Evening Star Newspaper, May 25, 1895, Page 9

_—————————————— THE EVENING STAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1201 Pennsylvania Avenue, Cor, 11th Street, by The Evening Star Newspaper Compan; 5. H. KAGFFMANN: Pres ———-— New York Office, 49 Potter Building, pana ees ‘The Evening Star ts served to subscribers In the eity by carriers, on thelr own account, at 10 cents Bre reek of 4c, per month. Copies at the counter cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United Canada—postage prepaid—50 States or eeatus intupls Sheet Sta: Sse tu 9 Sheet $1. 7 with forelgn pos Sto, 81-00 Per GEntered at whe Tost Olfice at Washington, D. C., Part2. Che aF yeni US | Sta , Pages 9-20. All mail subscriptioas must be paid in advarce, tes of advertising made known on. applicatica. Bs _second-class mail mattec. WASHINGTON, D. C.,, SATURDAY, MAY 25, 1895—TWENTY PAGES. 99,000.00 N COLD GIVEN AWAY. © ANYBODY CAN MAKE MONEY. WOODMONT. You have heard of it. : You have read of it. You may think But have you S you know of EEN it? $5,000.00 GIVEN IN GOLD AWAY: 'To each person buying one or more lots at Woodmont on or after May 11, 1805, and commencing to build a house costing not less than $1,000 before July 1, 1895, and completing said house before November 1, 1895, we will give vash prizes, us follows: $200 for the first house completed; $275 for the $200 for the fifth; $175 for the sixth; $150 for the ing under above conditions $150 each. FREE second; $250 for the third; $225 for the fourth; seventh, and to the next seventeen persons build~ One Year’s Travel. In addition to the cash prizes, each person building and residing at WOODMONT before November 1, 1895, under conditions named above, will get a ticket good for one year’s transportation over the WOODMONT--For Health. WOODMONT--For Wealth. WOODMONT--For a Home. WOODMONT--For an Investment. It will pay you to investigate. We furnish transportation. The Electric Cars run every 15 min- Electric Road. utes from 32d and M streets, Georgetown. Under the new management a first-class service is rapidly being instituted, including many im- provements which will soon be in use, Prices, $100 to $200 per lot. Terms, $2 down and $1 weekly. No interest. No notes. No mortgages. No.taxes. We Insure Your Life. In the event of the death of a purchaser we will give a deed in fee without further cost to the legal heirs as designated, provided, however, that the payments have never been more than two weeks in arrears, and that said customer was in good health at the time of purchase. ALL IMPROVEMENTS are made at our expense. set out on every lot, and drainage absolutel; ‘The streets are graded, sidewalks laid, trees perfectly arranged. THE TITLE To this property has been examined and is insured by the District Title Insurance Company. “Take Time by the Forelock,” and by the aid of an Electric Car from 32d and M streets, Georgetown, you will soon be at WOOD- MONT, and meanwhile have enjoyed the most beautiful ride out of Washington. This you owe to your “health,” even if you don’t care for ‘‘wealth,"’ home or an investment. — ~ Our representatives will be on the grounds every day, Sunday included. For further information and Free Tickets to see WOODMONT, —CALL ON— WOOD, HARIION & CO., 525 13th St. N. W., City. ANTE-BELLUM WASHINGTON Brace Greenwood’s Recollections of the City Before the War. Pennsylvania Avenue and Its Prom- enaders—Famous Men of the Day. “Grace Greenwood,” who has pleased, ft might be discourteous to say how many, generations with her ever bright pen, has yome most interesting reminiscences of ‘Washington before and during the war In “The Independent “A few days ago,” she writes, “an old friend and I were recalling a charming dinner party at which we met, in the Na- tional Hotel, during that long compromise session, which {t seems I am never to get away from. Our host was Mr. Charles But- ler of New York. The special guests of honor were his noble friend and our host- ess, for the nonce, Miss Anne C. Lynch, representing literature; Miss Jean Marga- ret Davenport, representing the drama, while the divine fiddler, Ole Bull, stood for music, about six feet in his stockings. ‘Then there was an undistinguished group, ‘a part of which I was,’ representing cer- tain newspapers, mostly dead now—I mean the newspapers. “Ole Bull was then at his best, physically —a superb, lithe, symmetrical figure—a fine head, borne high, with what seemed more a royal joy of life than pride or that ar- tistic conceit which some folks accused him of when they could find no other fault. “I know that when the first furore over his playing had subsided, certain critics declared that he was not an artist. They afterward said the same of Jenny Lind, and who cared? Certainly not He who sent them beth, with such melodious messages of love and remembrance, such gracious foretastes of heavenly harmony and joy, to this dear, though much chastened, little world of His. “I remember Ole Bull as singularly gen- fal, sympathetic and impulsive at that time and, indeed, for long years after. During this dinner, a sentiment being expressed by Mr. Butler which pleased him, he sprang up and ran like a boy to the end of the table to shake hands with that gracious, beloved host. Anne Lynch (Mrs more than one trib not say with Andrew lost friend of ours, that God ever made.” and my mother. Mii Jean M. Davenport—now for man years the widow of the heroic Gen. Lander, killed in the early days of the war— then a fair, winsome Eng! girl, a fine Botta), I have paid e to elsewhere. I can- White, that this dear, was “the { woman He made her mother and refir laying in ‘private Ife no theatric s and graces. Her in- telligence, modesty and simplicity of d meanor made her a favorite in Washington society then, as now, where it is her home. z I see that when our host of that memor- able banquet, Mr. Charles Butler, who happily is living still, a fine specimen of an old school gentleman, is spoken of or i d to in the press, the word ‘ve! is pref name. I wonder if ptople ever apply that opprobious cpl- thet to me. I should like to see the man F. W. Lander. She is about the youngest woman I know. To go back to the avenue. The change I most deplore is that we have lost it as a promenade. In those ante-bellum, ante- asphaltum, ante-cable-car-um days, its paths were “paths of pleasantnes: tho’ a little uneven underfoot. In the early morning and cool evening hours, you met everybody you cared to see, and some you didn’t, on that long Rialto of social ex- change. Distinguished strangers, cabinct ministers and their wives, awe-inspiring Supreme Court judges, famous actors and actresses, great generals, patent medicine millionaires—all came and walked with the children of men. Our urbane President, Millard Fillmore, was to be seen new and then on the avenue; but, tho’ he was good- ly to look upon, the sight was not impos- ing, as he walked with no lynx-eyed de- tective near him, and rode with no mount- ed policeman galloping before or after his flying victoria. Famous members of the Senate and the House could be encountered, going to or coming from the Capitol. Chase, the stately, always looking cool; Hale, the ro- tund, ‘always looking hot; Davis, the haughty, chewing the cud of sweet and bitter Secession fancies; Douglas, the dovghty, chewing—but not fancies; Robert Winthrop and Pierre Soule, fine contrast- ing types of northern and southern “ele- garce and culture. There was always a hepe that one might behold the tall hero of San Jacinto, the barbaric beaw, in all his somber, sombrero glory. He knew he was an imposing sight, and did not begrudge himself to the public. Like nearly all the big men I knew at that time in public life, he was as colossal in vanity as in stature. There were some lovely young ladies in Washington society at that time, tho’ one would think from newspaper reports now- adeys that nature had saved up all her pretty girl stuff for fifty years to make democratic debutantes of to grace this ministration. People used to stroll up and down the avenue in the hope of encounter- ing certain “beauties,” just as, a quarter of a century later, Londoners visited Hyde Park at certain hours to look on the face of Mistress Langtry, whom the prince de- lighted to honor. All the world could see her there, the lily in her first dewy bloom, and there was nothing to pay. One of our beauties was the blooming Ada Cutts—afterward Mrs. Stephen A. Douglas. Another, the lovely American schoolgirl-wife of the Russian minister, Baron Bodisco. That gentleman was ugiy, in fact, pre-eminently so, and some people went so far in their disapproval of the marriage as to refer to the old fairy tale —Beauty and the Beast.” One seldom met the ill-matehed couple without a_ sigh, which meant “Ah, the pity of it!” Yet peo- i not an unhappy marriage. east once rt in a good sophy nor re- And when the gown is shot with gold, or d pearls, where does the ligion can afford.” of best Lyons velv scwn thick with se pity come in? Occasionally the Bri minister, Henry Bulwer, and Lady Bulwer, encountered on that prome' briskly, as though chasing down t stitutional.”| They were a cold, proud-look P and they weren't pr but he was the brother of “Pelham,” he was the daughter of an earl—per hundred -earis,” like Lady Cls 2 Vere de Now Washington society neither does it skate nor coa erd of the fashionable s set.” all “Kerridge folk: | feeble and flabb in spite of qui bold enough so to designate the hand- gome, vigorous, erect, all-alive Mrs. Gen. the rm ge, and all more or less in need of constitutional amendments. THE PUBLIC PRINTING Some Oriticisms of Mr, Benedict's Adminis- tration as to Appointments Answered. Fewer Political Discharges Made by Him Than by His Predecessors— Civil Service Protection Needed. To the Editor of The Evening Star: The present public printer has lately been bitterly denounced as a “spoilsman of spoilsmen” through the columns of your valuable paper by ‘“‘ex-employes” and oth- ers. A great many good people really think that the present public printer is the only one who has made “sweep- ing partisan discharges,” but I believe the records of the office will show that, in comparison with the distribution Vere. So, on meeting them, one felt a | slight thrill, or chill, of romantic awe, or | something. | of spoils by his immediate predecessors, he has been more conservative than they were —that he made fewer purely political dis- charges and appointments than either one of them, taking into consideration the im- mense number of discharges absolutely forced upon him by his predecessors. To, intelligently discuss and fairly criti- cise the management of the government ng office, the surrounding conditions t be given due consideration, as large reductions in the working force are fre- quently rendered necessary for other than political reasons. It often happens that both money and work run short, and then, in either event, if any regard whatever is paid to tke law regulating the employ- ment of labor, a reduction of force is in- evitable. The law on this subject reads as follows: “That he (the public print shall not, at any time, employ in the office more hands than the absolute necessities of the public work may require.” When the present public printer took charge of tke office last May, he discovered that his predecessor had employed about a thousand more “hands”? than the “ab- sclute necessities” of the public work re- quired, and he, therefore, as soon as possi- ble, reduced the force to a business basis, as he was explicitly commanded to do by law. This necessary reduction of force ac- counts for one thousand of the discharges during the past year, for there are one thousand less employes in the office today than a year ago. When Mr. Benedict first took charge of the government printing office in Septem- ber, i886, he found that his predecessor had left him a very embarrassing and unjust legacy in the shape of about 509 more em- ployes th he left money to pay, thereby TeGmpelling him to bear the odium of a large discharge, forced upon him by con- ditions for which he was in nowise respon- ye, and by circumstances over which he d not the slightest control. Public vter Rounds, in July, August 2nd Sep- ember, 1886, wrote numerous letters to Senators and Representatives, calling their attention to the fact that there were then in the office ‘600 more employes than we or the law and the present ap- and that he would “have to make a large discharge instead of making any more appointments. Not- hstanding that condition of affairs, he | continued to make appointments to the n pay ropriat at on | day of his retirement, but left to his suc- | cessor the unpteasant duty of discharging | hundreds of men and women. When the present public printer retired from office in May, 1889, he turned the gov- = ernment printing office over to his succes- sor in excellent financial tondition, with a fcrce of workmen never excelled and rarely equaled in faithfulness and efficiency. The force was then at its minifmum, about 2,100, being 300 less than when he took charge in September, 1886. The deplorable condition of the office when again turned over to Mr. Benedict last May is a matter of public record. The force had been increased by his predecsssor from about 2,100 to nearly 3,600, about 600 more than were found necessary at any time during the Harrison administration. Mr. Palmer's free cffering to spoils, called a “half loaf” policy, had demoralized, to a great extent, a large portion of the working forea, and enormously increased ihe cost of the public printing. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1894, the cost of com- position In the specification room, where the Official Gazette and specifications of patents are put in type, was 11 cents per page more than during Mr. Benedict's first administration, There was no reason what- ever for this increase in cost—about $12,000, more than 7 per cent—other than a less efficient administration than formerly. There is no doubt whatever that the in- creased cost was much greater in the “all time” divisions of the office. Under the merit system established by Mr. Benedict, about eight months ago, the public printing is being executed better and more economically than ever before, and he will, no doubt, effect still greater economies by this system than he did during his first administration, large as they then were, in comparison with the cost of the work dur- ing the administration of his predecessor. While I freely concede that Mr. Benedict has made many political discharges and ap- pointments, I assert, without fear of suc- cessful contradiction, that he has not, to as great an extent as his predecessors, “pur- sued and persecuted those who differed from him politically,” or so “mercilessly applied a political test against which his victims might in vain urge competency and faithfulness.” Hundreds of republi- can employes were retained solely upon their merits as workmen during his first administration, and many hundreds have been retained during the past year for the same reason. He retained a much larger percentage of faithful and efficient republi- can’ workmen than his predecessors did of faithful and efficient democratic work- men. About 50 per cent of the force were republicans when Mr. Benedict turned the office over to Mr. Palmer in 1889, and I be- lieve that is about the proportion of re- publicans in the office today. Not more than 2) per cent of the printers were dem- ocrats during Mr, Palmer's administration, during which time the force was increased nearly 1,500, and about 900 additional ap- pointments were made to fill vacancies caused by discharges. If the present pub- lic printer is a spoilsman, what were his predecessors? No fair-minded man, no union printer, will question the statement that the merit system inaugurated by Mr. Benedict is a long step in the right direction, but inas- much as his successor would probably be forced to take a long step backward to the spoils system unless upheld by some- thing much more potent than the ex- ample of his predecessor, it is to be hoped that a death blow will soon be given that discredited system, so far, at least, as ap- pointments and removals in the government printing office are concerned, by an exten- sion of the civil service law and rules to that office, as recommended by the em- ployes through their union, and thereby fasten upon that important branch of the public service a merit system which neither the present nor any future public printer could strike down with impunity, and, at the same time, effectually remove the only disgrace an akness attached to the present method of executing the public printing. > & W. OYSTER. THE NATIONAL GUARD Arrangement of the Camp Ground : Decided Upon. GEN. ORDWAY VISITS FT, WASHINGTON An Important Reform in the Com- missary Department. THE REGULAR RATIONS —— Attractive and well srranged as was the camp of the District National Guard at Fort Washington in 1890—since which year the guard has been without an encamp- ment because the necessary appropriation was lacking—the encampment which is to be held next month will in every respect be superior. ‘fhe experiences acquired have not been fargotten, and although a good dcal of preparation will be necessary before the tents can be pitched and ra- tions can be ixsued, it is as nearly certain as anything can be that when the first sentry is posted all things will be in readi- ness. Last Thursday Gen. Ordway, accompa- nied by nearly all the members of his staff, visited the Fort Washington reservation and mapped things out until everybody was satisfied. The work of the engineers who “are carrying out the plans of the coast defense authorities has changed con- siderably the superficial appearance of a large section of the Fort Washington land- scape. Where the first regiment had its camp are great heaps of all sorts of forti- fying material, gun emplacements and other matters that the public may not be permitted to gaze upon except from a dis- tance, for the works will be surrounded by a chain of sentries, whose business it will be to prevent the excusably curious citizen from prying into a matter that the govern- ment desires to keep secrat. ‘Alongside of the engine house and on the upper end of the old first regiment camp ground the ambulance corps will be sta- tioned, and somewhere in that region— within a hundred yards or so—will be the headquarters of the first regiment. Across the road, where the cld garden used to be, is now a fine stretch of sward, ypon which the first regiment canvas will be stretched. Separated from the right of the first regi- ment by a wide triangular space and a number of trees will be the first separate battalion (Colored), just where they always have been camped, right where the road turns toward the parade ground. Brigade headquarters will occupy the same old place, and the building which in 1890 was occupied ty the adjutant general and the post quartermaster/will be used this time by the adjutant general alone. Off to the left of brigade headquarters and across the road from the first separate battalion the second regiment will string itself out with its mess tents and kitchen tents on the rising ground which in times gone by was tenanted by the light battery. Ample Room for All. Not far away, on the historic soil from whence the archaeologist of a thousand years hence will dig the demijohns and kegs and barrels and bottles and flasks buried there by troop A, the engineer corps, the third separate company and the field ' music will have their respective homes. It will be necessary, however, to do some grubbing and mowing and tree cutting before the ground will be ready for use. Especially is this need apparent on the parade ground, through’ the surface of which a fine asscrtrent of juvenile Christ- mas trees have protruded themselves. ‘The grubbing out process will also take place in the drill field across the road from the parade ground, so that there will be ample accommodation for all of the various commands in the brigade. The troops will also have the use of territory without the bounds of the reservation; territory that seems to have been constructed especially fcr the purpose of field maneuvers. Should the extended-order work improve as it is expected to, Gen. Ordway anticipates giv- ing battalion and regimental commanders an opportunity to show their tactical ability during one or two of the latter days of camp. = Those two important officers—the com- missary general and the quartermaster geveral—will establish their offices in the old mansion, which in by-gone camps was ised by the general sta‘? for mess pur- poses. These officers, the main guard— which is to be posted more than half way down the hill to the wharf and in full view of that lanaing place—and the ambulance company will be connected with the adju- tant general's office by telephone, an ar- rangement which will doubtless be re- garded with great favor by the staff ser- gvants and other orderlies, who, in the ab- ence of telephones, would be pounding saddles all day long. Of all the reforms that will make their appearance in this camp none will be so conspicuous as the reform in the commis- sary department. Hitherto it has been the practice to feed the entire brigade in the mess sheds in the fort, all the responsibility for the edibles resting entirely upon the shoulders of the general staff. This time, as bas been announced in The Star, the commissary general will issue the rations to the battalion commissary officers—who will probably be the quartermasters—and they will turn the food material over to their respective commands. Improper cooking or anything else at which the men may growl can be speedily traced to its source and the remedies applied. A Very Important Matter. The experience is likely to be a trying cne, but it is, nevertheless, regarded as a first-class thing to do, for it will develop the efficiency or inefficiency of officers. In mcre than one instance commands of the National Guard have elected, or otherwise secured, the commissioning of officers for no other reason than that the chosen ones in question were “gcod fellows.” The-com- pary commander who fails to look out for the stomachs of his men at Fort Washing- ten next month will probably find out that his hold upon the affections of his men veries according to his treatment of them in the matter of food. Buzzacott field ovens will be furnished— one for about each sixty men—and with each oven will go a cook and a scullion. These cooks and scullions will be hired by the battalion commissary officers. A fixed rate of wages will be paid each out of the camp appropriation, but if any company or battalion desires to engage a chef who would not be tempted by the official re- muneration, they will be at liberty to put their hands as deeply as they please into their own pockets and make up the prince- ly remuneration, which first-class hotel chefs would insist upon receiving. Of the quality and quantity and variety of food to be furnished by the commis- sary general's outfit there will hardly be any question. The regular rations will include fresh beef, corned beef and pork, smoked hams, bacon, fresh lamb, fresh bluefish and salt shad and mackerel. The list of extras is also attractive, for it In- cludes butter, milk, canned tomatoes, onions, cabbages, carrots, parsley, beets, thyme and such other seasonable vege- tables as may reasonably be purchased. Each battalion will be permitted to buy whatever else of food its members may deem necessary to their welfare or grati- fication, and will make its own arrange- ments as to meals, governed, of course, by such general orders as may be issued. Rations will be issued by the commissary general at regular hours, and the commis- sary officer who is dilatory will get left. Instead of eating their meals in the building, the general's staff will conform to the practice of the camp and will be served with its meals in a mess tent, the food being prepared—as elsewhere through- out the’ entire encampment—in a kitehen shed in rear of the mess tent. From start to finish the camp is going to be busi- ness. . During the next two weeks Quartermas- | ter General Tierney will be busily engaged in seeing to the cleaning up of the grounds, to the erection of a high fence across the wharf, to the repair of roads and to the thousand and one little details that must be attended to. What the Light Battery Will Do. Arrangements for the practice march of light battery A are about complete in a general sort of way. Details have not yet been attended to, but the broad proposition that the battery will start out into Mary- land the day the brigade goes into camp at Fort Washington is accepted by Capt. Forsberg and most of his men. The plans invclve the departure of something like forty-five members of the command, with two Gatlings, two caissons and two wag- ons. The route takes in the river landings as far south as Indian Head, and it may be that the battery will go even further away from the city. The artillerymen will be in camp at Marshall Hall for a couple of days while on the homeward end of the trip, and will be with the brigade in camp at Fort Washington for at least the last two days of the encampment period. It is | understood that the march into Maryland was decided upon because it was the de- sire of tne.commanding general to have the battery within reaching distance of Fort Washington while the brigade is there in camp. e An advantage to the battery will be the river transportation of forage and other supplies, thus minimizing the expense and adding materially to the comfort ef the command. All along the march there will be a good deal of drill, so it will be reason- able to expect that when the battery re- turns to the city it will be even more effi- cient than it now is. One of the Napoleon guns, which the battery proposed to leave behind it at the brigade armory, will be shipped to Fort Washington, so that the camp will not have to do without its morning and even- ing gun. Salutes, too, will be needed for visiting civil and military and naval offi- cers. ‘ By reason of the death of Lieut. Louis A. Bagger, inspector of rifie practice of the third battalion, D. C. N. G., the reception to the victorious Morton Cadets, announced to be heid this evening in Convention Hall, has been declared off. Capt. Shilling and his team will show the Washington public how they carried off the prizes at Mem- phis by giving an exhibition drill in front of the Arlington Hotel Wednesday even- ing next, at 6 o'clock. It is among the probabliities that Maj. Wilson of ihe third battalion will tender the vacant first lieutenancy and inspector- ship of rifle practice of his command to General Staff Sergt. Frank E. Gibson. Sergt. Gibson is an enthusiastic guards- man, as well as an expert with the rifle, and ‘the appointment would, it is believed, meet with general approval on all sides. IN LOCAL STUDIOS Contrary to his usual custom recently of summering abroad, Parker Mann has made preparations to spend this season at Glou- cester, where-he has already sent his artis- tic equipment, expecting to follow about June 1. During the past few weeks he has been busy designing a cottage to be erected this summer at Gloucester, and is making arrangements for the construction of a house boat, to be used during inclem- ent weather, while painting the wharves and shipping in Gloucester harbor. Since the Cosmos exhibition Mr. Mann has been working from studies made while abroad last year, and in other ways pre- paring for the exhibition he will hold next winter, beside completing a series of dainty illustrations for a book that is shortly to be published. ° ote The studio recently built by E. H. Miller in connection with his residence on M street ts one of the most perfectly appoint- ed ateliers in the city, and having been erranged with an especial view to the requirements of the artist’s specialty of portrait painting, is particularly adapted to that branch of the profession. In ad- dition to several etchings Mr. Miller has recently completed a number of interesting portraits, which will be included in an exhibition he intends to hold early next season. R. N. Brooke is considering a number of designs for a summer studio, which he is to erect shortly near his home in Warren- ton, Va., in order to have the space neces- sary for several large canvases, for which he ‘has received commissions. ate A large class of art students, with E. C. Messer as instructor, will leave the city June 10 for Paxton, Va., where two or three months will be spent in studying and working from nature. Members of the party are Miss Mathild Mueden, Miss Aline Solomons, Miss Newcomb, Miss Le Duc, Miss Tomes and Mr. Souther, all prominent members of the Art Students’ League. It is probable that several of the older artists will join the class in July, and innumerable plans are being concocted, not only for work, but a general good time as well. owe An invitation has been extended to the Washington Society of Artists to form a separate exhibition of their work at the Atlanta exposition, free transportation be- ing furnished, and the artists are now making their arrangements with that ob- Jectsin view. The local exhibit will not be confined to works by members of the so- ciety, but will include general contribu- tions by local artists, subject to rules re- sembling those governing the acceptance of pictures admitted to the Cosmos exhibi- tions. As soon as arrangements can be made to receive the pictures invitations to exhibit ‘will be issued by the committee in charge of arrangements, composed of Max Weyl, R. N. Brooke, E. C. Messer and U. 8. J. Dunbar, as president of the society. An interesting portrait bust of Secretary Morton is being modeled by Rudolph -Evans; a young sculptor, whose work has recently attracted favorable attention. In addition to being a capital likeness, it is executed with extreme delicacy and close attention to the finer technical qualities. Mr. Evans is the son of the disbursing clerk of the Agricultural Department, and although still very young, gives every promise of a successful, if not brilliant, career as a scu!ptor. ote The exhibition of student work held dur- ing the past week by Miss S. W. Kelly in her studios has been among the most suc- cessful of the season. The work shown was both clever and artistic, much of it being extremely decorative in character, while other canvases were striking by rea- son of their harmonious color and interest- ing variety of subject. Especially good work was shown by Miss Ashmead, Miss Mary Connely, Miss Chase, Miss Stanton, Miss Smith, Mrs. Knowles, Miss Shellen- berger and Miss Topham. A unique but highly artistic sketch of a portion of the interior of Ascension Church is being made by Miss Elisabeth Miller, daughter of E. H. Miller. The unusual subject makes an interesting motive, while the play of light and color transforms what would otherwise be simply a study of architecture into a charming arrange- ment of richly harmonious tones and ef- fects. = Henry A. Chittenden Dead. Henry Abel Chittenden, a pioneer in the anti-slavery movement, died Thursday at Montclair, N. J., aged eighty years. He was well known as a philanthropist, and for several years maintainel a Congrega- tional church in Washington at his own ex- pense. His wife was a daughter of Daniel Gano of Cincinnati. REAL ESTATE GOSSI Great Enterprises Involving the Exe penditure of Large Sums. PRESENT AND PERMANENT BENEFITS The Influence on Building of Lower Prices for Materials. SOME IMPROVEMENTS From a material point of view alone the action taken at the meeting of the trustees of the American University held here dur- ing the past week was of great importance to the Interests of this city. It was an- nounced that the money needed for the erection of the first building in that great enterprise had been secured and steps were taken which will probably lead to the commencement of building operations dur- ing the present year. The hall of history, which will be the initial building, will cost $159,000, and, as is well known, the entire plan contemplates the erection of some twenty buildings. The ground, comprising about one hun- dred acres on the Loughboro’ road, and on the line of Massachusetts avenue extend- ed, has been paid for and the contemplated improvements, which will involve the ex- penditure of a large sum of money, will not only be a marked feature in the at+ tractiveness of the city, but will add to the material resources of Washington during the progress of building operations, and be a source of much benefit in many other ways. ‘There is no lack of interest or enthusiasm in this project on the part of citizens of Washington as evidenced by their liberal contributions in the purchase of the site and the activ: share which is taken by many in furthering its Interests. In any other city one enterprise of this character would be looked upon as marking a mem- orable phase in the city’s life. Such is the marvelous development of this city that there is another enterprise of magnitude and somewhat similar in purpose, which is graduaily taking shape, and which will re- sult In the expenditure of millions of dol- lars. The Episcopal Cathedral. This latter, it is needless to add, is the proposed Protestant. Episcopal cathedral. As is well known, at the recent meeting in this city of the trustees of the cathedral it was decided to have plans prepared at once for a building to be known as the Hearst School for Girls, which will cost $175,000. It was further decided that the work of construction should be begun in August: The proposed building is only one of a series of structures which it is de- signed to erect on the commanding site which has been secured at the intersection of Woodley road and Connecticut avenue extended. A cathedral is te be erected, and about it are to be grouped the buildings and resi- dences which are the features of a ca- _ thedral foundation. Entirely independent of the large outlay of money, both of these enterprises will be of permanent advan- tage to the city and will be prominent fac- tors in the influences which have already made this city a center of literary activ- ity. ” A Business Site Sold. A-sale of some interest was made during the last week. The property at the south- west corner of Connecticut avenue and le street was sold to Charles Rauscher. It has a frontage of about thirty-eight feet on Connecticut avenue and a depth of about sixty-seven feet, and contains 2,650 square feet. The price was nearly $8 per square foot. It is the intention of the new owner to erect a building on the site suit- able for his business. Enlarging a School Building. During the next month quite a large ad- dition will be made to the building at the corner of 11th and M streets by the owner, Mrs, Elizabeth -J. Somers. The space be- tween the 11th street and M street wings, which has a frontage of about twenty-five feet, will be occupied by a building which will be made a part of the adjoining buiid- ings, and will contain a dining room, mu- sic room and dormitories. In addition, a building will be erected in the rear, where the heating plant will be located. This property, which is the home of the Mount Vernon Seminary, has a frontage of 100 feet on both streets. Mr, Robert I. Fiem- ing has prepared the plans fro the pro- posed improvements, and will be in charge of the work. Building Material Cheaper. It is estimated by those who are in a po- sition to know that owing to the reduction in prices of material, buildings can be erected for at least 15 per cent less than what would have been the cost at this time last year. This fact has caused many who have had plans for building under consideration to decide to begin active operations this year, and no doubt the same influence will be continued to be felt during the entire season. This reduction is looked upon as quite a material one, and the saving is appreciable even in the cost of a small building. The tad weather has given a check to building operations, which, it is believed, however, will be only temporary. While it is not anticipated that the building record is going to reach the proportions of some of the banner years in the past, still it is expected that the summing up at the close of the season will show that quite a large amount of money has been expended in adding to the residence and business facili- ties of the city. The Building Record. The building record for the week ending yesterday shows a decided improvement over the previous week, and is the best recorded for sometime. Two dozen per- mits were issued, aggregating in cost $76,- 795. Of this number eight were taken out for the northwest, at a cost of $31 the scuthwest, ore, at $500; the northeast, ten, at $30,300; the southeast, four, at $12,495, and the county, one, at $2,000. Some lwprovements. Ground has been broken for a row of store buildings to be erected at the south- west corner of Connecticut avenue and M street. They are to be only one story in height, but the walls are to be of sufficient size to bear the weight of additional stories in case it should be considered necessary at any time in the future. The owner is Mrs. Griswold. A residence is to be erected at 1806 New Hampshire avenue from plans prepared by N. T. Haller, architect. It is to be 40x75 feet, with a front of brown stone and buff brick, J. T. Lovcless will erect a residence on 16th street between B street and South Carolina avenue southeast from plans pre- pared by W. Hunter Jones, architect. It will be, 20x75 feet, with a front of stone and buff brick. Ground has been broken for the erection of two brick and stone dwellings at 49 and 51 D street southeast. These houses were planned by N. T. Hailer, and are being built by their A. Wynkoop. They are to be thrce stories high, with cellar, and will have a frontage of 18 feet 6 inches. The erection of a row of eight two-story brick dwellings has been commenced in the northeastern section of the c: of this number five are to be erected on KC street from S22 to 830 inclusive, and three on th street, numbered from 1002 to 1006 inclusive. Wm. Warren is the owner, archi- tect and builder. ight