Evening Star Newspaper, November 5, 1892, Page 12

12 > ll . THE EVENIN STAR: * WASHINGTO) - . D. C. SATURDAY. NOVEMBER 5, 1892—-SIXTEEN PAGES. ” Pes a aid THE PROPOSED GATEWAY THE ZOO BUILDINGS. | - | Homes Provided for All Kinds of] Animals, = SOME UNIQUE DESIGNS. i. Queer Looking House for the Indian Ball— A Ledge for the Liamas—The Carnivora House and Other Butldiog»—Plans for the Central Gateway. - a ROVISION IS BEING made at the Zoological Park for the suitable of the animals. of the structures already been others have a it is ‘ ntended that all will & be of an architectural character to harmonize b ‘the surround- and with the p pore for which they are This ia ne animals are ark wasied y are the bear pits. quarry and it s i RAST EXD OF CARNIVORA HOUSE. wecipitous. rocky bank ning well back Into the hill, was considered an ideal place in which to blast caves for the bears to make homes in. Atail railing surrounds the premises, the | Dare of hich are bent over and end in ugiy spikes, soas to prevent the occupants from leaving their own front yard. A plunge bath is provided in each of the bear vards and a trunk | ofa tree, on which the bears can climb. bask in | the sun and avoid disagreeable associates when they feel so inclined | Gu the crown of the hill is located the carni- vora house, the most important building at Present in the Zoo. This building on three sides is built of bine gneiss. The roof will eventually be tiled with a grayish tile. Two of the permanent cages are completed in this house, one of which is occupied by French, the fine young lion, who is now two years old. This building contairs the major part of the animals that require their houses artificially | beatet | A steam cual is 1c which the warm fre-i: ‘The vitiat: driven by a fan. Lair i he floor of by heated ot water rx he. it can be so easily Asa matter of fact floor that will body, will de- | with i | while ceme this building. |The elephant quarters te simply & temporary oc! building made so that these tick-okinned animals may be kept. warm | and not suffer from winter blast, to which they are peculiarly susceptible. They stand on a heavy wooden floor, their front feet being chained to a large stone let eight feet into the ground. When they get their permanent Li HOME OF THE INDIAN BULL. quarters they will have a large roomy cago connecting with a Now it is necessary for Mr. Blackburn to take them out for a constitutional walk when the weather permits, and in warm weather they have their bath in the creek. ‘This bath is well worth seeing. ‘The pleasure they exhibit and the antics they cut and the tricks they play on each other will pay for a trip to the Zoo. The buffalo house is a quaint log structure, forming a shed into which they can retire ar ix onpreasive or when they are not feeling well. Half of this building is now in the possession of the American elk. The combination of logs, with overhanging gable, is quite appropriate for the surrounding and for the animals housed therein, being enggestive of the wild west. LLAMA HOUSE. The hay on which the buffalo and elk are fed red in the loft over their heads. The ground north of the carnivora house broadens out into an open valley, while the ereek winding through on the north isa hill with picturesque banks. make a fine picture. The llama house is located in this valley. It lis built of open framing undressed timber, d with boards on the inside. The roof is ed with a straw thatch. The effect is cov | unique and it does not seem to be out of place surroundings. lamas have dirt floors for their stalls, floors are laid where the public are admitted into the Ilama house. The llamas have no privacy. A thatched roof is a novelty this section. Being a foot or more in thick- ness it protects the llamas from excessive heat in summer and extreme cold in winter. The DEER SHED. The wolves and foxes, of which there are | everal varieties, Russian wolf hound, the pi caries, muskrats, beavers, raccoons. badge opossum, eagles, owls, hawks and numerous otber animals and birds are now residing in temporary, incomplete and improper quarters awaiting the time when Congress will allow them stfficient accommodations. The prairie dog town is an interesting walled village the houses in which are below the surface. It wes | necessary to build the wall surrounding this settlement eight feet beneath the surface to prevent the inhabitents from burrowing be- neath the wail and departing. These litt gers take much interest in i a hind legs, cocking their head on one side and eveing youas much as to say, “What do you The prairie dogs are getting qui me now, but they lave no rattlesuake or ow! keep them company in their present abod A dwelling for the Indian bull, or technically speaking the zebu, hay been adopted, whieh suggests the East Indian character of ite oc lower part being of concrete wing the roof overhanging on s. gives ile idea of coolness and quiet. ‘The lattice windows, dark green tile roof, are | i S34 Sern THE BEAR DENS. velop colds and rheumat Fequire im their cage which they can try © manicure from becoming fog into the thes! Bouse when animals who find comfortable cages 0 8 easily cleaned both « terior. A tank 10 by 20 + the northern end of this | quarters for the ten cently arrived at the Z A of the ¢ i to the storage of od. It looks like a small market or green grocery store the animals cat fruit of all varieties, bread, + house is ¢ BUFFALO notsE. meats. They are not particular | choice cute. The east tower will be open from which point the sweep of rocky banks and ‘valley, forms » verr pleasing view. | large eages will be placed so the animals can go from their rooms into the air | end exercise. Monkevs, fel nes, | Seken, rodents, parrots and other | cake men heed ak present in in keeping with the general design, whieb is in- tended to have an East Indian effect. jeer sheds wiil be logs laid in the old log «yle, and the roof will be of thateh lashed down with taplings. The deer do not require a closed shelter, but must havea place where they can retire from the cold storms of winter and tne hard rains of summer. Several architects have been interested in < designs for the Zoo. buffaly house was designed by Mr. Emer- of Boston. The west end of the carnivora was designed by Mr. Victor Mindeleff. tension, east and part of the south oats of the carnivora house and the lama se were designed by Glenn Brown of this city. The same architect has made sketches for the #ebu and deer houses, which have been aj groved, and the proposed gateway. > No Use for a Gun. From the Lewist n (Me. ) Journal. Acertain doctor in northern Maine is noted for his love of bunting, and he is reckoned a quite sick, and one of them being in a danger- | otis condition, the lamberman started in haste | *# been imported into Europe. for this doctor, called, he was unusually slow in making pone. Suddenly the he ee nen ne ot ae into might see some game, and stepping to door, where the nervous’ lumberman was tientiy waiting, he inqyired: Wink I'd better® take ms gu nol” was the exited reply, dead evoxgh before you can get there.” rd_and a plunge bath. | ing very inclement weather, when the sun | Together it would | Ihave a cute way of sitting on their | Now our medical friend is sometimes quite moderate in getting ready for Lis ‘trips,and on this occasion, after being UNCLE SAM'S CATS. Three Hundred of Them Employed by the Government, | WHY CATS ARE OF USE. ee They Are Kept at the Post ffices to Protect the Malls—Departmental Cats at Washing. ton—Pussies of the White House—Cate ‘That Swarm in the Capitol. HREE HUNDRED and odd cats are_main- | tained by the United | States government, the cost of their support | being carried as a regu- Jnr item on the accounts X of the Post Office De-| partment. They are distributed among, about fifty post offices, | and their duty is to| keep rats and mice } ~*~ trom eating postal mat- | ter and mail sacks. Their work is of the utmost importance wherever large quantities of mail are collected—aa, for example, at the New York post office, where from 2,000 to 3,000 bags of such material are commonly stowed away in the basement. : Formerly great damage was often done by mischievons rodents, which chewed holes in the sacks and thought nothing of boring clear through bags of letters in night. ‘Troubles of this sort no lgnger occur now that the official | pussies stand guard. Each city postmaster ix | allowed from €8 to €40 a year for the keeping | | of his feline staff, sending his estimate for “cat | meat” to Washington ut the beginning of each quarter. Care is taken not to feed the animals | too high m order that their appetite for live game may be keen. It is Inid down asa rule that no meat shall be given when there isa mouse or a rat to be caught. IN THE GOVERNMENT BUILDINOS. Cats are kept in all the government buildings at Washington. In that of the State, War and Navy Departments they are employed not only to protect the priceless papers stored there, but to guard against fire. Twice the War Depart- | ment has been set afire by rats gnawing matches ‘on one of these occasions in the office of the of War, in the middle of the night. the treasury had nine cata, but they made themselves obnoxious and all were giv away but two, These are as wild as pos-ible, getting a living by foraging for themselves Mice are notoriously fond of chewing but they have no eto get atl ame paper cash, which is kept in rooms with iron | | walls that defy their tecth. Rate occupied the | | pension office in great process of building, tal umbers while it ing up their residence | in the walls and floors as fast as they were put | | up. Two years ago four cats were introduced there to gtiard the recordsof the old soldiers and they have driven most of the vermin away. best rat killer of the quartet not long ago, be- | | ing frightened at something, fell from the sec- | | ond gallery fifty feet to the tiled floor and fel killed. The White House has two cats, one @ kept in the kitchen, | and the other a black Tom, which belongs in Mrs. Harrison bad four lovely Mal- | all disappeared—stolen | AT THE CAPrTor. But the Capitol is the great | ington for cats. The huge structure is fairly | aswarm with them, and at night the | | about in troops. Nobody knows ho’ y of | them there are, but the watchmen reckon them by scores, They are all vagrants and wild as | hawks, In summer they are seattered about | the neighborhocd to come extent, but in winter | they gather within the building. At about 10 o'clock every night they begin a mad racing through the empty corridors, which are made to resound with their cries.” The acoustic ef- fects produced are astonishing. Let a single grimalkin lift up his voice in statuary hall. fa- | moup for its echoes, and the silence of the night | is broken by a yell like that of a datoned soul, | as loud at a locomotive whistle. A favorite place for eat concerts is the whispering gallery down below, known as the “crypt,” where the | feeblest sound is magnified into & roar. In- agine the demontacal ensemble of half u dozen feline songsters in such a spot. IN ENGLAND. The Britich government pays certain sums, | regularly passed throvgh the accounts quar- | terly, for providing and keeping cats in public officer, dock yards and store houses, Rats and mice used to'do great damage to paper in the imperial printing office of Franc | sum is appropriated yearty for insin‘ai staff of cats there, which are fed twice and carefully looked after by a man who is paid for that service. In Vienna four cats are em- ¥ the authorities to catch mice on the A regular allow- nd after a reason- | hey are placed on | rtable pensions. ‘The pports eight at Trent, which are borne on the compa: | | pay rolis for milk and meat. Their duty is to | guard hundreds of thousands of empty corn | sacks, and che importance of their work may be | | estimated from the fact that twelve wor | engaged all the ve: eaten by rats in the WHY CATS ARE INVALUADEE. It is probable that railways in this coun would find it well worth while to keep cats at | their princiyal stations for the protection of | | perishable freight ngainst rats and mice. Peo pie who are given to running down the fel tribe do net renlize how vaiuable the are to mavhind. In truth they are pensable, Were it not for cats rodent | would overrun all houses, buildings and enlti- vated land. ‘They are invainable to farmers, | protecting the pouttry yards and guarding the | | crops against vermin, which wonid otherwire devour “the fresh-rown seed in the ficlds and | eat the grain before it was ripe for harvest. USED AS CLO | The Chinere utilize cats t place in Wash- | Pi ance is voted for their kee able period of x the retired list Pussies | indis | clocks. Th | that the pupils of their eyes grow steadily rower until 12 noon. when they are like fine r lines. gradually dilating after that hour. When a Chinaman wants t what time it | is he picks up a eat and finds out. ‘There is an | oki story of a surgeon confined for debi in the | Fleet prison of London. who only escaped star- vation by employing skillfal tabby to catch | mice tor his food. Notwithstanding 1 tution of selfiekners brought against then are very affectionate animals, usually attaching | themselves tone person in preference to all | others. ATTACHMENT FOR OTHER ANIMALS. Cats often become very much attached to| dogs, horsesand even cows. They will some times rear young rats, rabbits, squirrels, pup- | | pies, hedgehogs and pigeons. There is record | of an instance where two cats were brought up | byafemale dog. A cat has been known to make friends with a sitting hen and to help | keep the yonng chicks warm by permitting them to créep under her. The fact has yet to be realized that the cat shares with the dog the | instinet to protect its master’s property. A cat properly trained will not touch tame rab- bits, though it kille and brings home wild ones, and its appetite for birds pauses at the domes: tic chickens and ducklings. Pussies are used | for peculiar kind of sport in Belgium, where they are tied up in sacks and let loose eimul- | taneously, ‘he one that gets home first. winning | apne. Tt is recorded that in one such cat race the prize was won by a blind cat. cAT SHOWS. | The cat shows frequentiy held in England | have done much to develop popular interest in cats. Finely bred animals command at present very high prices. The various breeds are as well recognized and the points for judging | them as carefully determined as with dogs. here is a standing offer now of 200 guineas |for' malo tortolse, shell.” Oddly chough, | tortoise shell cats reem always to be females. At all events only one male of that kind has | thus far been known of in England. It ehould be borne in mind that this relates to the sort of tortoise shell that is black, red and yellow in patches, with no white. THE ROYAL CAT OF SIAM. Within the last few years a new breed of cate It is the | royal cat of Siam. For centuries past the only | pure stock of this variety has been kept con- | ined to the palace of ths Siamese kinn’s ‘most jealous care has E g & # 1 i i i E i 55 i iL ty i Fe E i [ g 4 | len. | rho came to this most invariably ple o Cc | common! |. | strength DI SD TAILLESS CATS. ‘ It isa very curious fact that white cats of the | short-haired kind with blne eyes are nearly al- ways totally deaf. Sometimes those of the rame breed with yellow eyes are similarly afficted. One might suppore that such a de- fect would be of no consequence to the owner, but the fact is that, because their deafness pre- vents them from hearing their own voices, their mewing is intolerable to listen to, taking ihe shape of horrible yells. Such cats are only suitable for deaf old ladies. The origin of the tailless cats of the Isle of Man is a puzzle. It may be that they were derived from ancestors who happened to have their tails cut off. Such mutilations are sometimes reproduced by hered- ity, as has been the case with the short-tailed sheep dog. The cats figured on ancient Egyp- tian monuments are supposed to have been of the same variety as that which is common in Abyssinia today. It is not possible to determine tuis question with certainty, because, although millions of these cats have been preserved ns mammies, the color of the hair cannot be dis- tinguished. THE WIZARD BLACK CAT. Black cats have much moreelectricity in their far than any others. This may be one reason why so many superstitions have attached to them. From time immemorial popular belief has attributed to them necromantic power. ‘They were supposed to be employed by wizards, whose martyrdom in flames and by drowning they often shared. thought to,portend death. and to this day chil- dren in Germany are tanght to regard them as | omens of evil and to avoid them. Unquestion- ably a black cat with its coat and tail “set up” and its form distended, ita round yellow eyes aglow with anger, presents an_uncanny appear ance. Sailors’ wives used to keep black eats to insure the safety of their husbands at sea, Faith in their value for such purposes rendered them so precious that they were commonly sto- Another odd notion was expressed m verse, as follows: ‘Whenever the cat in the house is black, ‘The lasses of lovers will hzve no lack.” A story is told of Charles James Fox to the | | effect that while waiking up 5! James street from his club with the Prince of Wales he offered a bet that he would the prince during their promenade. He would take one side of the wey and the prince the other, the latter selecting whichever side he | chose. ‘The wager being accepted. at ghe end ts and of their walk Fox had seen thirteen the prince not one Fox explained: ighness, of course, took the ofthe street. 'T knew that the sunny side would be left for me, and cats always pre- fer the sunshine.” Arckbichop Whately said that the only noun in the Englirh 2 real vocative case Wi g usually addressed as “puss Reve Bacue. ep cat, the animal beis oo SNUFF INFORMATION, Sneeze Statistics That Tell About a Profita- te Indust From the Cincinnati Coxnmer {al-Gazette. It seems surprising to learn the fact that twenty years ago 4,000,000 pounds of snuff per annum were consumed in this country. Much moreastonishingis the cireumstance that during the fiscal year ended July 1, 1892, 10,000,000 pounds of snuff were used in the United States. Yet how ra taken! by the ely is it that one sees pinch of snuff The mystery was expliined yesterda; jew York agent for a great suuff-manu- gr facturing concern. He says: “Nearly all Talian and German music teach- | ers use snuff. Likewise the Roman C: clergy. The priests say that they get into the habit during long se where they must sit + snuff in orde confessional, hours together and ceupy themselves and sneezing. The true sn . Old-fashioned Germans, ptry along time a ‘s ake sniff beer saloons ir race congregate you will Iv see ou the counter a box of spuff for general use. It is of black that I have spoken thus far—bighly scented with rose; bergamot and pungent +But the snuff that is chiefly used s factured in this country is of the brown kind. Some of itis salted and some plain, but very little of it is scented. It is used toan immense ex and poor wintes. for ‘dipping.” per moistens a little «t t where pe ‘The snuff dip- k in water or alechol, dips it in the snuff, makes a little ball and puts it betwee id the teeth. The habit ie an unpleasa ced in the sou b by women 4 vas by men. In fact, the cc umption of snuffin this country is chiefly by dipping and the bulk of the tobacco manufactured in this shape rned below Maso Dixon's dine >w enaft is used largely by the Canadian F girls, who com- pose a majority of the employes in the cotton mills all over the United States, particula New England, $ 5 rior ma kinds. Havana an The flavori cret. Much ¢ cesses Of ¢ are proferred. strictly se- n the pro- sno claes of tobacco consumers are so fastidious as enuff tekers, The Scotch are great users of snuff, It was a Scotchman who once asked a big-nosed stranger if he took snuff, and receiving a nega: tive reply rem: What you have such a grand accommodatio = Forbearance Ceased. From the Indian po':s Jornal “See here!” yelled the wrathful man as be took off his hat and thowed a head as bald as a aign lie. “Yes, I see,” nid the druggist. “Did you ever try my unparalleled ¥ renovator?” “That's just what I did, ered the bald- headed man in tones of wrath, “and here's the reat, ‘The druggist mused a moment. “it works that way sometimes,” he said, he bait grows vo fast, vou eee, that it pulls f out by the roots. Now, if you will only a your sealp by using a few bottles of my acmeistical sealp balm——" ‘At this point they clin ed. fi i WEVA Y | Their appearance has been | see more cats than | tin the wouth by negroes | —— | REAL ESTATE GOSSIP. | A Proposed Park inthe Southern | Section of the City. | | SOLDIERS’ HOME GROUNDS. | A Proposition Which May Add Two Large | Areas to the Park Facilities of the City— | Some Current Prices of Building Sites—The | | Corcoran Art Gallery Butldti Matters. - OR A NUMBER OF years past the residents in the vicinity of the grounds of the Warh- ington barracks, or | arsenal, as the post used to be known, have been in the habit of re- sorting there as they would to a public park. There is no other park in that locality, and as the authorities have not interfered in any wi | with the legitimate use by the public of the at- | tractive lawns which fringe the river's edge | | almost to the point it has become a grent resort. It seems probable that this property will be ex- | clusively devoted for park purposes. At least that is the proposition and if all the details can | be carried out no doubt the southern section of the city willhave a park. As is well known. the | barracks is now an artillery station, while | at Fort Myer there is a cavalry’ post. | It is proposed to enlarge the grounds | at Fort Myer and establish a post | | brigade, bringing on for that purpose several leompanies of infantry, which, with the artillery and the cavalry, would constitute the | Proposed brigade. There is no infantry sta- tioned here, and it ix deemed important that | | there should be a well-equipped and disciplined | | body of men located at the national capital | | representing these three important branches of | the service. In the event that the camp at | Fort Myer is eniarged and the troops removed | from the barracks some important changes will | be made that will necesturily effect the value of property in both sections. Unless some | portions of the preseht Arlington reservation | is utilized it will be necessary to acquire ad-| ditional land in the vicinity of Fort Myer. | When the barracks property is transformed | | into. park there will be various changes made] which will add vastly to the appearance of that locality. It might hasten action in regard to | the James Creek canal, which is now an open | sewer, and during the summer season an of- | | fensive nuisance. Up to the boundary line of | the property changes have been made and. are | now being made which will greatly improve the | jappearance of things. The power house | of the Washington and Georgetown Company | isa decided ingrovement as compared with | | the appearance of the square before the build- | ing was erected. Then opposite on the other | side of 4%5 street the Metropolitan Company is clearing up a square that has been a desolate | waste. The new power house that is to be | built will be quite sightly. Other changes | would soon follow, and the approaches to the | new southern park with its green lawns shaded | by fine old trees would be attractive, THE SOLDIERS HOME PROPERTY. There is another park for the city talked of. | although the property in question is now and | | has been for some yenrs practically the only | park that the city possesses, The question is | being seriously considered of removing the | Soldiers’ Home to some place farther away from the city. When the property was acquired it | was considered far enough away from the city, fact, quite remote from the center of popu | ion, But now it is found that the land on all | 8s is being subdivided, streets are being laid | out and at the present rate of progress it does | not need the eye of a prophet to foresee that in | the course of afew years the Soldiers’ Home | property will be “in the center of a | closely built-up territory, or, in other | words, practically in the ‘midst of a city. Those interested in the home think that the best interests of such an institution are served a location somewhat remote and retired. It is realized that the property has enhanced in | yalne and that its full value, if realized, would jfurnish a fund for securing ample grounds | elsewhere and for the erection of perhaps more | suitable buildings. Of course, nothing could | be done without the consent of Congress, but j still the subject is being discussed a good deal ¥ proverty owners, the officials of the home and others, There are several plans proposed for dispos- ing of the present property. It bas been sug- | gested that the entire area could be reserved | jas the site for the much-talked-of private | | residence for the President. Then again it is | | proposed to continue its use as a public park, while others favor the sale and the subdivision’) of the property into building lots. It is claimed | that there would be no dittculty in getting a | purchaser for this property at a good round | sum, but property owners and others interested are of the opinion that the property will never be used for anything except a public park. SOME CURRENT LAND PRICES, A recent sale of a lot was recorded during the | past week, and as itis always interesting to | feel the pulse of the reai estate market by learn- ing the prices obtained at current sales some mention of this sale will be of value. The ground was located on Massachusetts avenue between 17thand 18th, rather nearer to the latter | than the former strect. The dimensions were 27x120 feet to aten-foot alley, and the price paid was $15,290, which is at the rate of £4.75 per square foot.’ Afew squares to the south | for the property fronting 102 feet on Rhode Island avenue just enst of Connecticut avenue, recently acquired for St. Matthew's Church, | the price per foot, counting the propertt as vacant ground, was about $7.20. But on the basis that the Dunn house is trorth $40,000 the land would then be rated at about £5 per square | foot. As the depth is something like 160 feet it | may be readily understood that this property was not.exactly given away. $ OF FOREIGN ARCHITECTURE. It is hoped, of course, that the French minis- ter will succeed in carrying out his plan of hav- ing a legation building in this city which will be | the property of his government. In the event that he is not able to find a house already built that suits him he may buy a site and erect a home. In this connection it may be well to | suggest that such a honse would be most inter- esting if in addition to its being the home of the representative of the French nation at the | American capital it ehould in its architectural form repzescnt the best expression of French | taste. If the house were thoronghly French in all its characteristics. standing as the type of the best in French erchitecture, i would be @ source of instruction and " information | that is usually available for the untraveled at national expositions. The | buildings occupied by foreign nations at | the Chicago exposition are built by arch- iteets native to the countries represented and of course are t in character. Something of the came sort might well be kept in mind when aforeign legation building is erected in this ity. Instead of employing American arch- itects, as was done inthe case of the Enghsh and Mexican legation buildings, the leading native architect would be given an opportunity to represent his country by putting up a char- acteristic building. No doubt it is a compli- ment to this country when @ foreign country selects an American ‘architect to do its work, but independent of personal reasons the other plan would result in giving more character to the legation building, and certainly it would make this city more interesting, for here would be collected not only the best examples of American architecture, but of all foreign coun- tries owning a legation building. THE NEW CORCORAN GALLERY BUILDING. Plans are being prepared for the new build- ing for the Corcoran Art Gallery, which is to be poration just west of the State, War and Navy Department building, at New York avenue and ith street. A ber of architects have been invited to enter & limited competition and the trustees will select the best design. The architects in this city whoare in the are Hornblower & | woek the Commissioners were called upon to | decide one of these cases, | inches by a depth of forty-five feet | privacy is assured. The basement affords ample | | enough this time for him.” street railroads with Glen Echo and probably | Cabin Jobn bridge. The Tenleytown and Roc! ville railroad, which now runs to Bethesda, in- tends to build a connection with the Rock | Creek railroad, extending along the line of Bradley lane. it is probable that arrangements will be made to supply the Glen Echo road with power from the power house of the Rock Creek Toad as well as the Bethesda branch. The Zoo branch of the Rock Creek railrond bas been completed and for the present cars will be run from Florida avenue and 18th street to the Zoo. It ix expected that the continun- | tion of this road along U street to 7th street will be completed dome time next month and ‘then the Zoo cars will run to 7th street. STREETS LESS THAN FORTY FEET WIDE. Within the past few days the building in- | Spector has been called upon to issue permits for the building of houses upon streets less than forty feet wide. During the latter part of the , md they did so by | requiring the owner to commence the dwelling sufficient distance from the strect to make the Iatter forty feet wide. The building in- spector, however, is not satisfied with this nc- jon, and he has requested the Commissioners to get an opinion from the attorney as to the exact construction of the act of July 22, 1892. This act, it will be recalled, provides that no dwelling house hereafter erected or placed in any alley shall in any oase be placed Jess than twenty-five feet back clear of the center line of such alley, so as to give at least a thirty-foot roadway and five feet on each side of such roadway clear for a walk or footway. | The only question to be decided is does the get above cited contemplate streets lees than | forty feet wide. It is distinctly stated in the | act referred to that this wiith applies to alley and the building inspector says he does not think that streets can be so considered. If it is decided that the law relates to streets it will work a great bard-hip, as there are a largo | number of suburban streets that are not forty feet wide. | THE WEFK'S RECORD. The record for last _weck’s building ope tions isa good one. The feature of the week | has been the number of permits taken out for rows of small houses. | During the week ending yesterday permit were taken out for sixty-eight dwellings, ag-| gregating in cost $215,475. This was divided among the several sections as follows: Northwest. 28 permits, £156,500; southwest, 8 permits, $3,900; northeast, 8 permits, €24,- 300; southeast, 11 permits, $5,500; county, 18 permite, £25,275. SOME. NEW BUILDINGS, There is a handsome improvement being made from 2000 to 2010 15th street northwest. A. B. Hines is building there a row of six handsome three-story brick and stone dwellings. Each house will have a frontage of eighteen feet six | nd pro- | vided with all modern improvements. The | fronts will be of brick and stone relieved by | square, octagonal and circular bay windows, J W. Serrin is the builder. Ground has been broken for the erection of | a two-story and basement brick dwelling at 916 Maryland avenue northeast. The house will | have all modern improvements and its front | will be of pressed brick with a square bay win- | dow running two stories. Alexander Scharper | is the owner and August Getz the builder. | Waters & Thompeon are ndding a handsome | improvement to Itving street, Georgetown, the shape of four two-story and ccilar brick | wellings. The fronts will be of pressed brick, | with Hummelstown stone trimmings and each | one will have asquare bay window. | A row of seven two-story and cellar brick dwellings is being erected on 4th street north- | west by Edward J. Tolson. They number from 1615 to 1627 and ure to be models of conven- ience, containing all modern improvements, C. Jackson is the builder. The foundation is being laid for a handsome three-story brown-stone dwelling at 1002 M street northwest. Mra. V. B. Stephen is the owner and Ed. Magee is building the house trom plans prepared by C. M. McClure. Three magnificent brown-stone dwellings are now in course of construction at 1710, 1712 and 1714 P street northwest. These houses are to be models of completencas when finished and provided with the latest and best ideas of modern improvement. Ench house will bave a frontage of 21 feet by a depth of 70 feet, and square and circular bay windows alternately will relieve the fronts. Thev will be heated by hot air. C. Mantz is the owner and builder and J. 8, Simmons is the architect. George S. Cooper is building a row of six three-story brick dwellings, from 633 to 643 4th street northeast. J. H. Huntt is the builder. Ino. Cooksey is building for himself a row of five two-story and basement brick dwellings, from 1610 to 1618 Let street northwest. No Hebrew for Finnish Officials. From the London Daily News. A somewhat singular case is now occupying the minds of officials in Findland. Every paper entering the country has to pass official cen- sors, and if deemed dangerous for the peace of e land it is confiscated. A gentleman at Hel- singfors subscribed some time since to a ver: peaceful periodical in, the Hebrew language he first copy reached the censors the other day, and these gentlemen not being able to make outa word of what was said, simply con- fixcated the print as being “unfit for reading. The addressee, however, was not content with this, and has brought the matter before the higher officials and before the Finnish public. ee Press Cycling Club of Boston. The new rooms of tho Press Cycling Club of Boston, near the foot of Warren avenue, are in every way suited for the uses of a cycling club. | The building is detached, and in consequence room for the storage of wheels, ——-eoe. On Election Night. r \ “I'll be prepared for thoze scamps this time. | j id I hadn't any evidences them, but I'll have proof | - < : — “Say, boys; let's take old Grandy ag | <rabley’s | ite off, like we did last year, and put it on the onfire."” “All right; let's.” | to be a power fi | pastor he was and at whose A CHURCH ANNIVERSARY. Gurley Memorial Chapel to Have = Celebra- tion Tomorrow. AN INTERESTING HISTORY STRETCHING OVER A QUARTER OF A CENTURY—-RARLY MISSIOX WORK IN A CAR STARLE—OOV. SHEPHLRD'S CLASS —THE PRESENT GREGATION. BUILDING AND cON- HE SILVER ANNIVERSARY OF THE Sunday school of the Gu Memorial Presbyterian Church, Flori b street, will be celebrated by special services, which will be held tomorrow. Monday evening there will be a reunion of friends of the church, old teachers and scholars of the Sunday school ‘The program in detail is as follows: soNDay. 11a.m.—Review of quarter century by the pastor, Rev. Wm. S. Miller. 3:90 p.m.—Address by Rev. Wm, Alvin Bart- lett, D. D. Reports of officers, 7:30 p.m. Judge An side. Addrewes by Messrs. W. B. Gurley and N. A. Robbins, former superintendents; Mr. Chas. H. Merwin, superintendent, avenue nea 7:30 to 8:30 p.m.— Greetings from other churches, Rev. T. 8. Hamlin, D.D., presiding. 8:30 to 10 p.m. Reception by the teachers to former teachers, scholars and all friends of the school. This anniversary occasion has been looked forward to with a great < of interest by those who are or have cted with this flour ishing and prosperous church org: Its history is one of pec showing the value of line significa persistent and fi From a hureh has grown Rood in that section of the t equipment is able to very humble begi city and with its; oceupy the field with efficien THE BEGINNING OF THE CHURCH. In the fall of 1867, just a quarter of a cen- tury ago, a small party of friends met one even- ing at the residence of the Rev. T. D. Gurley on I street between 12th and 13th. Dr. as is well known, was on ministers of th’ and fora long period New York Avenue ¢ sociate him w The party met to consider lishing a Siinday echoo! near the in 7th street northwest and Boundary. The war had recently closed: th Howard great University Hill (as it is cav- TRE NEW cH now known) had beenaband nd the great war hospitals so numerous just north of the city were gradually disappearing, Neur the northern terminus of t there was little group of houses, but for a long time after most of the surrounding territory was devoted to market gardens, and the plans of Gov. herd had not ret redeemed “t It was decided to undertake the work, the neighborhood was canvassed for scholars and a back room in the second story of what is now No. 1625 7th stoeet northwest rented. The house was then occupied by Mr. Keyser asa pumpmaker's shor i was opened ‘the first Sand. « the 34) by a party of nine eachers from the New York Avenue Church, with Mr. Benjamin F. Winslow as their leader and superinter The num- ber of scholars was ai ‘The region included not only some noble, refined Christian men and women, but alo some pretty rough specimens of boys, The ideals of :h» latter were much more neariy met by a cowboy than by a Christian gentleman. They were in fora frolic on ccrasion:, and the rough pranks of this element made life almost the teachers until suficient time had elapsed to allow kind- ness and refincin: forth their natural fruit in more srderly conduct, MEETING IN A STABLE, Afew weeks later throngh the kindness of Mr. George Gide resident of the Washin tow et railr ed the use of a good om in nd story of the car stable which the stood at the southeast corner of 7th street Boundary. Here, amid the flies and odo the stable, wit nu punctuated by the noises of horses and men, they remained for about two y After a few weeks Mr. Wins! gentlest and kindest of men, but wi Was poor, War succeeded in the superintendency by Mr. H. C. Studley, now teller of the Soci for Savings at Cleveland, Ohio. About time Alexander R. governor of the District, one afternoon and tried the experiment of teaching a class of troublesome bo: organizer of the ays i hich has made Wash- tive city of the land was one of the th as x man of indomitable energy, hs but he found he had on his noon about the largest contract he had ever undertaken. His ability th reclaim the waste areas of the city wus undeniable, but his ability ids that after- zens was at least qu . his visit by presenting exch by : with a Bible and ehowed hix appreciation of the faithful and heroic work which was being done by the erection a own expense of a frame chapel on the northwest corner of 7th and Boundary streets, on the site now occupied by Koss’ drug store. DEDICATING A CHAPEL. The chapel was dedicated January 9, 1870. The sermon on the occasion was preached by the Rev. 8. 8. Mitchell, who on the death of Dr. Gurley had become pastor of the New York Ave- nueChurch. The Rev.Ge: tary of the Y. M. C. A.. also took part. On the removal of Mr. Studley to. Cleveland Mr. Wm. B. Gurley, avon of Kev. Dr. Gurley, although quite a yourg man, became superiutendent. He is today one of our prominent business men, an elder in the New York Aveaue Church and has been for several years the energetic president of the ¥. M.C. A. By this time the little band thought it time to =onsiee ry ate, aol os ‘the 10th of April, 1872, tery of Washington city organ- ized'a church of soven members, with Devin A MeNair and J. Edgar Zug as elders. The Rev. Wm. H. Logan, who had been preaching at the chapel since July 1 preceding, was the first Mr. Logan having been called to Car- preached his last sermon July 5, 1874, A.Hali,general secre- | 7 | chapel, even after enlargement, could not eon- | tain it! Assome difficulty was experienced im securing the leased ground it was moved to the Present location of the sburch, on Florids avenue about a square east of 7th street, where ® lot within the present Le Droit Park inclos: was purchased from Ho: Univermty, 1880 a brick church waserected by subscriptions fro York Avenue Church, with an audi- ence room seating about 850 and additional Mr. Wm. Thom Gen. . Wm. Ballantyne, David Mo- nidand N. A. Robbins were the building committee and Mr. J. H. McGill was the archi- tect. Theerection of so large a building and *0 far from any large body of population was condemned bs some axa needless ex] are. Ochers maintained that the city would yet gro out to it. The building cost about ©6000, of which 1.000 was raised through « fair held for three nights in the unfinished audience root, after this the Rev. Ward Batchelor the minster the church and services of the church were carried on, put new memberx were received into and car- ried on the rolls of the New York Aver Church. A very considerable congregation was typ, but account of sickness im his Mr. Batchelor was at- nt climate and resigned. two or three itic expedition for the geological sur- Rev. R. H. Fleming was called from the Presbyterian Charch at Woodstock, Va., in No- vember, 1586, but after afew months he sc- cepted a call to the old and flourishing Second Church at Lynchburg, Va., where he still re mains, He preached bis last’ sermon in Wash- on August 14, 1887, but still retains bis in- terest in his former charge quent visitor, REY. WS. MILLER, An interval of several months followed, bat Janu 1888, the present pastor, Rev. Will- iam Sydney Miller, took charge of the work. | The Sunday school had never ceased to grow, | and the budding which eight years previously | had been looked on as too large for any possible future use was now +mall to comfortably hold the members cided to bu ler senting tual edifice, and more. ught. Plans, which for the pur- Pose are not surpassed in the city, were secured and the new building dedicated free from debt on January 18, 1889. The mterior of the origi- nal building was remodeled, the whole being thrown int Toom. It was reseated and re= furnished ata total cost, including ad: a ground, of about $10,200, Every seat in the new building wassocn occupied. One the arrival of Mr. Miller a new Gurley Presbyterian Church was organized with 135 members, of which 119 were dismissed bya single j letter from the New York Avenue Church, ‘ithstanding this heavy loss at the end of Dt year the mother church was able to report that it had pearly regained its former member- ship. Since that date the Gurley Church bas bled its membership, A very recent event showing much forethe d generosity om the part of all, * iy on the part of f the trustees, bas been the purchase of 3.300 square feet of ground adjoining the | church on the east. ‘This secures air and light and space on which to erect # large church whenev inthe future it may be necessary e December 18, 1887, Mr. C. H. Merwin bas | been superintendent of the Sanday school. | = A RATTLESNAKE PLAGUE. Infliction of a Region tm the Old North state. From the Wilmincton Messenger Two gentlemen of Wilmington, who have been down in Shallotte township, Brunswick county, cbout fifty-five miles from this city, bring the news that there is much alarm in that township over a rattlesnake plague. There has been very little rain in that section re- cently and a bay in the vicinity of Mr. Vaien- tine Smith's place bas become almost dry. ‘This bay is infested with the monster rattle- | snakes so peculiar to this section, and they have | gone out of the bay and crawled all through | the neighborhood. Within the past sixty days three negroes and one white woman have been bitten and killed by these venemous reptiles, besides | ecores of horses and cattle. Mr. H. C. Smith lost a fine mule a few dave ago, and many dogs have al»o been killed by the bite of the rath ‘The snakes crawl into the residence in ma: instances and many have been killed in and under the cabins of the negroes, The why woman who was bitten heard noise in her » and got up to see what it was and was oon as ee got on the floor. She diea le agony within a few hours. The attle ix cxpecially great, and the 10 keep their cows penned up at t them from grazing on the | The Strange | nas in terr A number of persons have become stricken and moved away from the vicinity of the bay. which is near the Waccamaw river. People who drive along the road cam hear the wicked singing of tho snakes’ rattles the grass and bushes, and many large «nakee have been killed in the roads, ‘The informants. of the ager drove along « portion of the road nesr the bay spoken of and they beard everal «nakes rattling as their vehicles stirred them from their lair, of the snakes in this section are of aud the five-feet-one-inch rat- trom the city « day or two gmy alongside of some of those Skellotte reptiles. The story told by the two gentlemen is true ry respect, except that they cannot vouch for a statement made by one of the residents that a huge rattler with sixty three rattles and a button was killed there e ago. This was told to them by a te- nd if this ix trae this is the oldest rd of in this part of the country. tement, however. that four persons and numbers of horses, eattle and dogs have been bitten and killed is absolutely true and vouched: for, and there is no difficulty in believing it when everybody knows what enormous rattle- snakes are often killed even within « few miles of Wilmington. oe How Oscar Wilde Was Named. From the Dublin Figaro. ‘The Ossianic Society wax a literary coterte fix the Irish capital, Dr. Wilde (afterward Sir William ) was a member of the Ossianic and he was one day talking with Jobn O'Duffy one work which the society was about to produce, “The Adventures of Oscar of the Fiery Flail.” 1 med that that very morning M+ | become ihe mother of a son, and JT. Wilde, thinkang and thinking all day by #hat | mame the infant should be anally | consulted O'Duffy upon the point. 3”! “Why not Se ty 4. * And such is = athonti story of the naming of Mr. Oscar iy the os Modern Style. | From the Fiiegende Blatte~ Woe