Evening Star Newspaper, January 11, 1896, Page 9

THE EVENING STAR —S PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, ih. nt the commiee or 44c. per month. * ‘at the counter L peroneal Gi watt answoeee, in the United Canada—postage presiid--50 cents per ‘Sat Sheet Star, $1.00 ser sear; Bong ae : second-class mail mattec) FAN mall abscriptloas rust be pald in advarce. of advertising made known oo application. mex The Evening Slar.mwon WASHINGTON, D. C., SATURDAY, JANUARY 11, 1896-TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. JE is cfaimed for fhe Washinsfon Sor, an> proBaSly frutBfutte claimed, that no WINTER AT THE Z00 How the Animals Are Cared For in Cold Weather. IN EVEN TEMPERATURE Said the Esquimo Dog to the Polar Bear. OUTDOORS ANDINDOQORS T IS QUITE A SEA- sonable bit of weath- er we are havin; observed the Esqui- mo Dog to the Polar Bear out at the Zoo one cold day this week. “Why, yes, it does seem quite home- like,” replied the gen- tleman from the Arc- tie zone as he eager- ly sniffed the north- west wind. “It gives one an appetite for whale blub- ber and the like,” continued the Esquimo Dog. “Really, you know, I was just thinking I would like to have a nice, fat seal for dinner, with a cake of ice to sit upon dur- ing the mezl.” “Did you hear that one of the baby lions bad died of pneumonia?” “Well, I have my opinion of anything that couldn’t stand a little bracing weather like this without getting pneumonia,” sniff- ed the Polar Bear, scornfully. It was only too true about the death of one of the baby lions from pneumonia. It might be supposed that an animal so well endowed with lung power for roaring pur- poses as a lion would be impervious to pulmonary troubles, but such was not the case with this heir apparent of the king of beasts. The other day the watchful eye of Supt. Blackburn discovered that one of the three baby lions was ailing, the fact first being apparent by his turning away from his beef. The little chap was “off his feed,” and a closer examination showed tendencies to croup, developing rapidly into a@ bad cold and then into pneumonia. Ev- ery effort was made to relieve him, but un- availingly, and he departed this life, after four days’ illness, to the great grief of his mother and the apparent unconcern of his brother and sister. His mother missed him sadly for a few days, giving every evidence of being in a state of mind over his disappearance. At feeding time, when she was wont to gather the three little cubs around the beef thrown into the cage, she would iook around for the third one, search through the straw of the inner cage and whine pitifully when she didn’t find bim. The deceased is now in the hands of a government taxidermist, and will soon fill a position in a glass case az a stuffed lion’s cub. Animal Comforts. With the winter well advanced, the oc- cupants of the Zoo are passing it according to their several fashions. Every dumb brute is made comfortable, and enjoys life after the nature of the beast as well as it can be enjoyed in captivity. In the main building, where the animals and birds and reptiles from tropical climates are confined, summer heat is maintained night and day. The house is heated by steam, and a ther- mometer operated by clock work traces the nourly temperature of the interior, so that those in charge can keep constantly — of the state of the weather in- le. The sleepy looking alligators in the tank when they close their eyes cannct tell from the temperature of the water that they are not snoozing in the sluggish waters of a Florida swamp. The Potcmac water is so muddy at present, however, that they are compelled to poke their heads above the surface to observe what is going on about them, and as they are very curious rep- tiles their tank presents the appearance of a pond of muddy water with half a dozen ugly black snouts protruding out cf it. The hippopotamus wallows as of old in his great bath tub, and splashes the water over his thick hide, altogether un- conscious that ice is two inches thick on the creek at the foot of the hill. With the Monkeys. The iittle monkeys in the cages are the most susceptible to cold. With other mark- ed resemblances to humankind they are subject to coughs, colds and consumption, and the “XX cough-drop” man would prob- ably do a thriving business if he could es- tablish communication with them. They wheeze and sneeze in a ludicrously human- like way and many of them would doubt- lesa be glad to get leave of absence to ut- tend the sale on handkerchief day at one of the down-town emporiums. In the large cage of monkeys a spring board has been erected, which is the sour@ of neverendiag amusement to the long-tailed gentry. They have a trapeze or two, hung from the ceil- ing to the cage, and one of the young mon- keys will dance up and down on the spring beard until he gets a good start, and thea make a flying leap for the trapeze, where he will perform acrobatic evolutions that would drive a circus man crazy with envy. Sometimes there will be two monkeys on the spring board and by the time one has - safely landed on the trapeze the other ‘vili taake a leap and grab him by the tail. Thon there is sure to be a scrap. Others spoil- ing for a fight will join in the scrimmage and make things lively for a little while. ‘The social season in the main building beginning with the approach of winter has been enlivened by the presence of a num- ber of parrots and tropical birds of gay plumage and strident voice, that pessed the summer In cages under the trees. They keep up an incessant chatter of small talk with their neighbors with an occasional family quarrel in individual cages, at which times thzir bickerings are apt to be encouraged and applauded from adjoining perches until the hippopotamus loses pa- tence and silences them all with a mighty roar. In Glass Cases. The boa constrictors, pythons and other snakes of low and high degrees are passing the winter behind their glass cases between eating and sleeping. The boa constrictor never wakes up unless he gets hungry, and when he has filled several feet of his body with food, ties himself in a double bow- knot over the limb of a tree in his domicile to sleep off the effects. Little he recks whether it is winter or summer, for it ‘s Warm and the provisions hcid out, and to him the realization of these two facts brings endless contentment. In fact there is only one inmate of the main building which gives one the impression of being really discontented, and that is the rhinoc- eros. This gigantic and repulsive beast has a way of emitting a scund that maki the hearer laugh because it such a rid: ulously feeble and puny sound to emanate from so formidabie an animal. It is a squeaky treble and sounds very much like the noise made by a child's doll that cries upon pressing the chs: But after you listen to it a while there is something reai Plaintive and sad, a querulous complaining in the tone that makes the rhinoceros an object of pity. The Outdoor Animals. For the outdoor anfmals, nature has sup- Blied the chief protection against the rigors of winter but Supt. Bh ‘burn has supple- mented ner kindly offices with straw-lined dens and snug retreats. The bears, the wolves, the foxes and other quadrupeds have grown thicker fur for the occasion, and being accustomed to outdoor life, spend the greater portion of their time in their inclosures, or the open parts of their cages. At the upper end of the Zoo the elks, those antlered monarchs of a northern clime, seem’ to enjoy the cold weather and exercise frecly within their inclosure. They don’t mind a blizzard as long as the food holds out and they never have to go hungry hers. In the leafless branches of a great cak tre2 the raccoons curl themselves up Uke round balls of fur during the daytime and retire to the privacy of their hollow log stuffed with straw at night. The bears have straw-lined dens attached to their cages and spend a good deal of their time sleeping away the long winter. A pitiful object at the Zoo is a monster grizzly bear, who is totally blind. He is a gigantic specimen of kind, with ter- rific claws, a veritable mountain of strength, but passes his days immured in a narrow cage, and shut out even from sight of the great vorid about him. The cages of the eagles, hawks and outdoor birds are thatch- ed with straw and snug nests made for their shelter from the cutting winds. A couple of South African ostriches have been added to the Zoo and live adjoining the kengaroos in a tem erature made ter- rid by steam heat and stoves. — LOOKING MORE SERIOUS The Cuban Revolutionists Considering Re- taliatory Measures, Recent Information From the Insur- gents in the Troubled Island. ‘The representatives of the Cuban republic who are now in Washington were not at all surprised at the published announce- ment that Gen. Campos had issued an or- der providing that all enemies of the Span- ish government in Cuba might be tried, when captured, by the heads of the various columns of the Spanish army, and punished according to the rules of court-martial without delay. The news of this action on the pirt of the Spanish commander had been received here in a cipher letter from Havana several days ago, the communica- tion stating that the order had been pub- lished in the official gazette in Havana. Cuban sympathizers her? not officially ecnnected with the revolutionary commit- tee also received similar information, and they declare that the order means nothing more nor less than the summary execution of every Cuban found with arms or who is even suspected of harboring animosity against Spanish rule. From the same un- official source it is learned that the Spanish officials in Havana are in great dread over a possible attack on Havana, despite their public protestations to the contrary sent abroad, and that the residents of Havana e already been informed of the signal that will notify them when the city is at- tacked, which will be five cannon shots fol- lowing each other in quick succession. It is also said that the people in Havana who are loyal to the Spanish government are indignant at the manner in which the Spanish troops are held in the city, in- stead of geing out and driving back the révolutionists, who are within less than a day’s march of the Cuban metropolis in three directions, and of whom advance parties are only a few miles from the city. It is believed that Gomez will immediate- ly take retaliatory measures to meet the order of Gen. Campos, and that he will give orders to his men to destroy the grinding machinery on the various sugar pianta- ticns, where heretofore only the cane has been destroyed. This machinery is exceed- ingly costly, and if it is destroyed it will take y2ars to replace it. Information also comes from Havana that the Cuban sympathizers in that city are well organi.ed, despite the efforts of the Spanish officials to prevent such a thing, and are prepared to rise and precipi- tate an outbreak at a moment's notice. —____+e.______ FOREIGN ORDNANCE. China Found That Purchased to Be Inferior in Quality. ‘The Department of State is in receipt of a dispatch from our minister in China trans- mitting a memorial addressed to the em- peror by the princes who are joint presi- dents of the board of foreign affairs, in which attention is called to the Inferior quality of the foreign ordnance purchased by the Chinese government during the re- cent war with Japan, and suggesting plans for improving government arsenals and gun foundries. The memorial is as follows: ‘A memorial from Prince Kung and Prince Ching requesting a decree tor their guid- ance. When China was engaged last year in naval wariare, she sought out and bought foreign guns and cannon. The price paid for these was several times the usual value thereof, they were in bad condition, and the number delivered did not come-up to the number paid for. These frauds could not be avoided. Memorialists, warned by previous losses, have carefully examined as to what people in the arsenais of the various provinces are themselves able to make quick-firing guns and cannon. They have ascertained that Liu Chi-hsiang, an expectant taotai of Kiangsu, has been for years director of the Shanghai arsenal. He is thoroughly familiar with the forging of steel and the manufac- ture of ammunition, which field he is able to open to Chinese artisans. In the eighth moon (September-October) of this year this official came to Peking, in obedience to imperial decree, and memorial- ists had several interviews with him. They compared quick-firing guns made by him with the most perfect foreign guns lately produced, and found them equal thereto in point of strength and rapidity, while the cost was much less. Memorialists are united in the opinion that ut this time, when men of ability are urgent- ly needed, when able-men are found they should be rewarded, in order that they may exert theinselves to the utmost. We re- quest that a decree be issued ordering Liu Chi-hsiang to take sole charge of the busi- ness of the Shanghai arsenal. The funds and plant of this establishment should be increased as its needs require. The guns and cannon there made will be examined by memorialists as they are produced. Reports of disbursements should be made directly to the superintendent of military affairs, who should write the proper board to provide therefor. If shortcomings become mani- fest, the above-named tactai shall alone be responsible. This procedure will have far- reaching effects, and it will facilitate the labor of investigation. We humbly request the imperial vleasure as to this proposal. The above memorial was mude public the ith of November; a decree making the ap- pointment requested was made the 5th of November. —-e-_____ Like a Little Child. From Tid-Bits. Creditor (roughly)—“Say, when are you going to pay me that bill?” Debtor (genially)—‘*My friend, you put me in mind of a little child. Creditor—“T do, do 1? Why?” Debtor—“Beeause a little child can ask questions that the wisest men cannot ans ™r." —+e+—___ Very Particular. From Household Words. There is a lady who is so particular about her daughter's morals that she allows her to play only upon an upright piano. MAKING OF LAWYERS Examinations Required for Admis- sion to the District Bar. SOMETHING ABOUT THIS . ORDEAL Character of the Questions That Are Asked. THE EXAMINING COMMITTEE HE VAST MAJORI- ty, probably, of those who attend the i} commencement day exercises of our ex- cellent law schools imagine that from the decorated plat- form the graduate aie Steps to the bar of Wi the court, there to 7 prosecute the profes- sion which Black- stone, Kent, Mar- ag shall and other intei- lectuwl giants have graced and adorned. They imagine, perhaps, that the graduate’s diplema makes him a full-fledged practi- tionee. Ail that is, however, a very great mistake. While the diploma accorded is given a certain amount of value, the courts of the District demand something more than that. ‘They say that before one shall be admit- ted to practice before them (the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of the Dis- trict) the applicant must be a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court or of the highest court of one of the states or territories. Either that, or he must have passed a successful examination before the examining committee of the District Su- preme Court. So, it is seen, the diploma of a law school, however great the school may be, does not, in itself, admit its proud recipient to practice in the courts of the District. In Order to Be Admitted. Suppose e young man, or, indeed, a young woman, for both men and women are eli- gible to practice before the District courts, who holds a diploma from a law school, wishes to be admitted to practice before the District Supreme Court, he will learn in re- sponse to his inquiry that he must apply for such admission to the Court in General Term. He will learn, further, that appli- eants for admission, who have been admit- ted tu practice law in the Supreme Court of the United States, or in the highest court or territory, may, upon satisfactory evi- dence of good moral character, and after ex- amination as to fitness, or, in the discretion of the court, without such examination, be admitted to the bar, provided the members of the bar of the District Supreme Court are admitted to the bar of the highest court of such state or territory upon the same terms. He will also be informed that no student is admitted until after such examination and proof of good moral character, and not un- ul he has studied at least three years under the direction of some competent attorney. It will be explained to him that diligent study in any law school shall, to the extent thereof, he computed as part of said three years’ study. Upon being so informed the student files with the clerk of the court a written ap- plication, under oath or affirmation, stat- ing his name, age, residence, with what attorney he has studied law, or in what law school, when and for w t length of time he has so studied and what books he has read, accompanied by a certificate of some member of the bar of the District Supreme Court or other evidence satisfac- torily showing the good nvwral character and fitness of the applicant. Where study has been under the direction of an attor- ney-at-law, in this jurisdiction or else- where, such fact musi appear by certificate from such attorney. The Examining Committee. The application, accompanied by a fee of #1 for necessary expenses, filed, it is re- ferred to the examining committee of the court for its action. The members of this committee are, of course, members of the bar of the District Supreme Court. Until recently a new committee was appointed every year, but so satisfactorily have the present committee (Messrs. F. H. Mackey, Chas. H. Cragin, A. A. Lipscomb, Leon Tobriner and Thos. M. Fields) performed their delicate and arduous duties that al- though appointed three years ago the court has repeatediy refused to accept their res- ignations, althovgh earnestly pressed to so do by the members of the committee. It is usual to hold two examinations each year, in June and October, due published notice of which is given. ‘Before the day of. the examination the applications are passed upcn, and those applicants found qualified and eniitled to t@ke the examina- tion are notified to attend til the 1e- moval of the civil servi mmission from the city hall to their present quarters, Sth and E streets, the examinations were held in a room at the city hall, but since they have Leen held in the rooms of the commis- sion, through their courtesy. Ordeal of Examination. The examination is a written one, each applicant being given a printed list of thirty questions, to which answers must be written within a reasonable length of time: The thirty questions cover five different branches of law, six questions usually he- ing given to each branch or division . of subjects. These subjects are real estate, contracts, equity, evidence and pleading. Each member of the examining committee has charge of or supervision over a par- ticular subject, and passes upon the an- swers to his own set of questions, deter- mining the percentage of accuracy made by the applicants in answering them. No applitant is rated as successful who scores less than 70 out of a possible 100 points, and the standing of the applicant is final- ly determined by adding together the per- centage attained by him in the five respe tive sets of questions. That is, a certain number of points are allowed each set,and they are made up wholly irrespective of one another. Upon the fiaal comparison all applicants obtaining 70 per cent or over are recom- mended by the examining committee to the Court in General Term for admission to the bar of the District Supreme Court. ‘The court directs, of course, that the suc- cessful applicants be admitted, the motion to admit being made by a member of the examining committee. The court requires all applicants to take the following oath: CR —, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will demean myself as an attorney and counsellor of this court up- rightly and according to law, and that I will support the Constitution of the United states. So help me God.” Not all those admitted to the bar, indeed, very few of them, ask for a certificate of admission, but the cierk of the court furnishes them, if desired, charging a fee of $2 each there- for. Failed Four Times, While precisely the same questions are not propounded by the cominittee at each examination, yet their general character and scope vary but slightly. Any student who properly attends to his studies, the ex- perience of the examining committee shows, Pas little, if any, real difficulty in passing the examination, About 10 per cent of those examined fail to pass, but they are allowed to take another examination as often as they see fit. It ig maid one appli- cant failed no less than four times, and may try again. It has happened that when an applicant failed to pass, he would go over in Virginia or Maryland, find some court where thé examination was not so rigid and difficult, secure an admission to the bar there, and then return to the Dis- trict, when he would be admitted as a mem- ber of the bar of'a sister jurisdiction. The rutes of the Court of Appeals provide that to practice fore it an attorney shall be 4 member 6f the bar of the District Supreme Court or the United States Su- preme Court, and tan admission fee of $1 is charged. To be‘ eligible to practice be- fcre'the Suprome Court of the United States one must be a member of the bar of some cempetent court. GOOD ADVERTISING Some of the Features of Succsss in This Line of Business, Honesty in Dealing With the Public— The Advantages of Being Specific, From the Chicago Record. Ccrtain essentials of good advertising have already been discussed in these columns— namely, good taste, truthfulness and timeli- ress. But one or two further details may profitably b> considered. Good advertising cught to be direct. Don’t beat about the bush. -If you have something to sell tell just what it is. Getto the point as rapidly as you possibly can. I am aware that this is not altogether 4 brand-new suggestion; in fact, there are some people who believe in it so thoroughly that they have carried it to an excess. In their demre for directness they have devloped the nervous style of ad- vertising; an attempt to get at the point in such a hurry that there was no waiting for breath, punctuation marks or capital letters or any of the ordinary conventionalities of composition, a style that ran after this wise: “Say—want anything—we've got it—what you want—all you want—got everything— the best—the lowest— come—see.” This form of advertising compesition, which might quite appropriately be called the “St. Vitus style,” has been considerably affected by sundry advertising writers. But tco much of this certainty has a tendency to bring on chronic chills and fever. Be direct and to the point, but not at the ex-, pense of sense and sanity. Honesty in Advertising. Another point which may well be dwelt vpon—honesty in advertising. Be sure that your announcements have the right ring. I have just been looking over some patent medicine testimonial advertising. I have two examples before me, each giving a half dozen testimonials. One advertiser has tes- timonials from Mrs. George Brown, 146 Washington street, Boston, and from Mrs. R. M. Raymond, 71 7th avenue, New York city, and from other people of good, honest names and specified addresses. The other testimonials read like this: “Mrs. Antoinette Vanderbilt Morgan writes from her beautiful homé cn 5th avenue.” “Miss Anna Drexel Rittenhouse, the famous Phiiadelphia so- ciety belle, sends us the following,” and five or six other people of glittering and rever- berant names attended to in like manner. Now, these two ‘advertisements may be equally honest, but’ the.one with the plain Dames and specifia addresses rings a thous- and times truer than the one with the im- pressive, millionairish-sounding names, with- out the number of the street. And another very important point—keep the right level. Don't take a low aim in your advertising, and don't fire too high. I don’t think it pays to try to “Jolly” people, for so many of us object to being “‘jollied,” for example: “Ah, there, Charlie! You're just our size. We can fix out that fine shape of yours with a $9.49 black diagonal suit that will paralyze the town. They're out of sight!’ Perhaps that style may appeal to Charlie, but I have grave doubts. ‘This is Altitudinous. On the other hand, don’t fire a mile over people's heads. Here’s a fine example of this altitudinous advertising, taken from the an- nouncements ofra furniture house. It repre- sents the store as having been visited by an English artist of some little reputation, and it reads as follows: “‘He touched on our national modelirg and constructive arts— on the purely American traits evidenced in them. He seemed to think that our monu- ments were off-handed, that our architecture was patterned on’ past ages, eclectic and imitative; that sculptural talent was ran- sacking ail possible motives, our designs of soldiers’ memorials savored of the car- penter rather than of the artist. He felt that every grade of American production in furniture as ¢xampled on our floors was earnest, not perfect like the Greek work— that was limited—but free; it possessed the calmness of the pagan’s duty and the Chris- tian’s thought, which feels more than it can executed and a quantity more in the same vein. » This advertisement was 2 double-column eight-inch ad. I don’t believe that it ever sold a 25-cent hassock. It was advertising in the clouds. Be Specific. And be specific. After all, what people want to know about you is what you've got end what the price is; everything else is inci- dental. If you are strong on pricés, don’t hide them under a bushel. Price is the great convincer, especially with women, and wo- men are the buyers. If you can offer the hest prices you ought to get the best trade. But don’t advertise simply: “The lowest prices in town.” That doesn’t influence any- body the turn of a hair. Give your prices and let the shopping public determine whether they are tow or not. Lran across a Christmas quarter-page ad. with a big display heading: “Great Christ- mas Mark-Down Sale,” ‘and underneath this display line were a hundred different articles reading as follows: “Jewelry—marked down Dolls—marked down; Toys—marked down, and so on through the entire list. Not'a single price given. A hundred different ar- ticles and 100 different ‘marked downs.” T cut the advertisement out and showed it to a woman who goes shopping six days a week. “What do you think of this advertise- ment?” I asked. R “It's the most idiotic advertisement I ever saw,” she replied. “All that ‘marked dé anything; if it did, they we it mean If, instead of giving a ifst of a hundred different things, all “marked down” in one grand sweeping flourish, twenty different things had been etumerated with the spe- cific information where they had been mark- ed dewn from and where they had been marked down to, the advertisement would have amounted to something. Anybody can say that he’s got “the best,” that his prices are “the ldwest,” and that everything in his-ctore {8 marked down every five minutes, if he wants to; and what anybody and everybody can do doesn’t amount to very much in thts world. When you teil specifically just what you've got and just how ‘much you are selling it for, it proves at least that in your own mind you have attractive offerings that will in- fluence the minds of others. In advertising, one small, substantial, speciftc fact Is worth twenty bi shadowy generalities. " doesn’t mean id tell you what From the Chtengo Record. = “What is good for a bad breath?” “Well, beer ard cheese are pretty good.” “But that’s the kind of breath I've got now." a A Case of Necessity. From the Town and Country Journal. Bachelor—‘I am told that a married man can live on half the income that a single man requires.” = Married Man—Yes; he has to.” |REAL ESTATE GOSSIP New Buildings and the Preparation of Plans. HOUSES ADAPTED 10 THE CLIMATE Some Views of the Building In- spector, Mr. Brady. THE COMING SEASON In conversation with a reporter of The Star, Building Inspector Brady said: “It 1s impossible to overestimate the good accomplished by daily inspection of con- structions. Since I came into ofSce i have required the three assistant inspectors to make a weekly report of the work done in their respective districts, and I hold them responsibie as ‘far as I am able for all di- gressions of the building regulations dis- covered in the sections under their charge. Each inspector reports fully upon the work intrusted to his care, reporting all defects, and noting the progress made from Cay to day with the work. This report is sent to the Commissicners for their inspection and approval, and then placed on file in order that a complaint may be traced at once and the error discovered. “It has been a most beneficial system, and the construction all over the city has ma- terialiy improved. Builders are more care- ful, for now they know that any infraction of the building regulations will be reported, and if not immediately corrected, they will be taken into the Police Court. But my force is altogether too small to warrant a complete supervision of the city, and every now and then cases are brougat to my at- tention of faulty constraction, which would not have existed if this office had been prop- erly equipped with inspectozs. “In my annual report I asked for three additional inspectors. and if this request is granted I will feel much safer. An in- stance of the inability of the small force to cover the field occurred several days ago, when a builder finished a row of houses without lining the flues. The result was when the first house was occupied and a fire built in the furnace the people were nearly suffocated with smoke. Investiga- tion disclosed faulty coastruction, and the whole fiue had io be rebuilt. The builder, by the way, will nave to explain himself in the Police Court later. “Yes, I look for a first-class spring busi- ness, Times are getting better, and there are several big projects being talked about. While I do not expect anything phenomenal, I believe the showing will be a vast im- provement upon last year's record.” Building Preparations. It often happens at this season of the year that people are interested in planning for houses which are to be erected as soon as the weather permits. For this reason the statement is commonly seen, especially in the trade papers, at this time of the year that the offices of architects are occupied by bury corps of draftsmen preparing plans and that the public is giving this subject considerable attention. It would, however, be more in harmony with the facts at this time, instead of saying that many plans are in contemplation for improvements to be begun in the spring, to state that this is the season of the year when building en- terprises of the coming season ought to be under consideration. That abcut represents the condition of af- fairs at present. But it should be remem- bered that it is still early in the year and that there is time for a great deal to be done preparatory to the opening of the season. It is not expected that there is go- ing to be any great rush of building here in the spring, but it is believed that a fair pro- portion of work will be done and that prob- ably a larger sum of money will be expend- ed in improvements of various kinds during the coming spring than was the case last year. This is a good time of the year for people to get practical suggestions in regard to house construction. It may be laid down as a general principle that if the house is to be comfortable all the year round the de- signer must be more or less familiar with the varying conditions of the Washington climate. While it is not claimed that an out- side architect cannot design a house adapt- ed to life in this city, it still remains true that a majority of the glaring mistakes which have been made in this particular are due either to ignozance or disregard of lecal conditions. Some Solid Advantages. Ther2 are many things about the climate here which can only be learned by a resi- dence, and the adaptation of a house to cli- matic phases largely determines the ques- tion whether people aré to be warm in win- ter in their own homes and cool in sum- mer. ‘It certainly seems a mistake to sac- rifice to an artistic design the solid ad- vantages of comfort and convenience, and yet there are houses where the window openings are so occupied that it is impos- sible to use more than one-tnird of the space for the free circulation of air. Ir the winter time it must be acknowl- edged that.that area is all sufficient, but during the summer months it stands con- fessed as totally inadequate to cope with the situation. There is such a thing as de- signing a house to suit the locality, so that the living rooms will be on the side where the sun shines during the greater part of the day, and there are other ways in which local knowledge can be used to great ad- vantage, not only in the designing, but in the construction of a house. It must be said, however, that even local architects disregard these conditions. Types of Architecture. In connection with this subject it may not be uninteresting to note that there are in Washington specimens of the skill of some of the leading architects of the country. For example, the late Mr. Richardson made the design of three private residences here, while the late Richard-M. Hunt designed the building occupied by the Naval Observ- atory. In the new building for the Cor- céran Art Gallery, which is nearing com- pletion, may be seen one of the best de- signs, which has come from the office of Ernest Flagg. Even with this mention of the existence here of the work of mas- ters in the profession it is still possible to say that some of the most admired speci- mens of: architecture in this city are the work of local architects, Record for the Week. The building record for the week ending yesterday shows that a total of eighteen permits™were issued at an estimated cost of $60,000, divided among the several sec- tions of the city as follows: County, three permits, for $8,500; southeast, four permits, for $10,000; northwest, one permit, for $1,500; and the northeast, seven permits, for $15,- 000. Some Improvements, E. E. Elmore has drawn the plans for the erection of a two-story brick dwelling for R. B. Donaldson, at No. 1132 16th street northwest. A. B. Morgan, architect, has prepared the pians for the erection of a two-story brick dwelling at No. 500 9th street southeast. The building will have a frontage of 19 feet 6 inches by a depth of 44 feet 9 inches. The front of the building will be of buff brick. J. H. Lane will be the owner, architect and builder of two frame dwellings which will be shortly erected at Nos. 201 and 203 Seaton street, Eckington. Geo. R. Newton has prepared the plans and will do the building of a row of six two-story brick dwellings at Nos. 1353 to 1363 Emerson street. The front will be of pressed brick. A permit has been issued the Pintsch Compressing Company to erect a two-story brick and iron gas plant at the corner of 13% and C streets southwest. R. M. Dixon will draw the plans. The building will front 57 feet on 13% street by a depth of 30 feet. Permits have been issued to T. F. Hod- gen for the erection of two dwellings at Nos. 990 and 992 East Capitol street. G. W. Flather, architect and builder, has pared plans for the structures, hich be each three stories in height, with cella’ bay windows and towers and oriel ané mansard reof, tiled, with bulge windows. The frents will be of light brick, with stone trimmings and the interior finish is to be in hard weed. Electric bells, cabinet man- tels and all modern conveniences will be provided. A syndicate is about to erect five dwell- ing Fouses at the corner of S street and Phelps place, at a cost of $75.000, and plans have been prepared by Joseph E. Johnson, architect. These houses will each have a depth of 50 feet, and three of them will front 20 fect, one 38 feet and one 44 feet. They will be three stories high, with cellar, and buff brick and Indiana limestone will be used in the construction of the fronts. They will have Spanish tile mansard roofs and square and octagon ba: and a corner tower. Each house will contain eleven reoms. Hard wood will be used in the in- terior finish, the parlors being in white and gold. Steam heat will be employed. AFRAID OF OLNEY re- Giving the Credit of the Venezuelan Policy to Gresham. Administration Democrats Think Mr. Olmcy is Becoming Too Important. A lively controversy seems to be develop- ing over the question of who is to be given the credit for the Venezuelan policy of the administration. It does not appear that the friends of Mr. Olney have made statements on the subject, but the history of the case, as known, has made it seem clear that Mr. Olney was the author of the policy. It is known that for a long time before the let- ter to Salisbury was writtea he was study- ing the question with great attention, and that he dictated the letter in May, before the death of Secretary Gresham. More- over, the policy was such a wide departure frem what Mr. Gresham’s was understood to be that there was littie doubt in any- bedy’s mind that Olney was entirely re- sponsible for it. It was stated, also, that Mr. Gresham knew nothing of the matter, teing very ill at the time it came up. The Olney Boom. Now, Mr. Olney's responsibility for the Policy is being contested in a way to excite the suspicion that there is a fear that it may give him too much prominence with his party. Among democrats in Congress trere has been considerable talk of Olney as a suitable nominee for the presidency should all turn out well in the Venezuelan matter, It appears now that this is resented in scme quarters, and the interpretation com- monly put upon this resentment is that Mr. Cleveiand’s friends expected the Vene- zuelan affair to make him again the can- didate of nis party, and that they are not pees that Olney should get the benefit of it. Mr. Gresham Responsible. Mr. Landis, formerly the private secre- tary of Mr. Gresham, who a few days ago was sent for to come to Washington from ‘CFicago in connection with this matter, is authority for the claim that Mr. Greshain was responsible for the Venezuelan matter, and that Mr. Olney was simply called in to take charge of the matter because-of Gres- ham's ill health, and finally inherited the resporsibility by Gresham's death. The newspaper owned by one of the cabinet officers states practically the same thing, and a member of the cabinet, who is un- derstood to be in favor of Mr. Cleveland for a third term, is given as authority for the statement that Mr. Olney does not de- serve ail the credit which is being given him, but that the policy was already decid- ed on whee he was called in consultation as A.torney General some time in March lest. He is given credit in this statement orly for the able character of his brief of the case, and the precision of statement in his letter. —_____». A FLOWER CLOCK. Recording the Progress of Time in Floral Terms. From Harper's Round Table. An English journal contains the following ingenious hint to the little gardeners. We have not tested the scheme ourselves, but it reads plausibly, as follows: It is quite possible to so arrange flowers in a garden that all the purposes of a clock will be answered. In the time of Pliny forty-six flowers were known to open and shut at certain hours of the day, and this number has since been largely increased. For instance, a bed of common dandelions ; would show when it was 5:30 In the morn- ing and 8:30 at night, respectively, for those flowers open and shut at the times named, frequently to the minute. The common hawk-weed opens at 8 in the morning, and may be depended upon to close within a few minutes of 2 in the afternoon. The yellow goat's beard shuts at 12 o’clock noon abso- lutely to the minute, sidereal time—that is, when the sun attains its highest altitude. Our clocks do not follow the sun, but are generally a few minutes fast or slow, ac- cording to the longitude of the place where they are. The goat’s beard, however, is true time all the world over. The sow- thistle opens at 5 a.m. and closes at 11—12 a.m. The white lily opens at 7 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m.; the pink opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 6:30 p.m. In the towns few people know about such details as these; ror are the flower clocks often seen any where, though they have been constructed occasionally. Even in these days, however, farm servants often take their dinner hour from the sun, or, fafling that, from the yel- low goat’s beard, which is never mistaken, whether it can see the sun or not. ——_+e+—____ A Solitary Drug Store. From the New York Times. I am informed by a man who ought to know that there is in the whole country only one drug store, and that is in 5th avenue, New York. No patent medicines, no pro- prietary articles of any description are kept for sale there. It is simply and purely a prescription drug store. Ten prescription clerks are employed and kept busy. On the second floor are some of the finest micro- scopes in the world, and these are in con- stant use. The leading physicians of the city are the patrons of the place, and all their analyzing ‘is done there. The annual income of the proprietor from prescriptions and analyses alone is over $25,000. ———_ee- Power of Old ai New Navy. President E."B, Andrews in Scribner's, The old Constitution could, with her best guns, at 1,000 yards, pierce twenty-two inches of oak about the thickness of her qwn hull at water line. The five-e'ghths of au inch steel covering at the Atlanta's water line had nearly the same resisting power as the Constitution's twenty-two inches of oak. The Atlanta's six-inch guns will, at 1,000 yards, bore through a surface having twenty times the resisting power of her own or the Constitution’s hull at water line. Ai the same range her eigat- inch guns pierce fourteen inches of. iron. IN NEW YORK CITY Effort to Hold the Democratic Na- tional Convention There, THE PLATFCRM THE MAIN QUESTION South and West for Silver and the East for Gold. A COMPROMISE SURE When it was first proposed to hold the democratic national convention in New York city a smile passed over the faces of southern and western men. They were not prepared to consider the suggestion seri- ously. They could see nothing elise in it but a proposition that the republican strongholds be permitted by the use of local influences to name the democratic ticket and write tne le‘nocratic platform, and a smile was the only notice they would bestow upon it. They are now looking at the matter in another light, and New York being advised of this is exerting herself to the utmost to carry the day. The Platform the Main Question. The main question involved is the plat- form. The democratic leaders seem to be thinking almost exclusively of that. The southern and western men, as us' have no candidate for the presidency, that is to say, they are not insisting upon the nom- ination of any particular man. That mat- ter, as usual, will be ‘eft to the east. If the east proposes a good western man he will be accepted; if the east proposes a good man of her own he will be accepted. The question of oversaadowing considera- tion is the platform, and especially the financial plark of the instrument. SF gure nd West for Silver. ie south and the west are still holling out against Mr. C.eveland’s policy. The fact appears conspicuously in the Senate today, where the response to the President's re- quest for a low rate gold bond is a bill for the free coinage of silver. The bill has been brought in on the strength of democratic votes, and the majority of the votes that will pass it when the vote is called will come from the same side of the chamber. Mr, Jones of Arkansas, who has reported it and will di.,ect the debate in its favor, is a candidate fo: re-eleccion, and thus bases his campaign on silver. All of this is ac- cepted as showing that the silver men in the democratic party are still full of fight, and that wherever the national convention may be held, they will be on hand in a bel- ligerent mood in support of their comvic~ tions. Must Be a Compromise. But there are some unwelcome things that these men are now forced to concede. One of these things ts that the adoption of a free silver piatform by the democratic party this year is most unlikely, no mat- ter where the national conveation may be held. Each faction may exert itself never so valiantly in that body, but a compromise will be the result. A compromise will be absolutcly essential to hold the party to- gether. An unequivyecal deliverance in favor of free silver would cause the eastera demo- crats to bolt. and a gold Geliverance straightout would have the same effect pn the southern and western men. A compro- mise being necessary, therefore, where should it be written? In the east, where the gold men are in control, or in the west, or middle states, where ihe silver men are strong? The East's Position. The eastern men who are urging that the convention be held in New York put the case in this way: Regardless of all protests from the south and west, the record of the administration must be carefully considered in whatever shail be done. It is a part of the party’s record. For the party to go into national convention and repudiate openly and ovtright everything that Mr. Cleveiand has done of a financial nature would be to surrender the whole case in advance. Why make a tomination after a performance like that? The east would either bolt, or stay at home on elec- tion day. In either event the republicans would have a waikover. As the record of the ad:ministration,therefore,is to be protect- ed in the drafting of the platform, why not consent that the work be executed in that section when that feature of the party’s necessity is best unde-stood? If disaster follows; if, as the m2a of the south and West contend, a too muterial recognition of Mr. Cleveland’s performances must cost the party the election, the responsibility will not be tneirs. New Yorkers im Earnest. The strenzth of no city asking for the convention can as yet be stated, Cincin- nati, Chicago and St. Louis are all well considered - New York is both sttepgly urged and strongly opposed. It has un- doubtedly grown in popular speculation in the past fortnight, and upon tl tloped. The New Yorkecs a: couraged they are coming rumbers next week. They field to all candidates. No interests will be permitted to to any other man’s disadvantage. Not ta whisper is uttered as to the third term project. The whole talk is of harmony, and of writing a platform upon which all dem- ocrats may stand under circumstances far frem comforting even when taken at the best. —_——_—+-2+__. I A Bad Dream. From the Mscom (Ga.) Telegraph. An old negro man in East Macon had six tees burned off a day or two ago, two on one foot and four on the other. They were literally charred to pieces. The old man had gone home and found his wife “in de sulks.” She refused to cook his supper. He make up a hoecake, put it in the oven, sliced a piece of meat, put it on the coals and proceeded to rest his weary limbs in frent of the fireplace while the supper was cooking. His wife sat in the corner, with her face to the wall. The old man began to dream that he was a restless horse in a barn, and as he pawed around at the side of the house he gradually approached the ccals on the hearth. Finally his stocking foot touched one of the live embers. He thought his horse’s foot had struck a nail, and the wound was very painful. He shook it about and rubbed the other foot against it, and the pain was communicated from one foot to the other. When the suffering became so great he couldn’t stand it any lcnger, he awoke and six of his toes hag been burned off. ——-e2e—_____ Trouble in the Houschold. From the Chicago ‘Tribune. “And to think,” shrilly vociferated Mrs. Absalom Joyce, when the family quarrel had reached its acute stage, “that my wealth once would have brought to my feet many a man worth a dozen of you! But I thought I wanted you and 1 bought you! I simply bought you!" “You are right, my dear!” retorted Ab- salom, pale with wrath. “You paid your money and you took your Joyce.” ———_-see_—___ What She Meant. He—“Pardcn me, you rhowld ray ‘hold me quickly.’ ” She (demurely)—“But I meant both.”