia be rented a hone -ontalning eignt rooms, aicely finished, and within twenty Iulautes of his pitce of business by the cable road. ‘The rent was $19 per month, and afterward he de- termined to buy the house. Iie paid a small amount of money as the first installment, and then $25 per month until he had secured a home. It would Take sight Gr olné years to buy @ house at this rate here.” me that wh WHAT RRAL ESTATE AGENTS S47. subsequentiy in talking with a number of real estate agents te substance of this complaint was mentioned, and a vanety of opinions were ex- od. PeOne dealer said: many houses of “It Is true that there are not eter described for rent. ‘There are pient thatare vacant, but the rent asked ts « ably higher, ranging from $90 to 45, One reason ts, I think, the hig! Of land, Xo one can afford to buy land at $1 and $1.25 per foot and bu id « house to rent for $25 per Inouth. An average «ity lot at such figures would $2,000 and upwark. At the present time It Is Impossiol to Duy Land “in the northwest section, est of 12th street and inside of Boundary, at Jess rate. The same 1% true im other localities whieh are convenient of #ccess. In order to buy round for 50 and 75 cent: per foot you have to go some distance from the enter of the city. ‘Then there ts another feature which tends to keep up prices, and that 1s the prevalent idea that property oust pay 10 and 12 per cenf gross on the money iuvested. People here are not satisfied with a low Fate of titerest. They Want \o make %, 9 or 10 per erat net, while in other cities people are con- ‘teated with a much lower rate of Interest, provid— ing only that thetr money 18 safely invested. Of ‘course there Is the contingency which every prop- erty-owner must consider of his houses being for a ‘a time without tenants, Dut ia this city when a house ts in good condition, and when the rentis fair, such a contingency rarel;* occurs.” itis all nonsense,” remark¥d another dealer, towhom the matter was ment.vaed. “There are jenty of houses which can be minted for $25 and pet month, and in good locali.ues, too. “A man ‘Who wants to buy a house can stctre the Dest | term This class fs encouraged by" all dealers ws | weil asowners, and it ts so arrai\ged that the montaly ats are not much greater than he rent. That ts not the trouble. The people here are too particular. The majority want a $25 house in a $75 neighborhood. Nearly a¥l our ap- Plicants desire a house in the northwe\t section, or in some other fesiionaple locality. ‘They also | Want a house with some style about n\ and, of conrse, if they gratify such tastes, they Twust ex- ct to pay for it. ‘The great desire 13 to be in a ality that ts central. There are so many people ‘Who won't Walk, and even those who live \eden- tary lives ride back and forward Ia the street’ cars to thetr places of business, The lending objec¥ion that we hear to property that we offer for reu 1s ‘ot So much the price as that it fs so far away, OF @ige that the neighborhood ks not sty lish.’ “Have you any hon-es on your list that rent foe $25 and £40 per month?” asked the reporter. “Certainly I have,” was the quick response, “There is 4 house containing six rooms on P sureet, Detween 9th and loth streets northwest, which 1 will rent for $31.5 en there are seven-room bouses on T street, between 16yp and ith sireets uorthwest, Which reat for $5 per month. On C street northeast, near Lincoln Park, There are_seven-room houses which can be rented for $24. There are sox Lh street ortheast, and the rental is £20. on 16th street nortnwest, near the Boundary, there Are nine-room houses which can De rented for $77.50. Oo M street northwest, near Z¥1 street, I €an Tent You a nine-rocm Lous for $99 per month. ‘These hoiises are ta good eondl ad suitable for any person who Wants a Af streetcar lines were extended throughout the city, the tendency that exists at present to crowd together in convenient and cen- tral localities would ve, to a large extent, over- come. Kents are high uf course in some po: tious ofthe efty, but this 1s mainly due to the demand for houses’ Owners ag: going to Lake ali tbey cam get, and it is uatural Co suppose that no man wilh ak $30 for a house Which he can rent (OF § A. MAN WHO BUILDS, In conversation with a gentleman who buflds a Jarge number of houses of moderate size to rent, the Teporter asked him to give the figures of the cost Of erecting 4 house which could be rented for $25 iF, “depends very much per month. “The cost,’ Roy tng thn om the price of the k You can't erect a good Sit-rom house on od Cuat costs $1 a foot and at- ford to rent it for per month. You ean readily Understand why that Is so. For Instance: Sap- the ft is 15a) feta Ie would be ants get a jot of that size unless you bought a large Diock of iand and made a sulklivision—such a Jot at $1 per foot would cost $1,280, Now it would take $2,000 to butid a goud six-room house, with Dath room and ali the modern improvements. It could, bor fer, be properly built fur such a sum, aud it would not be thrown together «3a good many houses are that are built by speculators, | ‘The total cust, as you see, would be $3,280, and ‘the montaly reotai of $25 would pay a gross reve- Bue of atrifie over 9 per cent, This is not con- sidered @ good investment, for the reason that the ‘taxes and Insurance yearty would amount toabout ‘two per cent, thus leaving something over 7 cent asthe net revenue. But this amount is forall the repairs which have to be made, and then there is the contingency of the house being without @ tenant for 4 month or soina year. If the ground is purchased for 75 cents a foot, then | think that It would pay toereet upon It 4 $2,000 houge, and rent it af the figure named.” “The difiieulty,” he continued, “that presents ftgeif is to get such ground in a of the city ‘where good tenants wouid be likely to go. If you rented to 4 class of tenants who abused. your property, 15 per cent wouid hardly reimburse you for the damage that would be sustained. Ther ‘49 one thing quite certain that rents will rewain high so long as people object to Living some dis ‘tance away from the center of business This ob Jection has caused in the first place the high Feuts and ip the second place the improvement of mole squares with a class of Lousy which Pent from $12 to $15 per month. There is greater need for houses renUag [rom $25 to $30 per month, and Dy the expenditure of more mom-y In making Lm provements this pressing need would be met and the character of i dues entirely changed. The men ‘who make the most money in this city by invest ing in real estate—I don"t inean tere speculation — age the men WhO bulid good substantial houses. OB sccouct Of the construction aad because such houses atirct a superior class of tenants, they Rave few repairs to make. ‘But i you suggest to man to undertake improvements of this class in @ locality that is, perhaps, some distance away, he would taugh at you. “He fs couvinced that. th? Clase of enants he would like to have won't be | ‘Willing to go that far. The consequence is that | such locailues are being improved by uouses of at infertor cuaracter and peopie complain tat they ant Mad a suitable piace to live.” FFRCTS OF THE GROUND-RENT SYSTEM. general “People talk about high rent,” observed another | tee extensive bulider, “but 1 will Venture the assertion | ‘Vast in no city are better and more convenient O54 FINE CLASS OF HOUSES SUTTED FOR RENT- | ACCU i | houses to be rented for the money than in this ety. One reason is there are no ground-reuts here | ¢O™ ‘The land goes with the Muprovements. Ground. Tents, ruoning as they do for a term of years and | aMording a pertectly saf investment, are low. As the Improvements revert to the land-owner upon the expiration of the time, the holder of the lease Dalids as cheaply as possible. It is natural that he should day bat you can see that the amount of money invested 13 comparatively ‘small amd hence the reats are correspondingly small. The effect of sueh a system is bad for the city and for the individual, whether be be owner or tenane Feopie living 10 a city where the 1 leased and Rot sold are obliged Lo occupy houses of an Interne ‘There is not the same steady appreciation Values as where lance suis of money ape spent | 1p improvements. Last of al Jease is able to find himse are erected as a permanent investinent. Hence care ts exercised in tuetr construction and faste 1s ewployed to render ‘them attractive ‘The architecture of this its beauty, grace and variety 38 remarked upon by | Visitors, and elicits equal admiration with that be. Mowed upon our Well-paved streets. Now com, pare rents and property values here with those In Such cities as New York and Boston, and aftertak: ing into consideration the difference in population You wil! nd that property ischeap here. "That ta Ube testimony of intelligent wen, who are familiar With proper'y values in all these cities. It 18 not | country home of Mrs Dahigren, whose South ‘Mountain sketohes have made that portion of the country widely known, THE RIDING SCHOOL BUILDING. Workmen are engaged in completing the large Duilding at the corner of 224 and P streets, Which fe used asa riding school. The architect, Mr. G. 8. Cooper, has arranged the plan so that there are mminodations [or 140 horses in the stables which occupy the sub-cellar. ‘The riding Fing 1s on Ure next oor, and with the exception of the ladle” reception room aud the office, the entire space is ‘occupied for that purpose. ‘The space i ately over the ¥ont portion of the building fs occupted by dressing’ rooms, totlet &c.. and a large reception haM; leading from the hall is the gallery, which contindes all around tne interior of the The property-owners on Meridian Hill have formed an m, to be known as “The Me- Midian Hill Lnprovetyent Association.” The offi- cers elected at a meeting held during the week are 4s follows: E. B. Townsend, president; Frank M. Green, Vice-president; W. L. Cuft, secretary; John W. Thompson, cuairuian of Mnance committee and treasurer. Ius standing comuittees are as follows Committee on legisiation—W. C. Hil, A. P. Far- don, 0. F. -y, John B. Henderson, J. H. ‘Cc. “Wilson, =H. J. Gray, A. A. Freeman, Thomas H. Sherman, D. Luther Harrison, " John ‘Tweedale, Dk. "J. W. Rawlins, Prof. Miles Rock, N. W, Burchell, Rich- ard Dubbis; committee on public Improvements, A. P. Fardon, Richard Dubolx, David Cramner, Geo, W. Linkins, Taos. H. Fuller, Moreif Marean, Louis P. Shoemaker; comintttee on financ’®, Joho W. Thompson, Frank M. Green, Luther Ful'er, W. B. Brown, J. 6. Weir; Committee on audit, 0. F. Presbrey,"A. H. Nixon. ‘The object of the assoctation 1s to secure “In fue fature a just share of annual appropriations fot, public improvements.” ‘The gentlemen taterested State that they propose to press this matter before Cougress and the Cominissioners until this sub- division recetves what Whey regard as Just recognl- ton and attention. A Protest frem Capitol Hill. To the Editor of Tue Evewreo Stan ‘There was one of the pretty common screets about the high house rents in the city in last Sat- urday’s Star. These screeds do injury to the city, afld are made, as a rule, by persons not easily pleased. I have had connection with the butlding and renting of eight houses in East Washington, situated on a paved street, one square from Rast Capitol stregr. ‘The houses’ froat south, four of them a little more and the other a littie less than 19 feet frout, with cellars and bay windows: 48 feet deep, three rows deep on lower floor, and four bed-rooms and bath-room on the second and upper story. The houses are well finished, with closets and all modern improvements. ‘The ‘lots are 136 feet deep and have a good-sized park in front. ‘These bouses have rented at $25 a month since Puilt, except two to which kitchens were added and $1 per month added to the rent, and a stable addea to one, for which $2 per month was added to the rent. "I think the rent of these houses is about the average rent. of houses om Capitol Hill; ‘and Capitol Hill is blessed with pure air and good heaith, and there is no more woral people or better Soctety in this or any other city than fy te be found im Kast Washington. ‘They are sober, industrious Boople, wo do wot engage, in drag foX hunts, and Who use the nights (or sleep and the day for worl and business. HLF. ——_>___ DOMESTIC DIFFICULTIES, Competent and Honest Servants Needed te Make Housckeeping Popular. To the Faitor of THE EVENING STAR: A reporter in last Saturday's Stan says that one whom he interviewed compiained that Washington people were driven into boarding-houses because house rents were too high for men of moderate means. It Is very true that a great many people in Washington are “driven Into boarding-houses” —probably a larger proportion of Its citizens than any other city In the whole country can show—but experience vbd observation will aserive this state ngs, We think, to another cause than high se Tent, and that ts to the difficulty of getting good and honest servants. To keep house with dishonest servants is more expensive than paying high rents. To keep house without any servant 1s apt to be very expensive to the health, especially the young mother whose baby may ‘require at tention at the same moment that the inexorable door-beil 1s ringing Its most frantic peal. We know ‘n Who have tried housekeeping under the tions which exist here until they were quite Willing to accept a seat at another's table and a shelter in some other person's house with humble inde, And in many eases there is very good feason for gratitude for the comfort attainable in ‘where the compe 1- at that only the excellent succeed 1n muking a living. Between the good boarding- ses, the nulerous restaurants, and the caterers, \ carry In & hot Un-kitchen the well-cooked food, at asks for them, there is proba- ~ country better fed for the amount given than this spite of all these consentent ways of living in other peopie’s houses there Who mus! have their own house Whatever the con- ditions, le the answer to alt applications to boarding dad lodging-houses 15 “We don't take lidren,” tuose Who have them must hunt for houses t) live In, and we see no alleviation for the Parents but to séek to establish a better reputation for Young America by insisting om more orderly and quiet behavior in the lidrea, As the case ow often is, none but parents can be expected to tolerate thei. Apartment houses are being erected in this city, a4 well as In many others, and living a flat, oF ving in rooms, partly alleviates the servant’ difficulty. Although sympathizing with the lady who advertised iast winter in THE Stan, that she would rent her rooms for “any legitimate urpose under heaven except Licht houseke. ping.” Wwe know that zht housekeeping can be doue In rooms neatly, and be comiortable to all parties. ‘The present ‘abundance of canned food mak cooking iight, walle gas stoves, &c., and perhaps in the near future electricity, certainly promise to remove the dirt and smut ’which attended thegpreparation of food. ‘The ex attending th@eare of pavements, and the nuisance Of the door-bell, are ail saved to the dweller in fats or rooms. ‘The abundance of laundresses in Washington has banished the horror of washing day to most housekeepers here. Whether American, ingenuity will overcome the “Domestic dimicuity” by contrivances which wiil enable us to do without servants altogether, or whether our industrial training and moral ingenuity will succeed tn pro- ducing good and honest servants, is an interesung but as Yet an unsolved problem. HEC ee To the Faitor of Tur Evesine Star. Is there not areform needed in the matter of the committees of Congress? The committees of the Senate generally comprise nine or eleven mem- bers, and those of the House of Representatives thirteen or fifteen. ‘These numbers are entirely Loo large, and Une committees are too unwieldy. ‘The result is that it ts often dimicutt to procure the attendance of a quorum, and tmportant bust- ew must frequently, be postponed and finally be neglected by reason of such falitire on tne part of meinbers to attend the sessions, This failure is Rot generally the result of negligence of careless. “son the part of members, but is the natural sequence of conflicting duties when the same embers are On several committees Whose meet- imgsare contemporaneous. It may be sald that this dimicuity is ina measure obviated by the division of the several committees into subcom- mittees of three or five persous. Experience shows: that this 18 not the case. And, moreover, this Yery fact of subdivision of the several commitiees into subordinate committees 1s proot that the committees themselves are too large, and is in itself a violation of the trust reposed In the whole committee, and which the committee has no right to delegate. Lawyers know that the best courts arethose Which are composed of three or flve judges: and the Same reasons would dictate that legislative | mittees should be no larger. When a court or | 4 committee Is larger, it does not hear and @judi- cate; It openly or covertly delegates Its function to some one oF more members; and the caprices and the dangers of the one-inan' power are very much greater in the larger than in the smaller organiza- Uon. ‘The last Senate had forty-eight committees, of which thirty-nine were the regular standing Several of the committees could well been abolished, and their duties conilded to omunitiees of the body; and each commit. ‘nould be composed only of three members, and as far as possible no Senator should be placed on two committees In the House of Representa- tives, flve members might well be assigned to each Iitee—seven possibly to a few of the more tant ones; and as there are nearly sixty ittees and hearty three hundred Representa- lives, each member could be assigned to one com. to one. It does not require wuch ive how much better committee other Work, and the work of each House, could be done under U etm Than under the present arrange. ment. ly for tue continuance of the pres. ent arrangement no good reason can be suggested, M. ———__ Ever Seen Suaker? Usrrep States National MUSEUM. To the Faitor of Tux EvExrNa Stan: A gentleman has just told me that recently his Wife, ner :acther, and his own mother laughed him to scorn and branded him as an incorrigible skeptic because ha dented the existence of a “4 snake.” Que of the ladies, who, by the Way, 8 kuown to be a trutuful woinan, avers that when she was child she was chased by @ hoop snake. ‘The animal placed its tail im its mouth and rolled along after ber tke a hoop. The only way She saved Lerselt was by {umping aside quickly to let the serpent pass, anid Betore he could straighten Runseit and bend the other way—put his tall in mouth ai axain—the narrator Placed herself out of harm's reach, “== I myself have beard of this hoopsnake, but have Has Any One a “Hoop Just fo say Uhat the same rent ts demanded tn this | BEVEF seen One. | In fact, I do not believe that such eity for a Six-room house that Is asked for a ten. Toom house in another city. The character of the and, their respective locations and sur- nd Dg > 800) 0 be slated before com- fan be elther complete or accurale’? A WRITER'S COUNTRY HOWE, George Alfred Tow asend, the weil-known author i rou! | 80 animal exists. If ny reader of Tae Stax is sufficiently interested on the other side to take up the cause of the hoop suake now is his time. In order to open the controversy I flatly a hoop suake, lnased, in the world. | i li i i i i i remains a class | THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY. Work Done, and Preparations Made for Constructing the Massive Build- img. THE CEYRNT CONTROVERSY THR CAUSE OF THE DE- LAY—WORKSHOF OF THE ARCFITECT—HOW THR DETAILED PLANS ARE PREPARED—INGENIOUS METHODS OF TESTING MATERIALS—THE BIO RXCA- VATION—RAPID PROGRESS PROMIGED. Though the progress of construction of the Congressional Library building has been slow.to tbe external observer, much has been accom- plixhed and 1s visible to one who takes pains to look for it. ‘The high board fence which encloses the ground even conceals much more of work done ‘than a casual observer would note. For a bulld- ing of such dimensions and pretensions the pre- liminary work done is a matter of no smal! con- sideration. It requires time and talent to make Preparations for a building that ts to be second in size and importance only to the National Capitol. A Stan reporter asgended the stairs of the old | “Lincoln” mausion, on the corner of East Capitol and 24 streets, and found Mr. J. L. Smithmeyer, architect of the Library butlding. He cheerful'y con- sented to the ‘over the ground, and potnt out what had been done toward rearing to entire ‘place was made, and ‘every portion ot the ent was evel the house in which the brain work. ‘the enter- prise 1s done was visited. WHAT HAS BEEN DONE. Tn 1886 Congress appropriated $500,000 for the construction of the Library, and of this sum there remains unexpended, outside of certain outstand- Jag Mabilities, about $335,000, The large area of g20und purchased for the'site has been cleared of al. savé five of the buildings that stood upon It. Tweot these are in use for the storage of Con- gressionai documents, the others are used as oMices @nd store-rooms and tool-houses for the work in hand. The residence formerly occupted by Mr. Linco%, besides containing the offices of the commtssion, ts ‘THE WONKSHOP OF THR ARCHITECT. From the agtic Mie eye takes in the whole ex- Panse of the sfte. The cellar excavation, whicn 1s 460 by 337 feet fu shve, and 10 feet deep, represents the size of the projected butlding. It will be cen- trally located ta the Qround, leaving between the exterior walls and the Atreet’s surrounding a space of about fifty or sixty rest for an esplanade or for flowers of other outdoor Urhamentation. ‘The ex- ‘avatious for foundations @xtend from six toeieven feot below the cellar, the depth varying tn acoord- ance with the character of Use soil, These latter excavations have been about Nalf completed, and could have been fintshea and the foundation walls laid ere now had not tue unforvenate controversy over the quality of the cement supplied by the con tractor arisen. ‘THE CEMENT TROUBLE. ‘Under sheds on the west side of the ground are several thousand barrels of cement, which were delivered under contract for making the concrete foundation. The architect insists that the cement: 4s not up to the standard that ts required; tiat 1t 1s below the standard specified tn the contract, a3 demonstrated by tests, and he will not accept tt. ‘The coatractor maintains that tt 1s up to the ? quit mark and efforts to compel its acceptance by the architect have consumed four months of valuable time which, had it been emptoyed, would have afforded the ‘gratitying spectacle ‘of the Library work showing itself above ground. The foundation work 13 now awaiting only the déciston of this controversy. It only waits for cement that will meet the approval of the architect to go for- ward. Jn the course of the excavations it was dis- covered that a creek had formerly run through the site, and its bed was filled with old bricks, stone and rubbish of all sorts. In order to make substantial foundations along the old creek shafts had to be sunk to a depth of eleven feet where ‘solid soil Was reached. These shafts will be filled with concrete. TESTING THE GROUND. For the purpose of testing the resisting strength of the soll upon which the foundations of the exte- Hor walls must be laid, a traveling machine was constructed. In the first place the bottom of the trenches, which were sunk 6 feet below the cellar, or 16 feet below the surface, was made entirely level. Then the machine, consisting of a car, bear- ing the required weight 1n pig lead, was placed in the trenches and placed upon iron rails so that, notwithstanding the enormous weight carried, it could be moved along. These ralis rested upon four cast-iron pedestals, set 4 feet apart each Way, each pedestal setting flat upon and exactly cover. ing one square foot of ground. Thus one-fourth of the entire weight was borne upon each pedestal, and by permitting the weight to remain a given time, and then observing the effect of the pressure, the resisting strength of the ground was deter- mined. ‘This machine was applied as It was gradu- y moved along the trenches to every foot of the Touadation trenches, and the same test wi! be ap- pli-d to the trenches yet to be dug. The tests made demonstrated that the soll would stand a Mnaxuoum | rigeee of 13.5 Lons to the square foot, whereas the pressure of the walls wili be but 5. But it was only shown that there ‘Was a variation of from one-quarter to one and a quarter inches in the resisting strength of the Soll, and It is for this reason that the architect insists so strenuously upon having cement of high grade tensile strength that the concrete founda- ion shail be so made as to effectually prevent any sinking and consequent cracking of walls because of inequalities of soil. The soil ts composed of Yellow clay and sand, and promises to be strong enough, but assurance should be made doubly Sure, the architect Uninks, by the proper kind of a cement foundation, Besides ue bed of the old | creek several old wells and the foundations of an | old brewery were discovered in making the exca- | Yations. One of the wells was 55 feet deep and | contained 12 feet of water. SEWAGE PROVISION. The drainage-pipes and cess-pools, sixty-four in number, have all been laid 6 1eet beneath the bot- | tom of the cellar. These pipes connect with a | sewer, extending around thefour sides of the site outside the buliding Une, which empties into a public sewer at the corner of 1st and B streets Southeast. ‘There will be no danger of sewer-gas or sitailar evils within the Ubrary, At the corner of Fast Capitol and 2d streets tie cellar of the Duliding will be on a level with the street grade, but at the corner diagonally across—B and Ist—there is a filling of 9 feet above grade. It is along there that the itizens of Kast Washington have asked that | 50 feet of the library ground be allowed, to widen B street. Mr. Suilthmeyer says it would never do | to take off so much of the ground as it would de- stroy the symmetry of the general oad that the building’ cannot be set farther north, even though the cost of additional excavation were not considered. As how projected the central and matin entrance will directly face A street; to re- move It farther north would throw the splendid entrance to ope side af the street. The architect, thinks that 14 feet might be.spared from the site, Suu Gerace i ee tee is 21 feet in wi Y reducing it to 10 the street could be widened by 25 feet. : THE DETAILED PLANS. ‘The second story of the Lincoin building ts occu- pled by the assistants of tne architect, such as draughtsmen, computers, engineers, &c., and the | work done there is of an intricate and exacting nature. For every fraction of the building plans are made; for each section of wall, cross-wall, Pavilion, &c. At present the entire force is en. gaged upon the detailed plans of te basement, oF rst floor above the cellar. These are being bur- fied with the view of getting contracts inde 80 that the work may begin with the earliest sprin; weather. ‘The plans aud drawings are made, ani then by means of the blue-print process as many copies of each drawing a8 are desired fs ob- talued, The attic fitted = yy | | | of the house bas been for blue-printing, and provided with all the modern appliances and. ma- chinery. Jn the rear and nearly on a level With the roof an open balcony has been con- | structed, where the printing 1s done by means of | exposuré to the sun, In a room admityng only a | very sort light through colored glass the paper is | prepared for the process. It ts then hung up in a | dark closet, and when ready for printing is. care | fully laid in large frames and"exposed to the sun | through glass just as photographs are printed. BY Unis means accurate copies are obtained at a | nominal cost. AS the drawing of each section of a | Wall or other portion of the building shows ‘the size, dimensions and shape of each stone to enter {nto the construction, and as each stone 1s nuin- | bered, 1t can be seen that itis important for the contractors and ail others who have anything to do With the work to have a copy. ‘ODD-SHAPED STONES | are exhibited on the margin of the drawings with | their respective numbers. These stones will becut at the quarnes in accordance with the drawings and numbered to d; then, when received here, each 1s set in its designated place according to the number tt bears, Not only are the dimen— sions and numbers of the stones set out in the drawings, but they are entered in books prepared for | Ler the purpose, and by footing up the figures the ag- stone entering into each smail paid for by the cubic foot, these records check upon contractors. In these sectional or fractional dra the sev. eral tiers of stone com, ‘# wall are designated by letters of tne alphabet. “iieuce it ‘can be geen thas the ‘tion of these dra: is no smalt part . ‘Then tere are plans snowing the system of 5 ventilation and heating. All these details must be made up before the construction of the building ts begun n earnest, ‘THE VENTILATING SYSTEM 1s the one in use in the Parts library and tn all modern pubilc buildings iu Europe. Fresh air 1s tutroduced from the top of the building, and, pass- tr through the different floors and rooms means of flues, and is ejected as foul air the cellar. The fresh air 1s forced or sucked in from above, where it ts pure; the current is con- ing. and” excayies or Is thtow our beneatt as Vitiated. On a lower ar. ‘of such material that have mitted will be subjected to cubes will be under ‘Then the tt ts of each of these little cubes wi | be carevully analyzed to find out whether any objectionable it nts enter into its tion. The samples that best stand these will represent the material fnally chosen, but of of the various portions of the building are cou- structed. ‘These models are necessary in addition tothe plans and drawings to ald the artisans in entire accuracy. wae shown a model of the octagonal reading room. It is a min- Te tation of that central feature of the projected Library io every feature. Evem the tering and inside ornamentation is complete, ‘her models are in process of construction, cor- responding with the sectional drawings, and with these models before them the workmen will be enabled to remedy any defect in the dest should defects occur. Immediately in rear of house, between It and the one fronting on 2d street, which was reserved for present uses, stands plat- fo m scales. Every load of material is weighed on ‘these scales before entering the grounds, and the Weight recorded. ‘TESTING CEMENT. In the basement of the rear bullding 1s the ap- Paratus for testing cement. In the first, place tn his process a long, grooved implement, such as is used for extracting samples of flour, ts employed. With this about a pound of the cement is taken from the center of the barrel. ‘This sample1s mixed into adough upon a plate of glass. The soit rh is then jt into a mould so arranged a3 to make a depression in the center. When the cement hardens, which 1s about twenty-four hours, it 13 tvken out of the mould and immersed in water, where it remains six days. Then the hardened cake is put into a machine devised for Lesting its tenstie strength. It is gripped between two sets of clamps and by raising a small lever Very fine shot are run through a small funnel into acopper bucket. When the pressure is all that the cement can stand, the cake snaps asunder in the middle, and the flow of shot is stopped. Then by weighing the shot ona scale attached to the machine for that purpose, ‘THE PRECISE STRENGTH of the cement is shown. One cake that had been in water about twenty days was tested in the presence of THE Stan reporter, and it showed & tensile strength of 250 pounds, whereas the archi- tect cailed for a capacity of 300 pounds. A sample from every barrel of cement delivered by the con- tractors 1 subjected to this test. Only one of the buildings that fronted on that 1s used as B street still remains, an a blacksmith shop and for the sore of tools, Everything is now in a conditf™n to admit of a rapid prosecution of the work, and the architect says that as soon as the cement con- troversy shall have been settled be will be pre- pared to push forward with a diligence that will [eel the people of Washington, and, indeed, of he whole country, as the interest, and pride in this great buildil Which is to be the largest Mbrary im the world, 1s uot bounded by any 1o- Ye THE NATIONAL GUARD, Matters of Interest to the Different Militia Organizations. TRE TALK OF THE ARMORIES—BEGINNING THR OF- FICIAL INSPECTIONS—THE REGIMENTAL ORGANIZA- TIONS—A PROJECT FOR SECURING A GRAND AR- MORY—THR MILITIA BILL, ‘The organization of the first and second regi- ‘ments of the Distifct National Guard 1s now about completed. ‘The newly-elected regimental officers have yet to pass their examinations and be com- missioned tn thelr new rank. Col. Moore and Lteut.-Col. Dalton, by the new ar- rangement, are nolonger Washington Light Infan- try inen, or they may be safd to be Washington Light Infantry men and something more. Their new com- mand includes the Washington Light Infantry Corps. Several vacancies remain to be filled by the elevation of officers, A new major for the 1st battalion, or W. L. 1. Corps, will have to beelected, Gen, Ordway says the corps has excellent mater- fal from which to select a inajor. Company A will have to choose a new captain to succeed Capt. Dalton, who goes up higher. ‘The requirements of the National Guard, though now comprising each bnt two battalions, are in- tended to have turee Dattailons each when com pleted. New companies as they are mustered in ‘will be assigned to the third battalion of one of the regiments until the quota 1s filled, Wuen a regiment 1s complete 1t will have a colonel, a leu- tehant-coionel and three majors, one for each bat- talton. It is expected that the Senate military commit- tee will take up and consider the District militia bill next week. The report of the board of three Army officers, to whom the Dill was referred by thé Secretary'of War, i_now in the sion of the Senate committee. Gen. Ordway 1s hopetal of Securing the passage of the ‘bill at this session, No opposition to the bill has been manifested, ‘The onty danger feared 1s that pressure of other business may delay or prevent its consideration by the House. At present, witlt a few exceptions, the companies of the District militia have thetr separate armories, ‘They are scattered all over the city. When funds becomes available, as It 1s hoped will soon be the case, for renting srmories, 1U1s probable that the companies will be grouped in battalions, if not in regiments, ‘The separation of the companies form. ing a battalion, it 1s thought, prevents a unity of feeling and interest, Speaking of armorles, Gen. Ordway 1s looking alead to securing the Baltimore and Potomac Ratiroad depot as’ an armory builing if the rall- road company 1s compelled to leave its present location, The depot buuding 1s admirably adapted for armory purposes. ‘The car shedsy with its im- mense roofed space, with very little alteration, can be changed into & drill room in which a whole brigade could be maneuvered. In the depot build. ing’ are many, rooms conveniently arranged, to which companies could be assigned. Gen, Ordway says this would make the finestarmory in the coun. try. ‘The huge drili-shed would be available also as & piibite hall for large conventions, or as a place for olding inaugural balls, ‘The enlisted men of Company A, second bat- talion, will assemble at thetr armory Monday eve- hing, for the purpose of electing acaptain, vice M. Eumumet Urell, promoted, and a second leutenant, vice Daniel V. Fenton, resigned. Upon bis own appilcation, First Sergt, Wm. P. Coggins, Company B, second battalion, has been houorably discharged from the National Guard. Private Wm. Behn, Company D, first battalion, has been honorably discharged on account of ili health. Jas. H, Washington, enlisted man of Company €, sixth battalion, has been honorably discharged W enable him to accept appointment as a commis- stoned officer. ‘The oficial inspections began, according to the order announced in Tux Stan, with the visit, made to thew. 1-1 ¢. armory ‘tuursday evening by Col. Clay, of Gen. Ordway’s staff. Company D, of the W. L. 1. C., of first battalion, was put through the ordeal that night, and the drill lasted an hour and a halt, The same evening the Washington Continentais, Company A, third battalion, were In- spected. Last night Company B, of the iirst bat- tallon, and Company C, unird, were inspected. ‘The inspections will continue until all the com. pantes have been ins} the dates fixed being as follows: Jan. 16,Co. A, I, and A, 2; 17, Co.C, 1 and B, 4; 18, Co. A, 4, and D, 6; 19, Co. B, 3, and B, 5; 20, Co. D, 3, and C, 6; 23,’ Co. B, 2, and C, 4:24, Co. D, 4, and A, 7; 25,'60. D, 7. and B, 2; 26,'C0. B, & and 7 27, Co. B, 7, and C, 2; 30, Co. A, 5, and ‘The company drills and inspections now going on, are more in the nature of preliminary work and are not competitive, The markings Will be made known in each case only to the captain of the company, but will not be published otherwise, ‘The intention 1s to give the captain opportunity to know in what points his company 1s lacking, so that he can correct defects. ‘The results of the inspections will be recorded by the adjutant gen- and will furnish a basis of judging of the im— provement made by each company in the future, As stated in Tue Stan the scale of marking 1s as foliows: 5, perfect; 4, good; 3, fatr; 2, poor, and 0 complete failure. ‘The company will be marked as ime, under three heads for exercises without folows: Ata halt, inquick time, in doubie and under three heads tor exercises under arms as, follows: Manual of the piece, firings In single rank, and firings in double rank. ‘Tuen the geu- eral ‘average Will be computed, and the “figure of merit” will be calculated by muitiplying the meral average by the “factor of attendance,” he “factor of attendance” is the quotfent ob- tained by dividing the attendance at inspection by the average attendance during the past month, ‘The brigadier general commanding and the officers of the general staff attend at the armory of the 1st battalion at 7:30 o'clock p.m, on the Ps Sor hatetoa Patt ars or ctlng any information that oMicers may desire. Preparations are going forward for two social events at which national guardsmen will shine. ‘On the 18th inst, the W. L. L. corps will give a full dress bil ‘The armory will be Handsomely deco- every way. The Wi Merchants’ Rifles have arranged also for a ball on the 18tu mst. at Grand Army Hall. A general order has been made directing the fol- lowing rolls, returns and reports to be made: By company comm: forwarded to the janders—Lo battalion adjtitant—monthly drill and, parade re- frm Septem! wt, CO, D, 18 RRSigNt CoD, Ast bactauion, as boon ably Lieut. Chase, of the 34 United States artillery, Tal Galler the next lecture before the ‘school of tes eu vis and as chairman, ‘A. Skinner, | modern outfit of some dandyish SUNDAY aT JAIL. How the Sabbath Doy is Spemt Among the Convicts. ‘TEE WOMAN WHO LEFT PARCELS FOR BER BUSBAND— ‘THR PRISUN EVANGELS 4XD THEIR WORK—SER- ‘VICES IX THE ROTUNDA—HOW AN INNOCENT YOUNG ‘MAN WAS SAVED FROM THE PEXITENTUARY. ‘The doorbell at the Jail rang. The jail has a door- bell, as it requires some formality to get into jail as well as to get out of it. On one side of the heavy door was a jail officer, in a smart-looking blue cap, with gold letters on tt, and a big key in bis hand. On the other side—the outside—stood a woman, about thirty, somewhat comely-looking and rather neatly, though not expensively, dressed, When the officer had turned the key, and opened the door part way, and placed himself in an attitude to resist any attempton the part of the person outside to break into jail, the woman spoke. “1 know Iean’t come in,” she said, anticipating the officer's refusal, “but I want you to give these things to Jim Mooney,” and she uanded the officer ‘two or three small parcels. Then she lingered at ‘the doorstep a moment as If im hesitation, and as ee ee ae ergig 73 raging smile on face she went on somewhat sorrowful aad resigned tone: S wish you would tell him that his wife called and left these Ghings and that she ho} " and she hesi- tated ag “she hopes when he comes out he won't bext her again.” cralag ante hia soine papers and china mornt cy lef i some papers an re he did, Wid ‘she! said. tue woman, aud the ildness and resignation left her voice; her eyes Snapp d fire and her nose seemed to go up at least two points in the wind, “She did, did she! Well, IT suppose ‘she wil go. nis security again, as she did L.st time, and he will come home and beat me again. That's what she did, and the very nighthe got home he beat me.” The officer did not _know, of course, what might occur in the way of a mother going security for’ son, and the woman turned away, plunging in a rather desperate way through the siush in front of the Jail, and then took her road across the com- mons. “Well,” said the officer to Tax STaR reporter, as ‘the eyes of both followed the form of the woman plodding on over the commons, *‘that’s a case of Inotuer-in-law. The trouble in tatnily ts that there are two women in love with Mooney, his mother and his wife.” WHAT THE WIFE BROUGHT. The officer, according to prison regulations, looked over the parcels left in his hands by the Woman. There was one containing some cakes and apples, another with a roli of newspapers in it, and the third held a good-sized piece of plug to~ bacco, These were offerings intended to soften the hard heart of Mooney, laid at his feet, perhay qelt'a tnt hope that they might weal sabe of the Jove and tenderness that filled his heart once, when he plighted his trouh. “We see a good deal of human nature here,” re- marked the officer, after he had sent the package by another ofictal out to the corridor where Mooney was confined. “There are many people, too, wito think the positions here are easy ‘and do not require any experience. There are some of us Who have been here as long as twenty years, and Till tell you there is not a that we don't learn something new. ‘There 1s something new comes up in the way of human nature, and you have got to learn how to treat different kinds of people. It 1s not merely turning @ key in a lock.” It was Sunday, and no visitors are admitted to the Jail on that "day to see the prisoners. The woman who came knew this. she had traveled all tne way from West Washington Just to leave these trifies, and to have them given to Mooney With the meawago cat his wite had te (son. Se would have goue home hopeful, and maybe happy, iti had not been for the chance remark of Cis officer about Mooney’s mother. RELIGIOUS DELEGATIONS. No visiting 1s allowed on Sunday, but the prison- ers have considerable to occupy their minds. Ip the morning a delegation from St. Vincent de Paul Soctety comes to full, and goog from cell, to cell through the corridors. ‘They talk to the prisoners, distribute Cutholte publications, and occaslonally ive them aid in other Ways than that of religion, bout noon on every other Sunday comes a” band of devout colored men and women. ‘They do not go to the cells, Dut stay in the rotunda, where They can be seen by some of the, prisoners, and ‘their volces can be heard by all. Here one of thelr number, a colored exhorter, preaches in the old style, bis voice now sounding forth, in Arm tones, like a trumpet, now the cadence changing, until It seems to die away in a series of quavers. Then the women, wo have good opera’ in the caimp-meetlig style simple tunes, they’ hang. many varialony, “and "oceasionally break forth in a shout, and the airis taken up Ubrough the whole jal PREPARING POR SERVICE. After this visit dinner ts served, A ttle after 2 o'clock a herdic arrives, bringing a delegation from the Young Men’s Christian Association. Mean- while the prisoners who work about the jail have rolled out a parlor organ in the rotunda, and ced before It several rows of long benches. hey do also hat Is neglected in most churches, Set out splitoons betWeen the rows of benches. Before the delegation from the ¥. M.C. A. walk in ali the prisoners from one side of the jall who de- sire todo so march out and take thelrseats on the benches. ‘These prigone.s are there undergoing sentences imposed by the Police Court. On the other side of the jail are confined those awaiting trial, some of thein for murder. ‘They are not per- mitted to come out. One reason 13 Uhat if they were given freedom of communication with the risoners, sotne of whom are soon to be released, iis feared that, they would make up schemes 16 effect their escape, perhaps not by a jail delevery, but by some plan’ to ‘an ailbi through false swearing. Those who do come ‘out number about a hundred, and this number in cludes all types of petty criminals. There are ow-browed negro desperadoes, Who have been sent up for some bloody fight or Other with razors or knives; sneaking looking white men, whose whole yarance advertise them as petty thieves or swindlers; the conventionat tough, who affects a amoothly-shaven face and walks with a bullying Swagger, boys that have Just taken thelr Orst plunge into a fe of crime, ‘They come, too, in all manners of wearing apparel that jails can boast. Some great, hulking colored men loll about on the bencaes, happy apparently and comfortable in an outfit composed only of a flannel shirt, ir of ragged trousers, one suspender, and a pale toe. casins or silppers made out of old cloth or bed- Ucking. From this primitive costume the scale ascends through many stages to the complete risoner with a a _nicely-adjusted cravat, coat, waistcoat, ’ trousers, shoes, and even a “hat. For, many of these _ prisoners bring their hats ‘with them to “meeting” though they do not go out of the building. Perhaps they have some notion that they may have an oppor- tunity between hymns of rising up and wu out of jail, and across the commons to freedom, When all Chese prisoners have been seated on the benches, the wisdom of the Jail officialsin provid- ing spittoons becomes apparent. For nearly every- one stows away la. his’ jaw a. fresh. cut of plug tobacco as a preparation ‘or the service. THR FEMALE PRISONERS. ‘Two benches in the rear and set a lttle apart from the others are assigned to the female pris- oners, Only eight of these come out and seven out of the elght are colored. ‘There ts one young col ored woman on the end of the bench who has her hair frizzed in an alarming manner. She ts udily dressed and has a silk Dandana thrown around her shoulders shawl-fashion—a colored house. servant who has shown too much fondness for her mistress’ wardrobe. ‘The women beside her are most of them young. One or two are muscular and mascuiine-looking, with round heads and close-curling hair ana low brows, female d does, quite as swaggering and as formidable in a free-Ayght as some of the men on the seatsin front, ‘The only white woman 1s young. Her face and figure are attractive. She is attired in a plain dress of dark reddish ‘color, and ‘her hair 18. ar- ranged in & simple knot’ at the top of a rather shapely head, ‘She 1s a variety actress, arrested ou a charge of purloiuing money from a member of the troupe to Which she belonged. ‘The surround ings are evidently new to her, and she watches What goes on with keen interest. ‘The jail official does not have much falth in the motives that, these prisoners out of their cells wo attend the suff, big collar, services, “You see, it 19 a change for them,” he _ remari “and they like to come out.” It ts the only time that the male and female prisoners are brought near enough get a fair look at one another. how quickly: they discover 1 ter, “how wer It Rpthess in comununicating ‘There was caught talking with Nardello when he was falking?” sald 1 iE STAR reporter. TSE But just then the taken their chairs opened, ‘There was a and an gentleman = hyma, It wi Hy i ¥e ti i ni ae a8 rad i ul i a ft ii A I é i i SAVED AT THR LAST MOMENT. ‘The men who visit the jail on these Sabbath missions become well acquainted with the pris oners and have frequently aided men who were guiltless in proving their innocence snd securing & pardon. One case the evangel related to TRE STAR reporter was interesting. A young man was fm jail awaiting trial on the charge of raising a note fiom $10 to $100. The proof was all against him, yet he protested his innocence so earnestly that the members of the band of evangels were convineed of it. He claimed to know nothing about the criminal transaction whatever. They Set themselves to the task of “working up” the case, to use a detective phrase, Dit their work only seeined to convince them more strongly of the hopelessness of the case, the proof against their protege was 80 strong." Having exhausted all means, they held special meetings of Prayer in bebalf of the young man. The trial came off, and the evidence When all in'was black and convincing. Just then a man forward and ask “to be sworn as a witness. oT think”, he sald, that 1 oan explain this case.” His testimony Was taken. He said that he came upon aparty of meu one night among Whom was the prisoner, who was Intoxi} cated. One of them that they putin the pockets of the young man a note, and then, FOIDg Into & restaurant, Have iin get change for it. ‘The note was put into the helpless man’s Pocket, and the conspirators hustied hin off. The man gave all the details of the transaction, and in every particular they fitted Into the case'so well ‘that the prisoner was acquitted. IN THE OCEAN DEPTHs, A Torch-Light Procession at the Bot- tom of the Sea. ODD FISHES BROUGHT UP BY THE FIsH-COMMISSION NETS—CRRATURES THAT LIVE THREE MILES UNDER ‘WATRR—THEIR PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS — BOW THEY LIGHT UP THE SEAS ABYSS. In Jars and bottles that stan@ in rows on the shelves of a laboratory at the National Museum are many strange fishes. To catch such fish as these a fisherman would have to go far out into the open sea.and have a fish-line two or three mulles long. These fishes have been studied and figured and made the subjects of many new and wonderful chapters of natural history. Dr. Tarle- ton H. Bean, the curator of icthyology was study- ing one of them when a Stax reporter invaded his laboratory the other day. It was a new species, one hitherto undescribed, and, of course, 1b was ‘with some reluctance that he put it aside to chat with a Star who wanted to learn in half an hour what ft has taken a of scientists, With steamships and satlors and dredging appa- Fatus, Years to find out, RECENT DISCOVERIES. Until a few years ago science knew no more of ‘the forms of life in the ocean depths than it knew of the inhabitants of Mars. Myth peopled these sticat somber abyaes with fanciful forms, mer. maids, monsters eyes ori Size that haunted whiripools, (guarded woutertul treasures of pearis, or held court in splendid sub- marine palaces built of corals and beautiful rocks. Science of course knew that any inerinald or gob- lin, or other creature that lived in these great, depths must have a peculiar organization to adapt 1 to the physical conditions of life there, and could construct peraaps on paper a hypothetical deep-sea fauna, At first, knowledge of the exisi- ence of deep-sea fishes Was obtained from specl- mens found floating on the surface, fishes that in pursutt of had left their native depths und perished. ‘Then deep-sea dredges and beam trav! nets were called into use. The British expedition in the Challenger, American expeditious in the Blake and the Albatross have given to the world about all that is known of deep-sea fishes. It ts from the nets of the Blake and Aibatross that the botues and jarsin Dr. Bean's laboratory have been filled, HOW DEEP SEA-FISH ARE CAUGHT. Americans have made a number of improve- expedition for deep-sea explorations. To send down a dredge or net to the bottom, and haul tt w again, Was the work of a whole day on. the Chal Jeoger, and then if the net did not happen to strike the bottom right, 1t would come to the sure face empty. By the use of wire cable and itu- proved apparatus for winding the Albatross part can make two or three hauls a day. Mr. Alexander Agass'z devised a new beam trawl net that would ever miss fire, or 80 constructed that on wh! ever siae It fell tt would do effective Work. Such a het ts lowered from the vessei intothe sea, To the line 18 attached an apparatus that gives notice when the net reaches bottom. When. this occurs nore line 1s paid out to give full scope to the net, Along the line at regular distances are attached Weights that ile at the bottom. When all 1s ready the steamer 1s slowly backed, until the net has deen dragged a distance of a quarter of a mile or more over Uhe bottom of the ocean. The weights along the line k-ep the cable down against the Dottom for some distance in front of the net, so the net is dragged lying fat on the floor of the sea, ‘When the net Is hauled up It is sure to contain sowe fish from the bottom. ‘The net has a mouth ‘that fish eastiy find Lueir way in; but once in, can- not find thelr way out. Occasionally @ fish Droyght to the surface this way will be still trem- ulous with life, but most of thein are as dead as .a fish oan be—as dead a8a man would be if some fisherman on the moon cast a net to the earth and atmosphere. THRER MILES UNDER WATER. ‘Some of these fishes are brought up from a depth of3 miles, The Challenger captured specimens from. ‘& depth of 2,900 fathoms. The deep-sea dredg- ing parties of the United States Fish Commission have gotten specimens {rom a depth of 2,940 tath- oms. These deep-sea fish are many of them tizarre im appearance. One thing cup! y= taieuotions of the sea de ths isthat there is no t variety or briliiancy of color. This simpilll- Cation of colors 1s atuributed to the absence of sun- light. The colors are generally dark brown or black, or a slivery whiter ‘The oddness of the Msi 4s in’ thetr shapes and peculiar development of their organs. Tuere are some of them with huge heads and little bodies; others with tiny skulls, ‘Dut mouths so huge that the lower jaw seems to be pivoted in thelr stomachs; some with great Ugerish-looking teeth; some with immense round eyes; others with ttle pin-points of eyes, and 450 different kinds have been found and described by the sclentists of the Fish Commission, have long Latin names. It may be said to the credit of the fish that they are not responsible for the names, as they were contented to go without names until me Commission ‘et brought ‘them to the surface. THEIR PECULIAR SURROUNDINGS. ‘The structural differences between the deep-sea fish and the fish that frequent the shoresor remain near the surface are due to their pecullar physical surroundings, the absence of sunight, the in- creased of water at such sreat depths, ‘and the quiet stillness of the water. Atsucti depths the water Is not agitated as it 1s at the sur- face, and this favors the development of long, deli- gate! tentacles or feelers, These tentacles help a fish in its groping about the dark depihs searching for food. When the fish are brought Uo the surface most of them appear to be pulpy masses, The bones and muscles appear to be 1eebly developed. ‘Tue tissues seem thin, Weak, and easily ruptured. hese conditions, implying’ inuscular ire ‘apparently aaistent with. the powern Shape of the Jaws and the rapac teeth ‘of some of the 3 THE DIFFERENCE OF PRESSURE. It must be remembered, though, that at the depth of a thousand fathoms the pressure upon a fish, or any ovber , is equal toatontoa square inch. These flabby-looking fishes that can be Ued in a knot at the surface at such depths are firm-bodied and vigorous. Waen a fish adapted by organization Co these depths 1s brought to the sur- face, frequently their bodies are tupcured, ‘their present the aj ‘of Laving suffered a fright Tul death. ‘hen the fish asceu and the pres- sure upon its body becomes less and less, the gi.ses causes the demoralized appearance of the It ‘the fish could be popped up out of the sea in an tn- stant, tt would explode with a bang en tt reached Ube suriace, ‘To the absence Oi light is due many of the most ery ! Saniignt, ‘a depth of 200 1 there itis the merest_ glimmer, Unat depth there is absolute aaranese: Now these deep-sea fishes being cut off alto- from the sun-light, many of them furnish their own light, They have no organized gas com- Ha i il | i H i tik and me at tC \—-} protessor of astronomy in Vassar ‘Tal pay. Sue hea been with Vassar UBLE SHEET. ments on the apparatus used on the Challenger | or opening like the inverted cone of an vel pot, $0; dragged him up into the airless spaces above our | others with no eyes at all. All of these fisti, and | WOMEN SHARPERS, Females Whe Make Their Living by Adrott Thievery. SKILLFUL SHOPLIPTERS AND THEIR WORK-—4 Sto- | tive, at her destination, She selects as her vietm@ Erocrally sown kind-bear'ed old centieman wT @ Kood-sized pocketbook. She tells hic who abe i and Whom she expects. Liew delichted she Is 1 thi ws that she fs to meet the long lost relative, she fears that she may fail into bad hands because she bs a stra » town, amd = 10 CESGFEL DIAMOND —MORRERY—PICKPOCKETS IN Che gid citizen that_as abe has to hires yeulcle be STORES AND PUBLIC CONVEYANCES—OLD GHNTLE-| nay as well do her the kindness to score her tO MEN VICTINZED EY CONPIDENCE OPERATOR. the— hotel He, naturally, spimpacnizes with 1 a. is wailing "to | accompany | her | to “Speaking of crimes and who commit ¥ 2 that she may not fail into bed ‘Said a detective to a Sr. reporter, “women are | HMnes | at ak BN tnt 7 ——— not given half the credit they deserve for working | the driver of a heck anal omicrs kite to arise her sharp games and cowmitting large rovbert's | to the hovel, She ers the hack. frst, The plans which they devise and execute Would | Abd seats herself so that his pocketbook will be Surprise even persons who have the greatest. confi. | 00 Net side. Ou the Way to Ube huiel Ces engage ence in the ability of the fair sex. Sometime | sue chsuks the geutioman for his kindoess. She Ago,” continued the detective, “a gentieman took | eters Che hove he hack Is driven off tm the afternoon train in New York for this city. He seated himseif in ap rior car, and took out bts diary to make a record am ft. In 80 do ing he dropped a card bearing the name of a Washington lady. On the back of this card the gentiemay had writter a memorandum Of a business eng@ement with a New York anotuer directic Hus geutieman occupant, Suddenly be misses something from his pocket, Hits hand ts placed across his breast, and, to Lis sorrow, he finds his pockethook gone.” He hastens back to the hot Uthe fair one only ten oF fifteen , and learns that she ne there; Chat a fern sweribg her had made some inguirtes im the oMice pg mage mar om the card, | SOOM Some individual who ever Was in tie hotel When the engagement wan made thegencieman | 222 Jett, Dut in” what direction she went @id not happen to have a note-book or # biank He cant efforé 0 piece of paper tn his pocket nd so used the card eo ee which he happened to have iu luis pocket for the Ks that his side of the story will never complaibs to the refuses to give his mame ‘Other females make @ regular way, pu of making the memapupdum. Under ordi- Diary circumstances he randewou'd have rermalbed Where it fell unUil swept Out with other rubbish and ‘brown into the fire oron some ash ple: but does, t au adveuturess, or a female Who makes her living | Frcelsing action. A supper at meme Binet by her wits, who occupied a seat pear the gentie. | Class dining -alow wee and the sructnaam ee man, picked up the card. Shortly after te arnival | COMPAbIes her Lome. AC Is aris ih the evening or the train in this city ainan called at the real- | Md he ac an Ievitation to apené the events what he supposes to be ladies ah finds himself tn a poker game beat. This class of women dence of the lady whose same appeared on the card and stated to her the facts in relation to the card and of the memorandwn of an engagement with a party « card and of the wietworaudun agement | sre shuply capers” fot unions tos, maey® See Stet et alin Like pet | mane robied ila trout pane Whaet saci he showed her the card bearing her | © anata, name, Which sbe at on@e recognized, The man AN OLD poDGE. positively refused to show her ¥ hat was on the | «Many an old man is seen ou che strvet Mirting ack Of the card. The lady = dventuress, WhO | with sume nicely-dressed fema’ ” m u " employed hin, he said, wanted &1.000 for the sur-| Tecaiyg, =atter walking several squar The adventufess was stopping ata fashionable hotel, amd ber address was ieft | Uhinks nO One sees him, he speaks to for future reference. The lady at once communt- | Mlhutes Lave | cated with the gentieman ‘who had lost tue card, | 4 while th and who had not, up to thi:t time, notived his loss, | Versetion be A second interview was arranged, and instead of | Couple a nah Who bas “raugle The man the adventures herwif ajypeared and met | hls wife. ratens divorce proceedings. mays the gentieman Who had lost the card. She de. | he knows the taan’s name, and will have luo a» a Mmanded $1,000 for the urd. ‘The New Yorker at| Witaess He is not angry at the old man, bat is | first put ona bold front and Qereatened arrest, but | Father glad he met them. The kot te | this did not frighten her. We flually paid over | disgrace of tein counected with a div 4 $500 and her traveling expenses to New York for | and Degins to april she te an that the cara. apologies are not necessary, and c asid : SGive me a hundred dollars, she says, "aid Tl fx PROFESSIONAL. SHOPLIFTERS. ‘oe a yg ety | sernen,” said the dectective, » tnacians ot] Gunton tuck} segerom ef tee Saees oe omen who are known «professional soputters | He aids over the ‘and Lakes tis departur'y, ey go in a dri ingie day will | leaving the husba wite quarreling. As som They go tm pales, and during © singie Gay will | So ho ts out of sighs tne quatveline ¢ manage to get together several hundred dollars’ Worth of fine goods, Ove «niy will do the steal- ing. She enters a store, selecis an article which she examines, and folds it or Ln some Way gets It Teady for ‘uolsting.’ She folas or doubles it in suddenly to terms and divide the ed out of the old man, Such we tiful, And many prominent lieved of their mouey by Ubis gan DED as Luts are persons are re ‘Such Way that she ca Ob ably selects cor oF lace, OF a Dumber ADvEESS THE PREpENT. i Sone other | Phe Father of Greenbacks Attends = | Vauabie article, erate attracts | TBO | the “attention of with | White House Reception—Expiaining | im “until number ome hax concealed her| Mis Theories, article and “made way with It. A. good = shoplifter always oes prepared to take He was a little old gentieman of a very olf and conceal aruc of almost any size, She has | - | school, apd, us he paced large pockets in ner outer gatiwents, sometimes | Stk ° attached to ber shawl and sometimes'arranged In | & cloak or coat, She also wears lange false Pockets attached to her arierskirts or fasten about her waist or other wnderwear, tn which | arLiciescan be inserted turough a slit made tn dress for that purpose. These false pockets are usually fastened with a satety pin, 90 Uhat in case the woman 1s detected in her Worx the pin can be opened, letting the pocket containing the valuable plunder fall under her dress ‘so she can pass on ‘over it. Sometimes these pockets are | jastened With a corset string run through eyelets with the loop fastened om the outside, so that by | sntemplatively atnong ‘the Unrong of modern citizens watting in the East Koom to shake the Presidential hand, be looked. like aleaf of half-forgotion history that had flute lered by mistake into a lat ovel. His rumed bosom, his high collar and stock, tits coat of ancient cut, his expansive brow, hhalf-oovered by sparo ‘Uhin locks of white, marked him for general notice, And, though he modestly sought the dar her of the rootn for is perambulations, its tn ments were closely Watched by the other callers, he was and epening the loop Une thief can Instazitly get rid of kground, ye plunder. through the larg. “A favorite mode followed Dy shoplitters who | 2 crowded into 4 phalanx work alone 1s to uve a muff as& means of conceal- 1 te and tro aud ing stolen arucles, A large pocket Is made inside as Uhough rebears the muff, whicn is placed on thi Ang ai : Uhlet piaves the back of her rl At last the Lop of the muff near one end, which and the Pre ceals the article selected, A’ hook arra fice When one of w forwand ar Tested hls attentior he queer ittie article is slowly drawn into the mui.” Common fters do hot Work usually With such devices, and can seldom carry off but one article. and as ie HOW ONE WOMAN DID IT, Thus cue “Molly Holbrook, one of the smartest shopuitters | & in the world,” he’ continued, “worked very suc- cesstally in an entirely different manner, She dressed richt per first Fisits to lange stores | She Would make extensive purchases. Such visits Quite “Yes, yes," res she would repeat until she became known to the | ing Loward proprietor and clerks ay a yrood cust Assuch brought his | she would be trusted about the store, and never vat thn Uke Pres Watched. Her Visits to the store becatue frequent, Test of his Words Were lost, As ho and sometimes she made stuail purchases. She ad emphasized his states Would make use of these ooportunities w look is hand, and such a fue about the store, and carry off with ber goods of | Ing of Mis head that Lis eck seemed am more than ten Umes the value of Ler purchase, Pr Of distoe Repeated visits of this kind would be made, and nall knot « who had returned tur Molly Would secure hundreds of dollars’ worth of | @ last glimpse of Uke Beauties of the East Room, goods, During each visit Molly's contederate | Watch d the palr with interest President Would stand tn front of the store, so that in event tacking first to Une rut Of her being detected the ‘office’ could be given by dhe left until be Was OUL Of sight. = the confederate go she would have a chance to ow minutes | ocape, vrinkled f \d Hue stutle of | “Then there are thieves known as ‘early morn. | SAUistcllon, ave a Ing Workers’ ‘The gang is usually made up of two | PurMinis Tpeated trom te Posidential ips. femmalesand two Males, After a house is selected | ned on an antique block, his loug eli | ax a feld of operations, the femaies enter the store | his short top coat la} chait weat one of the mantel pieces, Where @ Stak Feporie® | Shoruy after the arrival of the first clerk. Fine | OB of | Silks and laces are calied for and are spread on the | counter by the clerk, Then one of the tales | | enters and ealls the clerk aside while the other Watches on the outside, While the clerk's atten | tion Is engaged by the inan. the females have time | to load up and before the clerk discovers ls oss | the quartetie are out of sight. A CLEVER ROBBERY. THE COLONEL SEIZKD MIS MAT and set it squarely over his baldness, carefully Wrapped his tauMer over bis stock, ant his overcoat out to the reporter, saying: “Hold it for mer” And so the scribe dropped his penctl and his ine | spiration and belped te odd ttie man ut ‘One of the cleverest robberies ever committed,” | Chats —- IF " . said the detective, “wasconcocted by a female who |" "You had quite a chat with the President, str | Selected a mate to act as her confederate, She en-| | “Yey" rpnted tue ovlonel. wlveeting quickly tered a Jewelry store early one morning and asked | 8° od tb alka Attic. poultice and a torat | to be shown some diamonds, telling the clerk U Ton na, b anow very Gen thet mote ob She wanted a fine ove Lo present to a gentleman | MCS hryned tur death with busitons and 1 choughe | friend. A tray of precious stoues was placed upon | Thatifi could get at hla at tue tag end of there the suow-case, and one by one were shown Ler b; the clerk. Presently the eenvederate entered t store and altracted Une atvention of the clerk for sale a par of earrings. The lady hi | between her thumb and foref | Seption tanight be able to tell lat mouse | Twant him,” slowing the flow rat the Une | yt 4 of his wonts @ “L wan aire worth $6,000. When the clerk turned | Httle to emphasize his diction the valuable stone had disappeared. | Save the people of These United states #20, accused the female of the theit, but | a year.” red hier unocence, bUL he nevertie-| jess Had. her arrested. A woraan Was brougiit to | Search her, but the iissing diamond not being | found. in. lier possession, she Was released. The | store, tox, was searched, but ‘the missing Jewel | | could ‘not be found. ‘Two or three Werks passed, nothing was learned conceruing. the malssitis | diamond. Chen a man supposed to be the w | hans vontederate Visited tue store arly one j toring and. adraired ‘some vases sitting on the | | told the porter that he Would like 2 but the latter said he could not | The man sald Uhat he did not desire to | hake the purchase, but merely uesined (0 Make a selection for his wife, who would call during | mn S notes—by stopp hotes Uretmsel ves,” sink! and eagaging Counting On Lis fingers, Nrst_ hurriedly unbooking ‘them from the buttouhdles, Then, with a sweep | te day. The porter got a siepladder and | of his uand, Jet the man “ascend | amd ex mile | the | ceur Gap enn sear enn.enni® vases, Later in the = morning, = when | Cut out the bank notes, and leave three, sir] pAnd confidentially, Unt af rari That meastire to SU? Jie be re-elected, the clerks ‘arrived, the porter told them of his early Visitor. The ‘head wierk at once suspected | I told kim, and J tell you something Wrong. He inspected tne top shelf | Grover Cleveland will reco: Where the vases ‘iad been, and there saw where | Conzress—wiit'll happe the diamond had plougted'through the dust that | Sir" Sure as tate, sir!” had setiled on tue shelf and also where Ube man’s | SLO ne a ood card,” ventured the Ts had left marks in the dust when he pleged | " pie precious stone. “Tike woman had tossed the | TePoFter,to whom Chis talk ot fhatioos Was Herat, diamond up While the clerk's bead was turned, and |), Syl carts ~s the contederate, Who was Watching, kuew exactly | win ve whet. 19 100K frit, He was never tound By Uhe | DIC: to‘ane Lincoln” Wien we were foodie the peice nit ene Se enna peeeeeens, | country with those bonds, sit,” shaking tbe ropor. DROFFING A BILL. | ter as though be were a detested bond, “Pemales have revived an old racket which bas “AND CHASE WAS AFRAID 70 DO I, been worked by bank sneaks for years,” said the | 1 came up here and sent my card in to Lincoln. He detective. “A merchant stands ata bank counter | sent out word, sir, to admit me at ouce counting his money. A nicely-dressed lady-like- / went in he locked the doorand sald: looking woman enters and as sle approaches the | novo an hour's talk on this matt window lets a note of some kind fall from her | "= "No Mr. Presideut.’ says." can hand to the Hoor. ‘The natural polliewess of the | much in half an hour that yuu won't merchant causes him to stoop and pick up the bil any more,” aud T showed tilt au for the lady. While he is doing so the iady’s | economical it would be, and Lue did! He confederate picks several Oftie {rou the merchant's | ordered the issue of tie grewnbacks, He used LO pile and leaves the bank bgfore the money 4s | call me the “Lather of the greenbacks. inissed.” ' LINCOLN'S LETTER. “By the way, did you ever see Lincoln's letter?” | grabbing his hat trow his bead.and turusttng bis | Band into the itning. | “No,” anurmured the reporter, “but if you will excusé me wulle 1 write Uis item 4 shall be “Oh, don't mention it,” he repiled, backing off, Adding, with a generous Wave of bis hand, “take | all the'time you want, I'm in no hurry.” hand crossed over under er ‘Thus encouraged, the scribe collected the scat. pocketbook, or if Une Victim carries bag | tered remnants of lis inspitation and sadly wrote ‘On her arta she takes Uhe contents of that, leavlug |g few lines. Thea be tured Wo the co.ouel, whe the bag. When she ‘works’ a crowded ear, where | stood al his elbow again, hoding a slip of paper she Is unabie to see the pocketbooks, she Is coz. | toward him, aad With a Weak sulle took the led to do what Wwe Luleves calls ‘fanning.’ That } clous document. It Was a printed copy of « letuer Eto move through the crowd and teol for the | from President Lincoln to col. Dick Taylor,” pockerooks. Mahy persons Who are overhauled | ng in the short terse purnses of that way never mouce it, and never know that | Lnows’ style the, tustory of tbe greenback, as already set forth by Une coined. “This has been printed hundreds of t chum hae Cac printed hundieds of expat the i ud tn carey, ong es and hor FEMALE PICKPOCKETS. “The female pickpocket wiuo ‘works’ a crowded store selects a8 a victim a person who is either careless with her pocketbook, or who ts busily en- gaged making purchases ‘The pocket of the vic~ um is invariably on the rightside of the dress, and the Uniel_ stands with the Jeft side toward the Tight side of her Victita, being care ul to always keep her lett hand exposes, while Fr j . There is still another class of women known as isbonest house servants, They are not the ordi- Bary servant girls who steal some small aruicies ‘stunply Thought Wat maybe you had Lot seen 11,” ADVISING LINCOLN. “] told Abe Lincoln to study lew, twenty years [ee abie to, a ‘to almost any fatally. any persons i are victimized ip this way several ‘Saresu drawer — are, soeaatly witb them out even ‘over @ chair or making & Dutee members (CONFIDENCE OPERATORS. hd “There is a class of women. who travel on steam- em Doats and steam cars and victimize many men,” continued the detective. “Such a woman gets her- ‘towel, pce Daepeerin sb ia