Evening Star Newspaper, March 10, 1894, Page 13

THE EVENING STAR, SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 1894-TWENTY PAGES. 13 CURIOUS COLLISIONS How Engines and Cars Assume Cu- tious Positions in Wrecks, RAIL AND TIE CLUB IN SESSION Locomotives and Baggage Cars Playing Leap Frog. SAGE OF MISSOURI AVENUE Written for The Evening Star. HE WEATHER, outside the little oll house down on Mis- sourl avenue one night recently, was of the kind that de- moralizes the rail- road business. The wind was blowing a gale and the fast falling snow was di- viding honors with sharp-cutting hail as to which should cover 2 the most ground. @rains from the north were late and also those froma the west. The latter came up grom the south,and being behind their regu- lar schedule blocked the north-vound freight traffic. It wouldn't do for a feight to pull out of the yard in expectation of making a siding several miles up the read to clear the passenger train following, as the weather was am was made very slowly da might be looked for on any curve. In consequence of this state of affairs the little room with its grimy walls, melted- snow soaked floor, but ruddy stove, sa welcome fetreat to the chilled railroad hands. Every seat was occupied, and the “Rail and Tie” Ciub was to be seen at its best when a reporter of The Evening Star @ropped in. Being known to many of the hardy sons of the railroad, room was made for the visitor, and he w: soon comfort- ably installed by the side of the president of the club. To gather such a crowd of Failroad men together and prevent tiem talking “shop” would be an impossibility. Leaning over toward the president of the lub ihe reporter asked: “What is the topic before the club to- night, Jim?” ‘ The Sage of Wissourl Avenu “Oh, Charley started the ball rolling,” he replied, “by telling of a singular little acci- @ent up the road, and it bas shifted around to remarkable or curious wrecks. Look at those two old engtneers over there by the Stove. They are thirsting for the chance to Cars Ttelescoped. tell what they know. I can read it in their faces, but I'm going to worry them by holding off with my orders for them to be- win. That oid low, w! we have nicknamed the ‘Sage of Missouri Avenue,” on account of his knowledge of railroading. He is a veritable crank on the subject, and really knows more than is good for him. He has been a flagman for the past eight years, and I know from rn Mable authority that he would have been Promoted to a conductor's position some years back but for the fear on the part of the company officials that he is a Kittle light in bis upper story. He has never been mixed up in an accident, a most reliable of men. He spe ure collecting data on accidents, he generaily states can be depended upon. But listen to him spinning off his store of knowledge.” The man thus alluded to was about thirty-five years old, fully six feet three in height and would hardly balance the at H0 pounds. His face was a good on though tow and thir: of the traditional raiir ends of half-worn garme and hung on him like the proverbial dish cloth on a line. While speaking he would use his arms with vigorous e‘tect, while his eyes sparkled al- His ciothes were with the luster of determined enthusiasm. Turning toward the “sage” the reporter caught the words: “I don't wonder that many of you are sometimes struck with astonishment at the curious shapes engines and cars are thrown into as the result of collisions. Many col- sions and wrecks occur without anything extraordinary in the way of curious shapes aad positions teking place. ‘Then again the most fant 's of wood, steel and iron mashed together, and these latter oc- are generally credited, and right- ly, to the fast express or limited trains. tak> out your pencil and pa- the subject a little while You will express less wonder how the next head-on coilision = hings train running sixt along at the rate exerts an © y equa. tons. In oth- er words, ¢ < sxerted is nearly twice as great a: own by & 200-pound shot fired from a l0-ton gun of the latest pat- tern. Of cou . this calculation is taken on ing the vestibule or agine a projectile fi that weight and striking a large-sized bi ng? ‘They say a 5u0-pound shell will create havoc in a building. What Would that do? Cotting Through a Tree, “Speaking of speed, I recall an instance where an accident was averted through the high-rate speed at which an express running Timber felling was in prog: near Huntington, Pa., and the trunk of a tree fifty feet long siid down from the em- bankment. and, as the express came into view. projected out over the rails. To move the tree was simply an impossibility with the force of men at hand, and the tree cutters drew back with dismay written on their faces. You know Cline Mann, boys? Well, he was at the throttle, and the train, which was going througu the air at the rate of six miles an hour, cut roush a portion the trunk five feet circumference and @hattered the The shock was something terrific and was felt by the pas- @engers, who, one and all, grabbed their seats in anticipation of a coming catastro- phe. When the train was finally stopped, it Was found that the front of the engine was eonsidezably the worse for the contact with the tree, the coweatcher, headlight and steam pipes being badly shattered. All the Officials of the road and those on the train agreed that had the brake been applied or the train been going at less speed a wreck would have resulted, and Mann told me af- terward that I could have added it to my collection of curious wrecks. An Engine Turns a Somersan’ “Now take that wreck that occurrred on! Jast month down in Randolph county, Va. You all know that I possess a kodax and never fail to poke fun at me over that fact, although you like to look at my ctures, but I would have given a good part of my month's wages to have been able to set @ good picture of that oce The engine was used in hauling iumber cars Up in the mountains of that locality and to those not acquainted with the lay of the land down there I would say that the @ cannon as in rrence. Horseshoe Curve up in the Alleghenies Is not to be compared with it in the matter of teep grades and sharp curves. It seems that the locomotive got the best of Ed Shives, the engineer, and dashed down the mountain side at a terrific rate of spex It's speeed was so great that Section Fore- man Chapman was run down and killed be- fore he could throw himself out of the way of the on-rushing engine and Shives, in jumping, rolled fully two hundred yards | down the steep slope of the mountain bring- ing up against a large oak tree with three ribs and a leg broken. | | Engines Playing Leap Frog. | “The engine and cars continued down the grade for about 1.000 yards and there struck a sharp curve and instantly left the rails. |The ergine turned a complete somersault end landed at the bottom of the ravine a |mass of broken steel and iron with hun- dreds of logs piled on top. In looking over |my collection of reports of wrecks I find | that this is the first wreck on record where- a locomotive has turned a somersault. e heard of engines playing leap frog and ji I'v | “Hold on, Pet chimed in the president of the club as the “sage” was about to Jaunch into another story of a curious | wreck, “old man Cockley was in that leap frog wreck and 1 know will tell us about jit. Won't you, Frank?” These last words were addressed to a snowy-haired and bearded little fellow sit- ting close to the stove and before alluded to as one of a pair of engineers who were xious to get into the game of story tell- “Well, my train fs tlea up outside and as I don’t see much chance of getting away before daylight, I'll sali in if you all want me to,” replied the man designated as Frank. A chorus of approving ejaculations fol- lowed, ard, clearing his throat, the little engineer began his little stury. He sald: } Engines Play Leap Frog. “This leap frog wreck that Pete was be- ginning to tell about occurred out on the Missouri Pacific road about ten years ago land du the progress of a snow storm that the one outside could not be classed with. The flakes came down so thick that I could not see over twenty-five feet ahead of my engine, and on the ground there was aiready about a foot and a half of snow. The o1 difference in a snow storm in this part of the country and one out west 1s | thet while the depth in here may not beas great, it if anything, more effective in tyitg up trains of all classes. Imagine any train in this country pulling through a two-foot depth of snow! I've done that many a time out !n Missouri. ell, at the time I speak of my train had been halted several times on the up- (evade, and finally covered the hill, and was commencing to go down at a good speed. The grade had a gradual slope of ‘about five miles and at the bottom took a lip into something like a gutter. This gutter was put there to help trains up the grade I was then going down. Every man of the crew was out on the cars and every brake was set, yet we continued to grad- velly increase our speed until, at about half 2 mile from the bottom of the hill, we were almost flying—in fact, coasting over the slippery rails. [Sat a point a hundred yards from the | gutter or ‘dip’ at the base of the hill I saw |hdark masse of smoke ahead, and the next | minute a dark body coming toward me. At | the same time I heard a cry of dismay from ‘my fireman and saw him take a flying leap from the engine into the snow alongside the track. i gave one shrill pull at the whistle and followed him like a shot. As I strucc the snow on the side of the hill and commenced to roll 1 heard a tremendous crash and grinding of broken engines and cars. | “The train that tried to pass me on a sincle track had disobeyed orders in not remaining on the siding some five miles back. At the time my engine struck the opposing one the latter was in the ‘dip’ and coming on at a terrific speed to get up the hill, Gli ‘27," that was my engine, landed on to her slightly above the cowcatcher and kept on mounting and sliding until it was completely on top of ‘$21,’ the opposite en- ‘The positions that resulted from the ion put the two engines in a shape re- embling boys playing leap-frog with one of the boys being stuck while half over. Pete was on the train, and afterward se- cured a good picture of the two engines. “The funny part of the wreck, if such it can be called, was the coasting the crews of both trains took at the time the trains came together. The whistle warned every- body and we all jumped together and also started to slide together, with the excep- tion of my lireman, who had a little the better siart. Dor we flew over the slip- pery snow, grabbing and clutching at the air and frozen ground, and only stopping at the bottem of the gully about 200 feet below. Outside of the bruises we all receiv- Pe nearly froze, as our clothes were al- | most s ped from our bodies. The wreck caught and that saved us. A few Weeks afterward two baggage cars, no Aoubt jealous over the notices given the two j engines, tried to do the leap-frog act, but ty friend here, Michael Finnegan, was in | that up, and he will tell you about it. | Sail in, Mike, and give us a good one.” | Baggage Cars Do the Same. “To tell the truth,” said Michael Finne- gan, with a real French shrug of his shoul- ders, “I don’t care much about going into the details of that accident. It was such a close call for me thet it makes my flesh creep and hair quiver every time I think of it. But as the repeated telling of the oc- currence may lessen its terrors for me I'll tell you how it came about. You all know that Cockley and myself were great chums over on the Reading road before the broth- erhood boycott was started. Well, we drift- ed west together at that time and secured work on the Missouri Pacific. Cockley stoke of the jealousy of two baggage cars in being left out the wreck he has just told you of, and under the same head my wreck may be classed, placing the jealousy on to me, as it occurred only about three weeks later. a result of my wreck we both again started east and have been here ever since. “My little mixup happened in this way: There are two stations about five miles apart out there called Jerry's Pipe and Cedar Point. The former is at the junctions of a branch road with the main Mne, which was singled tracked, and the latter about fifty yards away from a very important siding. Both places were used frequently as passing points for trains and expert operators were supposed to be employed there on account of the many teiegraph orders and sSages transmitted to the trains. “A mishap occurred at the junction on the occasion referred to, and the departure of my train was consequently delayed at the siding. When I reached the siding, which was the customary passing point for the express every day, the latter train was not in sight and the conductor and myself rushed up to the telegraph office for instructions. We were informed that the express had been unavoidably delayed. Then we asked whether we should proceed or wait the arrival of the overdue train, “The answer was got was, ‘just came on,’ d_we at once started on our way for the Junction. As we were a little late you can easily imagine that I was losing no time getting over the road. Of course this was peculiar railroading to you men here in cha t but everything goes out there, ly at the time I speak of. at the operator had intended to say was, ‘just gone on,’ referring to the express. He discovered his mistake immediately and telegraphed for the station agent at the junction to try and recall the express. The was that it was too far down the ad and almost out of sight. This was a nice position to look on from a distance. ‘The engineer on the other train was doing his best to make up time, and, as I have id before, I was pushing my engine for she was worth. “About two miles from Jerry's Pipe june- tion there is a sharp curve, and, of course, at that point we met. Both engines’ crews jumped and saved themselves, but the pas- Sengers were not so fortunate, many being killed and injured. Both locomotives were made of good stuff and refused to give way, and so the baggage cars decided upon an exhibition of the leap-frog order. Crash went the end of the car second from the express engine, and up it went in the air and almost over the car next to it. Then it settled down very similar to the two engines in Cockley’s story, as much as to say, that Is a trick that two can play at. me east after that, as the mode of railroading out there was too much of the free and easy order. I think I am good for twenty years of this life yet, and so I se- | cered a job on this road. i Without an equal, Dr. Bull's Congh syrup. IT IS FAR THE BEST Ours is the Most Complete of National Guards. THE RISTORY OF THE ORGANIZATION A Force Which Could Be As- sembled in Three Hours. ITS OFFICERS AND MEN Written Exclusively for The Evening Star. T IS RATHER SIN- Jes: that of all places where mob violence is least like- ly to occur and where the federal military can be most sum- marily amassed, Washington enjoys the distinction of having the most com- plete and practical militia establishment in, the country. In- deed, it is asserted by those in position to judge, Washington can challenge any and every other capital in the world to show a local military organi- zation equal to its own in point of thorough- ness and efficiency. These assertions need give no offense to other militia, inasmuch as an army officer but recently declared that in completeness of detail the National Guard of the District of Columbia possessed some modern features of military organiza- tion for which the regular army has been vainly clamoring for over a quarter of a century. The present excellent condition of the Dis- trict military, however, has not been sud- denly or quickly attained. It took hty- six years for Congress to realize the neces- sity of a change in our militia law, and it was only in 1889 that the present magnifi- cent organization was effected. But even in the early years of the presené century Washington was noted for its military, for as far back as 1812 one gallant captain boasted that he “had met the enemy with a hundred muskets and a band of music.” In those days, as, indeed, for seventy-five years after, the District military consisted entirely of separate and distinct companies, the majority of them regarding the band and drum major as most essential adjuncts. In the decade following the sacking of the national capital by the British the mar- tial spirit of our cltizens seemed to have developed greatly, for when Gen. Lafayette visited here in 1826, according to a recent declaration of the veteran Brigadier Gen. Peter F. Bacon, who has passed his four score of years, the District militia had then more uniformed men in ranks than now, for at that time there were the three Dis- trict cities of Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria rivaling each other in regard to military strength and drill. Indeed, it is one of the proud memories of old militia- men that Gen. Lafayette never moved from his house without an escort of gaudily equipped District men, who had the honor of acting as his body-guard. No Early Records. Strange to say,there are no official records anywhere of early District military organi- zations, and yet, lamentable as this fact may be, its reason is plain. While the two oldest names of military organizations in the District are now borne by the Washing- ton Light Infantry and Nationa! Rifles, the organizations which first bore those names originated as far back as iS, whereas the present Washington Light Infantry and National Rifles are creations of much lzter years and are in no way linked with their older namesakes, who died or were disor- ganized many years ago. Indeed, unlike other old cities, Washington cannot boast of any ancient continuous military organi- zation—the old names being simply borrow- ed from the past, but only old names and no old records survived. The first real organized military in District was commanded in IS12 by Gen. Van Ness, who was likewise most. ective in enlarging the military about the time of Lafayetie’s visit fourteen years later, Along in the forties the mo known as the “President's Troop” ganized, which afterward was comr < by the rich butcher, Capt. Peck, the first lieutenant of the troop being Sam Owen, whose hotel on the avenue still bears his name. Another well-known organization about that time was the al Blues,” commanded by Captain, afterward Gen., Bacon, but the company was well-nigh de- the pleted by the Mexican war, fifteen of its | members becoming ofiicers in Scott's vic- torious army. The National Rifles was re- garded even then as a crack company, and flourished till 1861, when its piain, Schaeffer, gave up his position in cne of the departments and,accompanied by many of his comrade riflemen, joined the soutaern army. During President Buchanan's term, when the political situation threatened bloodshed, great pressure was brought to bear upon the Secretary of War, Mr. Floyd, to pre- organize the District militia, but even when President Buchanan gave the order, the Secretary, whose sympathy was with the south, refused to execute it. Finally, the acting secretary of war was induced to make the order, and a commission of army and militia officers was appointed to formu- late a plan of organization, which was adopted in 1860. As a result, Maj. Gen. Rodger C. Weightman was appointed com- manding general, with Maj. Gens. Peter Force and George ©. Thomas as division commanders. There were also four briga- dier generals appointed, the only surviving one of them all being Gen. Peter F. Bacon, who is now enjoying active good health in his old residence on Indiana avenue, which, by the way, was bulit entirely by hand over fifty years ago. When the War Begun. Of course the plan of organization of the District militia, contemplating, as it dtd, two complete military divisions, S$ too gigantic to be practically carried out in a community of limited bearing adults. Even when the contained the three separate cities of Washington, Georgetown and Alexandria, and had three brigadiers, Weightman, Thompson and Hunter, the entire military would hardly make one full Nevertheless, when the war be; the first to go to the for years previous with District comp numbers of arms- an, among men who d drilled and paraded nies. In this conne tion the interesting fact may be mention- ed that had the District been allowed to send a brigade into the field ne begin- ning of the civil war, its commander, Gen. Bacon, would have been senior, by President's commission, to all other officers on the Union th to the front, and for that rea he was not allowed to go forth Under the old iaw of 1803 © the District limits was enrolled to be culled into service, and ( 5 ed full control of the District militia in the President of the United States, who was constituted then, as now, its commander-in- chief. But in the District. terri that fact seemed to have been gotten, for in 1871 the territorial legisiature passed an act reorganizing the District militia, going so far as to require that * Secretary of War shall" issue commissic to officers. Of course the ludicrous spec- tacle of a newly created District legislative council attempting to nullify and repeal an act of Congress, and that act, too, the or- ganic act of the District, was soon settled by an opinion of the Attorney General, and Col. Moore, who was appointed a brigad general by the territorial government, never arrogated to himself either the rank or power of office. He realized the situation | first of all, and was satisfied to lend ail his aid in whatever way needed to make the District militia the rivals of every othe Under his excellent tactical training, sisted by the famous Capt. Ross of com pany A, the Washington Light Infantry Corps eclipsed all other military organiza- tions, and bore away from many a fleld of competitive drill the much-coveted trophies of cash and ornament. It was in Baltimore, perhaps, that Col. Moore most distinguisined himself as a militia drillmaster. Capt. Ro. being absent at the time, the colonel took off his field officer's epaulettes one wet day when the competition was to take place on muddy ground, and, donning a captain's insignia, took command of company A. The superb drilling of the company held the ed company | District | 10,000 spectators spellbound, and cheer after cheer was given as some splendid move- ment was executed. But what gained wild- est applause was the command to kneel and then He down and fire. The ground was soggy and wet, and without regard to their beautiful white coats the company knelt and lay flat in the mud, not a musket un- steady nor a man wavering. They won the prize, as they should, and though it cost each man a new uniform the company was $1,250 richer, and its prestige had been maintained. A Period of Change. From 1860 till 1889 the District militia varied in uniforms and numbers. Compa- nies changed, new ones springing into ex- istence and old ones dying, till finally Con- gress passed the new law framed by Gen. Ordway for the organization of the Nation- al Guard of the District, and he became the master hand that was to bring order and system out of chaos. To describe the District National Guard as it exists today would be unnecessary in detail. In general, however, it may be said to be perfectly formed in accordance with ac- cepted modern plans. I's infantry and artillery are organized and maintained upon principles which for years past the regular army has vainly struggled to have applied. Its battalions are as complete and indepen- dent as companies or regiments, and unlike the federal infantry, it has for every bat- talion a major, who is as muck responsible for his particular battalion as a company commander for his company. The Presi- dent of the United States is its commander- in-chief, but it has a commanding general and stad, including an officer of the regular army detalied »s adjutant general. Its total authorized strength in time of peace is limited to twenty-eight companies of in- fantry, which shall be arranged by the commanding general into such regiments, battalions and unattached companies as he may deem expedient; one battery of light artillery of not less than four nor more than six pieves; a signal corps, ambulance corps, engineer corps, band and field music, and, although not specified in the act of o! ganization, a troop of cavalry. The full au- thorized strength of the active uniforined militia is 150 officers and 3,162 men, but the actual strength on December 31, 1893, was 35 officers and 1, of course, constitutes the active or voluntary militia only. The enrolled mili- tia according to law comprises every able- bodied male citizen of the District between the ages of eighteen and forty-five, except- ing certain disqualified classes, such as criminals, disreputable characters, ete. The enrolled militia, of course, may be call- ed into service at any time of emergency. The uniform, arms and equipments of the District militia National Guard are issued by the War Department upon duly prepared requisitions, and are identically the same as those supplied to the regular army, except- ing that cestain letters and numbers are used to indicate the various District organi- zations.On all formal occasions when theNa- tional Guardsmen form or parade under Dis- trict orders the regular prescribed uniform must be worn, but on other occasions the various organizations are at liberty to wear any particular uniform of their adoption. In that way the Washington Light infantry Corps has preserved its handsome white coats, and maintains a dual organization— one as a part of the National Guard, and another of its own independent kind, with Col. Moore and an extensive corps staff at its head. The National Rifles, whose pres- tige in drill is untarnished by defeat in all latter year contests, for reasons of its own, together with one veteran corps, have re- frained from joining the National Guard, so that in time of emergency their members would be liable to such enrollment as the commanding general might direct. Questions of Theory. The infantry consists of two regiments of three battalions each, together with a sep- arate battalion of colored companies and an embryo battalion of graduated cadets, These battalions are constantly drilled in Street maneuvers under a system of street- riot regulations gotten up by the command- er himself. But the system goes even fur- ther. From time to time problems are sub- mitted to officers for their solution. For ex- ample, certain conditions are supposed to ck upon the Treasury De- a exist in an atta partment, the White House or the Penn- sylvania railroad property. ‘The latter prob- lem would raturally involve various inci- dental defenses, The electric light. piant woull have to be guarded, as well as the ks. In case of mob violence precavtion should be taken to protect those exposed sections of ‘ into the city ing the ratirc |and car propert the entire range ¢ ern branch of the Respect- not only the buildings should be looked after,but ground between the east- Potomac and the Vir- | ginia end of the Long bridge should be care- tully guarded. ‘To ail of tre problems su mitted to the guardsmen full answers have been received, and from them all has been deduced a general plan of operations which in emergency would at once be put into ex- ecution. This is undoubtedly one of the t achievements of the guardsmen, When asked how long it would require to mble the National Guard a given tral point the djutant general of the District replied, “About three hours.” It would, of course, depend upon the hour and perhaps the day whether the time required Weuld be greater or less, and there would, of course, be some stragglers, especial light batterymen and cavalrymen, who might be delayed in getting their horses, but the outside average estimate would not exceed three hours. An interesting feature connected with the plan of organization is the method of gath- ering or assembling the men. For example, enen ¢ is divides into squads men living in certain localities, Each sq is \ 1 in charge of a non-commissioned officer, whose duty it is, on notification, to summon his men at the earliest practicable moment. As men in business are likely to be in different sections of town when at home from what would be their day places there are night squads as well as day sqauds, and men belonging to a day squad may be included in an entirely different night squad, according as they are located day and night. Another interesting feature is the excellent degree of proficiency attain- ed in rifie firing. There is a0 restriction as to the amount of practice which the or- ganization may indulge in either individual- ly or collectively. The luw allows them to use the target range at the Washington barracks, which, by the way, is used more by them than by the regular troops, while under the District regylations they are al- lowed at any time to use their own gallery, ‘They are not even required to be in uniform while practicing, unless, of course, it be some fixed time under orders. The theory is to encourage them to practice at most convenient opportunities. Niether are they required to carry their own guns in this practice. There are extra guns in the gal- lery for such as desire to use them, and an tendant or officer in charge is always on duty at the practice gallery which is owned by the National Guard organization. Not alone is this practice confined to individ- uals or file firing. The National Guard: men of the District go ahead of even the regular army in gallery practice by exer= cising in. volley fring, which ts not con- templated under gallery rules, But all this ve has borne good fruit, as was evi- at Sea Girt, N. J, ‘when in the mpetitions there the District guardsmen on nearly every prize for which they competed. Men Who Have Seen Service. The full term of enlistment of tional Gusrdsman here is three years, Na- but y of those who enter the ranks leave much before the expiration of that time under the system of graduated and special discharge. While, of course, Gen. Ordway would prefer to maintain an organization , he neverth recognizes the greatest number ret educated in ample, the man year in the es of having the ng men in the Di method s for six months mii who st ks becomes an available and useful soldier in the future. It is estimated tha are now 4000 men in the eity of shington who have at one time or another served in the National Guard, and who ¢ at time be added io the present authorized number in the service. Another feature still which afiords an in- centive to ambitious soldiers comes of the mination ell through the each officer being required to pa: actory military and physical exam- or appointme srning the appointments of National ‘d officers of the Dist nct may be mentioned that they are all missioned by the President of the Unit- tates. In this respect their siatus is different from National Guardsmen of the states. They are in fact federal officers, holding commissions under the same au. thority which commissions officers of the army. It has therefore been sug- that for the Napoleonic purpose at st of maintaining National Guardsmen within the national capital the N. Guard of the District might well b ed as a federal auxiliary to the regular military establishment. Certainly there would be advantages in the scheme. A military organization that has been main- | tained specifically for the purpose of pro- jet, the singular | tection of the large government estates tn the city of Washington might be relied upon when exigency arises. It has not been attempted in the above account to give all the details of the pres- ent organization, which is complete in all respects. Its staff is most enicient and thorough. It has an engineer battalion or- ganized on most practical basis, divided in- to three platoons or companies, namely, the sharpshooters or skilled rifle shots, whose duty would be to protect the engineers at work; second, the artisans and mechanics of ali kinds, such as bridge builders, rail- road men, blacksmiths, etc., and third, the skilled engineer, including scientists, elec tricians, etc. And notwithstanding this perfect organization ajiready attained, the District military authorities are endeavor- ing to attract the youth of the city by pro- viding a separate battalion of High School cadets. There can be no control, of course, over the High School cadet battalion proper, which is simply a school orguniza- tion, under school discipline, but already two companies exist, composed entirely of young men who have left the high schools and desire to form a military alumni or- ganization. —_ A POKER SUIT. How Simpkins w Positively That Cheating Was Going On. From the Buffalo Express, “Now, your honor,” said the prosecuting attorney, “I intend to prove by this man that this piace was not only a gambling establishment, but that the games played there were not what are known as square games. That is, that they were run with intent to defraud and that the operations of the owners, proprietors and dealers Were no more nor less than larceny. Mr. Simpkins, will you please take the stand?” Mr. Simpkins, who was a pasty-faced young man, rose from his seat and walked to the witness stand. After the oath had been administered to him and the usual preliminary questions had been asked, he was told to go on and tell his story. “It was this way,” said Mr. Simpkins. I like to play a little poker once in a while, and L went up into this room and sat in a game. There were four others be- sides myself playing. Things ran along pretty evenly for a while, and then one of the men—I have since learned that he was the proprietor of the room—began to win heavily. I watched him and became eon- vinced that he was cheating. Finally, 1 knew he was cheating and drew out of the game. Then 1 sat and watched him for a while, and I saw him deal big hands to the men he wanted to beat and then deal himself bigger ones. It was scandalous. He stocked the cards and held them out and did all sorts of disreputable things. I saw this and am prepared to prove it. If there is anything 1 abhor it is cheating at cards.” “Wait a minute, Mr. Simpkins,” inter- rupted the prosecuting attorney. “What was it that first attracted your attention to the fact that cheating was going on?” Mr. Simpkins fidgeted a bit ‘in his chair and then said: “Why, I was in a pot with this man, and when it came to a show- down he had four kings. “And why did that convince you that he was cheating?" “Because, because—’ stammered Mr.’ Simpkins, and then he stopped short. “Answer the question, Mr. Simpkins,” put in the judge. Mr. Simpkins grew red in the face. “Be- cause,” he finally said, “why I knew he was cheating, because he showed down four kings and at the very same time I fas holding out two kings for the next and."* —scoe-—___. HOW AN AX IS MADE. The Processes It Undergoes in Its Evolution. From the Philadelphia Record. On entering the main workshop, the first step in the operation which is seen is the formation of the ax-head without the blade. The glowing flat iron bars are withdrawn from the furnace and are taken to a power- ful and somewhat complicated machine, which performs upon them four distinct operations, shaping the metal to form the upper and lower part of the ax, then the eye, and finally doubling the piece over so that the whole can be welded together. Next the iron is put in a powerful natural gas furnace and heated to a white heat. Taken out it goes under a tilt hammer and is welded in a second. This done, one blow from the “drop” and the poll of the ax is completed and firmly wejded. Two crews of men are doing this class of work, and each crew can make 1,500 axes per day. When the axes leaves the drop there is some superfluous metal still adhering to the edges and forming what is technically | known as a “fin.” To get rid of the fin the ax is again heated in a furnace and then taken in hand by a sawyer, who trims the ends and edges. The operator has a glass in front of him to protect his eyes from the sparks which fly off by the hundreds as the hot metal is pressed against the rapidly re- volving saw. The iron part of the ax is now complete. The steel for the blade, after being heated, is cut by machinery and shaped. It is then ready for the welding department. A groove is cut into the edge of the iron, the steel of the blade inserted, and the whole firmly welded by machine hammers. Next comes the operation of tempering. The steel portion of the ax is heated by being inserted in pots of molten lead, the blade only being immersed. It is then cooled by dipping in water and goes to the hands of the inspector. An ex is subject to rigid tests before it is pronounced pe-fect. The steel must be of the required temper, the weight of all axes of the same size must be uniform, all must be ground alike, and in various other ways conform to an established standard. The inspector who tests the quality of the steel does so by hammering the blade and striking the edge to asce>tain whether it be too brittle or not. An ax that breaks during the tests is thrown aside to be made over. Before the material of the ax is in the proper shape it has been heated five times, including the tempering process, and the ax, when completed, has passed through the hands of about forty workmen, each of whom has done something toward per- fecting it. After passing inspection the axes go to the grinding department, and from that to the polishers, who finish them upon emery wheels. ———_-+e-+—___ “THE FELLOW WEARS RUBBERS.” A New Slang Phrase for Which State Senator Owens Stands Sponsor. From the New York Sun. During a recent discussion between a newspaper man and State Senator Owens of Brooklyn on the merits of a third person the senator sald: “Why, that man is no good, He's not even decent. The fellow wears rubbers.”’ The newspaper man was at a loss to un- derstand the senator's meaning, but not wishing to appear behind In the slang of the day said nothing. The next day he ap- proached a well-known politician and asked him about it. “What does it mean when you speak of a man as wearing rubbers?” he said. “My boy,” said the politician, “that is the very latest slang expression. It simply means that the man is a sneak; that, fig- uratively speaking, he approaches you with muffled feet. If you go into any police museum in the country one of the things they'll show you is the rubber shoe that the sneak thief or the assassin uses. It is an ordinary tenais shoe with a rubber sole and a canvas upper, and the only reason it is worn by crooks is because it gives them an opportunity to creep their victim without being heard.” Another new bit of slang is, cut any ice.” It simply means that he or he, whichever sex is referred to, plays no part. to becom ch in vogue with people who like to piece out their vocabulary with slang. ober Strategy. From Puck. Mrs. Figg. ing in that cupboard? Tommy.—‘*They’s a mouse in here, an’ I'm What are you do- up behind | “He doesn’t | Both of these expressions are almost | | brand new, and the first, at least, Is iikely TASTE IN CLOTHES| Statesmen Who Pay Attention to Their Attire. ——_.—___. OTHERS WHO ARE NEGLECTFUL A Swell Member's Ideas on Good Dressing. HE THINKS IT AN ECONOMY ——— ie Written for The Evening Star. HE QUESTION OF dress in its relation to statesmanship was discussed in Con- gress for the first time recently, when Senator Wolcott was accused by a brother legislator of chang- ing his garments too often. His reply, which has passed in- to history, was that “to some persons clean linen was a and that it was “a waste of * Of course, the venture,” lather to shave an ass. honorable gentleman did not consider it worth while to deny the truth of the tm- ry cssion, still entertained by unprejudiced observers, that he makes three distinct toilets every day. It is said that he has one suit for introducing bills, another for offering resolutions and a third for de- livering a speech. He has never appeared in full dress at the Capitol because he is never there after 6 p.m. Mr. Wolcott is a fleshy man and fond of the good things of this world. Unques- tionably he is the best dressed member of the upper house as well as the greatest gourmet. Henry Cabot Lodge is always fashionably attired. So also is Senator Butler, but the latter is well dressed in a manner distinctively southern—not at all in the New York style. That is to say, his clothes exhibit elegance of fit and ma- terial, but are not cut in the latest mode. Hale of Maine is decidedly particular as to his apparel, though affecting the “swell” not at all. He always seems to have on the same suit, because each new garment that he buys is an exact reproduction of the last one. There are remarkably few well-dressed Senators. Washburn is included in that category, though he is never fashionably correspondent yesterday on the subject of costume. Said he: “The average man can dress handsomely on a very few dollars more than he spends on his neglected attire. Mcst men are {ill- dressed through sheer laziness; they will not take the trouble to be otherwise. If a man has not taste, he can easily compensate for that by copying the attire of those who are recognized as well-dressed men. Women, for obvious reasons, cannot do this so easl- ly. If you go to a good tailor—not nezes- sarily @ very expensive one—your clothes will be properly cut and fitted. Never get @ spot on your coat; there is no excuse for it, and no cleaner can get grease out of wool. Do not wear the same pair of trousers wo days in succession, because to do #0 ‘shabs” them and makes them bag at the knees. It is cheaper to have ten pairs of pantaloons than cne pair; they last more than ten times as long and always look new. “I hold that it pays any man to dress Well. Clothes, within reason, are the most judicious possible investment for money. The consciousness of being well attired is always a source of happiness—surpassing the consolation of religion, it has been said. And I believe that it produces a beneficial effect of a moral nature upon the individual subjectively. That is to say, as I look at it, @ man grows to be better than he would otherwise become by cultiv: iting the aspect of bis outward self. His sel -respect is en- ance: and he is more anxious to live up “Consider the neckerchief. Too much at tention cannot be paid to that part of the dress. There is hardly an item in personal attire that conveys to the observer #0 ac- curate @ notion of the wearér’s quality as the necktie. If it is ugly, his taste cannot be good; if too bright in color, want of re- finement of perception is indicated; if clean and carefully adjusted, e to be if dirty and awry, he may be to be of unkempt habits; if it is strane low, 80 as to show a fancy collar button, the wear er is presumably a vuigarian, “The great secret of being well dressed is to take care of your clothes. Wear your second best at your desk. Hang up your coat when you take it off. Fold your trous- ers and lay them on the shelf. When you change your pantaloons, always take the lowermost pair in the pile. Thus you will not wear any pair unnecessarily often, and they will keep properly creased with oc- casional ironing at the tailor’s. There is & difference between ‘trousers’ and ‘pants.’ When one orders pantaloons ‘to measure’ from one tailor, they are trousers; bought -mad. = are properly designated i man who has good legs is a rg as well in pants “as in trous- ers. e fits them, instead of them to fit him.” —w Pants by the Wholesale, There is one firm in this country which makes 24,000 pairs of ‘pants’ every week. Each year it turns out ea million and @ tomer, in Washington, for example, is in @ hurry, a telegram is sent to the city re- ferred to, which reads: “Cut at once lot 1243; 38, 27, 28, 81, 36, 26." The number of the “lot” designates the cloth to be cut; the other numbers are measurements. It takes one day to make the pair of pants, which attired. Don Cameron is a model of ac- curacy in this respect—‘not the first by whom the new is tried, nor yet the last to lay the old aside.” One of the worst dressed members of the upper house is Cockrell of Missouri. There is a suspicion in the Senate that he still wears the black broadcloth Prince Albert coat in which he was married. Mills of Texas likewise cares nothing for clothes. Coke of the same State is another example of indifference in this matter. The most eccentrically dress- ed Senator is Peffer. His coat is a long and ill-fitting frock, while his trousers look too big because of the extreme thin- ness of his legs. Sometimes he wears no necktie, having whiskers. As to the Cabinet. Senator White, recently appointed to the United States Supreme Court, is always very well dressed, though not in the ex- treme of style. The present cabinet is not remarkable for the clothes it wears. It contains no howling swell like Whitney, who in the former Cleveland administration set the fashions for men in Washington. Gen. Gresham is particular about his gar- ments, always wearing a black frock coat, but he makes no pretense at keeping up with the mode. Dudes are his most especial aversion; he hates them worse than snakes. Secretary Morton is least careful as to his | apparel among the members of the cabinet. The President devotes no great amount cf thought to his attire, having a good many other things to think of. To make a suit for him requires a good many yards of cloth. His measurements have steadily in- creased during the last few years. There is little pretense of fashion to be found in the House of Representatives. Two members who are conspicuously well dressed are Harry Bingham of Philadelphia and Durborow of Illinois. Worst-dressed of all is Jerry Simpson, whose customary attire is a rough farmer suit of nonde- script color and ro fit at all, with a “shoe- string” necktie. That sort of tie is the prevailing style at the Capitol. Bailey of ‘fexas is a great swell in the cowboy man- ner of full dress, displaying a wide ex- panse of shiny white shirt bosom, with a small diamond in the middie, white tie, glossy black frock coat and black waist- coat and trousers. With his vivid con- trasts of black and white he has been de- scribed as resembling a fly in a pan of miik. It is observable that when a legislator for the nation leaves the House to join the Senate he is apt to pay more attention to his attire. Of this Mr. Lodge of Massa- chusetts is an example. He is decidedly more spruce of aspect than when he was a Representative. The same is true of Hale of Maine. Conkling was the greatest swell the Senate ever had. He always gave spe- cial care to the accuracy of his toilet when he was about to make a speech. Plumb of Kansas was one of the most careless mem- bers of the upper house in respect to dress, often wearing no collar. He afforded a marked contrast to his contemporary, Ingalls, whose costume wi severely ele- gant. The latter invariably wore a red necktie. w Shirt Sleeves Comet Neglige has crept into the conservative Senate of late years to some extent, and styles of apparel are now seen there which would have excited astonishment, to say the least, a decade or so back. Hoar of Massachusetts was the first to appear in a seersucker suit. Wolcott was the first Sen- ator to wear a sash in summer, but his ex- ample was quickly followed by others. Scme persons are watching expectantly for the day when Peffer or Allen—radical in all things, as becomes populists—will ex- hibit themselves in shirt-sleeves on the floor of the upper house. Such a thing has never happened yet, though sometimes Senators in hot weather take off their coats in the cloak rooms, while they sip apollinaris lemonade that is paid for out of the contingent fund. During night sessions Representatives are often seen on the fi in their shirt sleeves when the weather is warm. It was said of Wolford of Kentucky, an ex-colonel of cavalry, that when he came to Congress he had never had on a white | shirt in his life. Good clothes and careful | habits are not regarded as admirable or [essential to statesmanship by the plain people of some parts of the country. When | Ben Lefevre of Lima, Ohio, was caught in a bath room at the Capitol he said earn- estly: “For goodness sake, don’t tell about this. If my constituents thought that I would bathe in anything but a creek they would disown me." Watchdog Holman never wears a dress suit. His prejudice against that costume was shared by Attor- ney General Garland, who, while a member of the cabinet, actually stayed away from state dinners at the White House rather than appear so attired. On the other hand will be remembered the novel departure in etiquette of Con- gressman O'Neill, who appeared at a White House reception in the daytime In a dress suit. Doubtless he felt much as John 1. Sullivan did on the historic occasion when that eminent pugilist was introduced to the Prince of Wales. Though ft was morning. Mr. Sullivan wore his swallow-tall coat. and, though the only person present so at- tired, he was not at all embarrassed, fecl- ing simply that he better dressed than the prince. It was then that he said to his royal highness, with quiet dignity, “I've heard of you often.” Mannibal Hamlin, who was Vice President with Lincoln, wore a dress suit all day and every day. Fur- thermore, even in the coldest weather he never put on an overcoat. It was only dur- ing the last two years of his life that he could be persuaded to adopt an overcoat in winter. He was then about eighty years old, and he accepted {t as a sign that he was not much longer for this world. Economy of Good Clothes. One of the best-dressed Representatives in Congress cannot be referred to by name him out. Look out! Here he here, because it was only on that condition that he communicated some ideas to your thousands of pairs are made in for sale at 90 cents a pair the work and get 16 cents a labor. A skilled workwoman three pairs in a day. Pants are reduced to their in the shape of overalls. The making these garments is enormous: icularly where great establishments other in the contest for ing population with them. complicated as they appear, for turning them out are secured prietary by patents of immense brown tan used for dyeing same stuff as is employed by dye their nets, to keep rotted by water. Each overalls is repeated at least eight carrying the thread back and that ripping Is rendered almost is at once dispatched by express. Pants by Baltimore A H ae t i i ff : : Even the pockets are fastened at the cor- ners with rivets—themselves iting valuable patents—o keep them tear- ing. The shirts which supply the whole coun- try are turned out by the million great factories in New York state Connecticut. The parts are cut out at a time with keen-edged knives by terns, and women stitch the portions gether. It is the same way which are produced on the at Troy, N.Y. One hundred thousand is an ordinary first edition for a lar. The fine dress shirt bosoms from Paris, some of them costing as $10 each. Such bosoms, with fine, and embroidery equally delicate, not be made on this side of the water. these bosoms are made up with shirts, because the French do not to manufacture a shirt that will fit ere. RENE —— ee PLAYING CARDS IN 15810. is eesed. ibaa hi ( f How They Looked and Were Made at the Beginning of the Present Century. ‘The cari-loving public and those not generally interested can have an idea of what playing cards looked like at the beginning of the present century by an ex- amination of these illustrations. cards were made into card upon each card was painted or rhyme suitable to the occasion. somewhat after the style of t and seasonable verses that are calendars and almanacs at the present time. | At the present time these card almanacs | are rare, and are, therefore, great curiosi- ties. Our illustrations, which are exact repro- uctions, show three good sampies, w= clearly the tastes of people of that =_-— Gunson—“Another increase in your fam ily, eh? Son or a daughter?” Bilbee (gloomily)—“Son-in-law.”