Evening Star Newspaper, August 19, 1897, Page 1

THE EVENING &TAR. PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 3101 Pennsylracia Avene, Cor. 11th 8t., by The Evening Star Newspaper Company 8. H. KAUrFMANN, Pres'’t. eegeeees New York Office, 49 Potter Building. ‘The Evening Star is served to subscribers fa the city by carriers. on their own account, at 10 ecnis per week, or 44 cents per month. Copies at the ceunter 2 cents each. By mail—anywhere in the United States or Cenada—postage prepaid—50 cents per month Satcrday Quintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with foretzn postage added, $3.00. (Entered at the Post Office at Washington, D. C., @s_seccud-class matl matter.) 17 All mail subscriptions must be paid fp advance. Rates of advertising made known on application. The Lenin g § aw. No. 13,874. WASHINGTON, D. C., THURSDAY,: AUGUST 19, 1897-TEN PAGES. TWO CENTS. CHEAP ARMOR PLATE J. H. Carpenter Claims It Can Be Made for $150. THIS WOULD GIVE PROFIT OF $50 Board Will Consider His Proposi- tion in a Few Days. EXPERTS’ FAVORABLE REPORT ee READING, Pa., August 19—J. H. Car- penter, founder of the Carpenter steel works, this city, of which he was formerly general manager, has prepared a state- ment showing that steel armor plate can be furnished to the government at a tri- fling figure compared with what is now being paid. Mr. Carpenter is a well-known steel expert and inventcr, and was for- merly in the United States navy. The Carperter steel works, from which Mr. Carpenter has retired, have, up to this" time, furnished the government with near- ly $1,000,000 worth of projectiles, and a 500,000 crder is now being filled. His price Is so far below the government limit of $00 a ton, that the Bethlehem and Car- negie companies say they cannot meet with their Harveyized nickel-steel plates, as to occasion the armor plate board much surprise. Done by New Process. Mr. Carpenter claims that by new pneu- matic processes steel of the best physical Properties and chemical conditions can be uniformly made and much waste avoided. A plant can be built for less than half the Toney, and the steel can be made and cast in a quarter of the time now required. Experts .in steel and government inspectors of menufacture seem satisfied of the value of the processes and his ability to per- fcrm his promises. His estimates of cost have been compared with the cost sheets ferwarded to Congress by the examining board, and are found to agree, except where less work is done. His reports set forth that because cf a few very large plates that must be made the plant must be much mere exteusive than would be required for the general average of plates. As the plant for manu- facture would be used only a smal part of the year on armecr plate, it could at other tim: be utilized in the production of projectiles, gun and carriage forgings and the many kinds of castings now re- quired in making ordnance. These grades of steel can be made at a cost ranging frem one to three cents per pound. Option to Buy Plant. Originally Mr. Carpenter's plans were to crganize and equip the works himself, but now he concludes to give the option to the government. If it is declined he says he will organize his own company and sell the armor plate at $150 per ton, allowing $0 for profit and contingencies. The board has written him that it will be ready to consider nis praposals in a few days. At the Navy Department it is stated that innumerable offers are received aimost daily to furnish armor plates to the gov- €rnment, and that the offer of Mr. Carpen- ter is in the number. These offers are re- ferred to the board having charge of armor plate matters and are investigated by that e offers to furnish armor plate were r ved yesterday ranging in amount frem $60 a ton up. An offer has also been received to furnish a new process which will do away entirely with armor plate. 2 PILGRIMAGE OF CHEROKEES. They Wfll March to the Grave of Fermer Chief Watohna. OAK LODGE, I. T., August 19.—Exten- sive preparations are going on among the Cherokee Indians for a pilgrimage to Rus- sellvilie, Ky. Charles Parker, a nephew of the celebrated Comanche chief, Quanah Parker, has just returned from Frank‘ort, Ky., where he has been to secure permis- sion for 1,200 Cherokee braves to march into the state and hold a week's celebra- tion in honor of Chief Watohna, at a place three miles distant from Russellville, where the great warrior was said to have been killed in 1749 in a battle with the Shawnees. In September 1,200 of the tribe, accom- panied by Capt.’ Raleigh, will begin the long march to the old battlefield, and carry with them all the carved legends and war souvenirs of Chief Watohna, which they will deposit on his grave. This deposit of s and trthal relics is said to be ntly taught the Chero- kees by an old withered medicine man that the tribe is doomed to complete extinction within a few years. The march will be a RATCHFORD CALLS IT A BLUFF. Statement That Pittsburg Operators Intend to Start Up Again. COLUMBUS, Ohio, August 19.—A rumor that certain Pittsburg operators have made statements that they intend to resume, even if Gatling guns e to be used and Pinkerton men employed, is characterized by President Ratchford as a “bluff.” He 8a ere is one interpretation of this state- ment, namely, that the operators prefer to shed blood rather than negotiate a peace- ful settlement. They cannot build stock- high enough or strong enough in the urg district to hold non-union work- and any effort in that direction will In the first place, there is no unatim- mong the operators, and in the second place they cannot hope to get non-union workmen. Further than that the opinion of the great public will of itself defeat their plans, even though they were agreed and non-union labor could be secured.” ae IOWA POPULISTS’ CONVENTION. Hundred Delegates Present at Roll Call This Morning. DES MG@iNES, Iowa, August 19.—Two hundred delegates were present today when the middle-of-the-road populist state convention was called to order at 11 a.m. by Chairman W. A. C. Weeks of Winter- set. A. W. Ricker of lowa City, temporary chairman, addressed the convention. United Stat-s Senator W. A. Peifer of < as makes a speech this afternoon. Steinberger, the Kansas member of the executive board of the populist nation- al organization committee, also speaks. ——-. WARSHIP’S MACHINERY DISABLED. re fail ity Two Escort to President Faure Returns to Port in Trouble. DUNKIRK, August 19. — The French cruiser Bruix, which, with the cruiser Cur- couf, was escorting the cruiser Pothuau, with President Faure end his suite on beard, on the way to Cronstadt, has re- turned here with her The battle ship DupuyraiecEene-neusaaers ed to replace the Bruix. | BOMB THROWERS ARRESTED COAL TRAIN STONED TRADE EVERYWHERE ACTIVE TOBOGANNING TOMES KIDNAPED BOY FOUND| Three Armenians Charged With the Explo- sions at Constantinople. It is Believed That the Police Hi Discovered a Widespread An- archistic Plot. CONSTANTINOPLE, August 19.—Three arrests have been made as a result of the bomb explosions here yesterday. All the priscncrs are Armentans. The author of the explosion which took plice in the offices of the grand vizier is a native of Kaisarish, His hand was in- jured by the explesion. The police are actively searching the Armenian quarter for accomplices of the bomb throwers, and the streets are thor- cugbly patrolled by treops and police. The explosion of bombs was attempted simultancousiy at three different places in Constantinople yesterday afternoon. The explosions were attributed to the Arme- nians. At 3 o'clock 2 bomb was thrown just outside the police headquarters, in the Pera district. It failed to explode. Almost at the same moment an Armenian, whose name, it is believed, is Garavbet, was arrested at the Imperial Ottoman Bank, in the Galata district. He was car- rying a package of explosives, which ke was trying to igaite. A second bomb was exploded in_a pri- vate way between the vizierate (offices of the grand vizier) and the state council house. One man was killed and several hers were severely injured. The explo- sion shattered windows in the vicinity and did other slight damage. Reports of the outrages spread quickly through the city and caused the greatest excitement. The fact that the police and guards at the sultan’s palace tcok extra- ordinary precautions last night gave color to a rumor that the bomb throwing is part of a widespread plot The most abject terror prevailed in the precincts of the palace. In many parts of the city, particularly in the vicinity of the police headquarters and other state coun- cil houses, all the shops were closed, and it was necessary to call out the entire po- lice force and the military before anything like calm was restored. The Armenian who was arrested at the Imperial Otto- man Bank was trying, it is reported, to place the bundle of explosives near one of the main entrances. The crowd who saw him delivered by the bank officials to the police would have made short work of him if they had not been prevented. The police were very reticent as to the reason for summoning the palace guard and closing all the doors and gateways, but it is rumored that a similar outrage was attempted within the palace limits, and that the approaches were barred to prevent the exit of the would-be perpe- trator. —_——— FRANK SCOTT DROWNED. Washington Man Knocked From His Herxe Into Mountain Strenm. Special Dispatch to The Evening Star. LOUISVILLE, Ky., August 19.—A dis- patch from Pennington Gap, Va., cays a man whose name is supposed to have been Scott, and whose home Washington, lost his life in a mountain stream on the Vir- ginia side Tuesday night. He had been acting in some capacity for a patent firm in New York for several weeks in Kentucky, but the papers on his person do not state his home nor the name of the firm he represented. He gave his name as Frank Scott to one Kentucky man, and is said to have lived in Washington all his hfe. He was a middle-aged man and dressed well. He was knocked off his horse by a Hmb and fell in a swollen creek, drowning before he could get out. Scott's Identity Not AscePtained. Inquiry made about the city today failed to elicit any definite information concern- ing the identity of tne dead man. There are several Frank Scotts whose homes are here, but so far as could be ascertained they are in the city. Sergeant Daley of the fourtly police precinct told a Star reporter that he krew a Frani ct, a young man who lived here near 7th and P streets northwest. This young man, he said, w: tary public and did work for av insur company here. Ue tol] the sergeant going away, but just where he was going he dil not MEETING OF FIRE CHIEFS. One of the Visitors Assaulted by a Western Uiion Lineman. NEW HAVEN, Conn., August 19.—Tne greater part of the third day of the annual convention of the International Association of Fire Chiefs was given over to recreation. Early in the day there were tests of the various new apliances for fighting fires. The apparatus. which attracted the most attention was a new underground hydrant with three nozzles. Another was a new device for raising a ladder at any angle desired. The local committee of arrangements greatly deplore an accident to Assistant Chief Cummings of Atlanta, Ga., who was assaulted and badly cut by William Bar- rett, a Western Union Telegraph Company lineman, last evening. Cummings mistook Barrett for a brother chief and slapped him on the shoulder. Barrett resented tne familiarity and pummeled the fire fighter. He was arrested, and in the police court this morning was held for trial tomorrow on a charge of assault. —_-—_ SILESIA VISITED BY STORMS. Mefuse Accumulated by the Causes Typhus Fever. BERLIN, August 19.—The greater part of Silesia has been visited by severe storms and several persons have been killed by lightning. ‘Typhus fever is rampant at Rogan, in consequence of the water used for drink- ing there having become infected by the refuse accumulated by the floods. SS DIPLOMATIC RUMOR DENIED. Flood No Truth in Report Concerning Count Von Hatsfeldt-Wildembarg. LONDON, August 19.—At the German embassy here, it is denied that Count Von Hatzfeldt-Wildemburg, the German am- bassador to the court of St. tends to retire from the df, vice at the end of the year and that he will be succeeded by the German ambassa- dor at St. Petersburg, Prince Von Rado- lan. : -_—_———_—_. CLERGYMAN’S SUDDEN DEATH. Rev. Houghton of tingdon, Pa., Found Dead In Bed. HUNGTINDON, Pa., August 19.—Rev. W. H. J. Houghton, for two years past rector of St. James’ Episcopal Church here and of the Eplscoval Church of Tyrone, was found dead in bed this morning, at his residence. His wife, at 4 o'clock, dis- expired. Rev. Houghton was a native of Salt Lake City, Utah. {Safe SS Fiercely Attacked by Men Concealed in the Brush at Barton. NEW PHASE IN THE MINERS’ STRIKE President Ratchford Says Conserv- ative Tactics Will Be Abandoned. MORE MEN QUIT WORK COLUMBUS, O., August 19.—A special to the Dispatch from Wheeling, W. Va., says: Unknown parties concealed in the brush about the C., L. and W. track at Barton last night attacked a passing northbound coal train. As the train passed the spot a volley of stones was sent at the trainmen wherever one was in view. Fireman Lit- tle was struck by one of the flying missiles and quite badly cut. Later another train at the same place collided with a pile of empty oll barrels, which had been put’on the track and fas- tened with a heavy rail. Fortunately, En- gineer Leggett was looking out for trou- ble at this point, and was running the train very slow, preventing an accident. Every effort is being made by the county authori- ties to apprehend the guilty parties. National Committee Meeting. The national executive committee of the Miners’ Association was called to meet here today. Some members arrived late. Mr. Dolan of Pittsburg being asked why they were here, said he did not know, having been summoned without explanation. At headquarters Secretary Pierce said they did not have any news to give out, except that the committee The board p.m. to await arrival of absent members of the board. All of the board, says Presi- dent Ratchford, are expected to be here except Fred Dilcher, who is looking after the official affairs of the organization in West Virginia. To Abandon Conservative Policy. Being asked to foreshadow the proposed action of the executive board today, Presi- dent Ratchford said: “The conservative policy adopted by our board at the begin- ning must necessarily be departed from, because of the extreme radical policy of the other side. We would much prefer a fight, a battle along peaceable lines, as we have been doing. But our board will be obliged to meet the tactics of the other side, and also to take steps to extend the fight into other fields. “We have to adopt other methods to meet the injunctions. Our people are being arrested in a wholesale manner for holding public meetings, and we don't propose to have injunctiors break this strike.” Deputies Stop Marchers. PITTSBURG, Pa., August 19.—The camp- ers at Plum Creek marched at 5 o'clock this morning, acccrding to their announce- ment, but they were stepped by the dep- uty sheriffs and turned back to their cumps, where the sheriff has concluded they can remain as long as they are or- derly. ‘The deputies took a high hand in the affair this morning, and none of the strik- ers was allowed to be on the road, even thcugh they were in pairs and 100 yards apart. The strikers did not stop to argue the matter, but obeyed the officers of the law without a murmur. It is reported that about 200 farmers from Plum Creek and Wilkins township will make a sympathetic demonstration teday. They will form at New Texas and march the Saltsburg pike to the strikers’ camps at Plum Creek and Turtle Creek. A number of wagons, containing food and provisions, -will accompany them on the march, and speeches will be made by the leading farmers. The arrangements for this march were completed last week, and everything is in readiness for theefarmers to go ahead. District President Patrick Dolan left for Columbus, Ohio, last night to attend a secret conference of labor leaders and coal operators to be held there today. West Virginia Strikers Discouraged. WHEELING, W. Va., August 19,—The strike situation is decidedly mixed in West Virginia today. The news that the Pittsburg operators have decided to re- sume at all hezard, and the report that Dolan and representatives of the operators have asked Ratchfcrd to come. to Pitts- burg with a view of settling the strike, had a depressing influence upon West Virginian miners. The hope has been held out to them that when a settlement came they would be ccnsulted, and that a scile of wages that would help them would be enforced. But if Pittsburg is to make the settlement all hope of this is lost. The camp at Montana is still 4 lively place, the presence of the strikers’ wives adding much to the gayety, and no thought of sorrow for the men on trial at Clarks- burg seems to be entertained. In tne New River region five mines were closed yes- teray and in the Kanawha valley but one miner went to work. On the Norfolk arc Western there is no reduction of cutput and no organizers are in sight, all but two of the peddling mines in the Wheeling district are closed, in- cluding eastern Ohio, and but for the use of natural gas every industry in the mid- dle Ohio valley would be closed. Demand an Increase of 7 Cents. REYNOLDSVILLE, Pa., August 19.—At a meeting of about 1,000 miners and labor- ers of Big Soldier, Sprague, Hamilton and People mines near here. it was decided to demand an advance in wages from 25 to 32 cents per ton for machine mining, and from 30 to 40 cents per ton for pick mining; other wages in proportion and satisfaction in regard to checkweighmen’s pay. A committee was appointed to call on General Manager Robinson and present the demands. Meanwhile arrangements will be made to call meetings at all the other mines of the Jeffersonville and Clearfield CcajJ and Iron Company, with a view of having the men demand a similar advance, and all possible influence will be used to extend the strike into the Clearfield county collieries. There are now 1,500 strikers here. Or- ganizer Harris is confident the men will win. A six-foot fence is being built around the Jefferson and Clearfield Coal and Iron Company's Big Soldier works, and it is re- perten that new men will be started to worl Col. Robert’s Investigation. Col. Henry M. Robert, formerly Engineer Commissioner of the District, president of the board of engineers of the War De- partment In New York, has been here on his way home from Texas, where he was ergaged in an {investigation of the work | Reports of Commercial Tfavelers and Whole- » sale'Merchants, = Assistant Postmuster General Heath Tells of His Experience Among the Buyers fm New York. Assistant Postmaster.General Heatn, who has returned to the city, mingled, during his absence, with a good many commercial meh who had recently traveled through va- rious sections of the country. ‘Reports of Prosperity being revived come from every quarter,” he said, speaking to a Star re- porter today. “During pome days I spent in New York I was thrown in contact with @ great many commercial travelers and wholesale merchants, especially in the dry goods trade. I met:in New York a rela- tive, who ts one of*the largest wholesale merchants in the south, and went around with him among thé buyers and to whole- sale merchants in New York. The mer- chants all declared that their trade was active, and that there. was every evidence of a genuine revival of business. I talk- ed with many drummers, some who had been traveling through New England and the eastern states, some through the south and others as far west as Iowa and through Michigan, Minnesota, Illinois, In- diana and Ohio. They- all had the same story to tell—that business was active--and many of them said that it was better than they had seen it befere at any time within four years. “There was no idle talk about this. It was merely the discussion of business men among themselves, dealing frankly with the situation and evidently with no pur- pose of exaggeration. There is no doubt about it that the merchants and business men ‘feel that prosperity is returning. All classes of people, in fact, acknowledge it. Democrats and republicans, and silver men as Well as gold men, with whom I talked all said prosperity had come, and that they were glad of it. There seems to be a general spirit of good feeling. I found this not only in New York, but in New England at various places.” Speaking of political. conditions, Mr. Heath said that he had heard, through his brother and from other sources, most favorable reports from Ohio, from a repub- lican point ‘of view, ‘fhe information I get,”” he said, “makes me more confident of republican success in Ohio this fall than we were at ‘the last election. The fight there is squarely-om the money ques- tion, the democrats being thoroughly com- mitted to free silver and the Chicago plat- form, and this Is greatly to the advantage of the republicans. The business interests are all on the republican side, just as it was in the presidential campaign last year. Men who are a force im business Ife--prac- tically every one who has anything or has any prospect—are with the-republicans, in fact, and there fs no danger, in my judg- ment, of the republicaris suffering re- te AT HIGH WATER MARK. Commissioner Evatin Thigks the Pen- sion Raji Will Now Decrease. Commissioner of' Pe#igjons Evans believes that the pensidh’ roll of the government has reached its ‘maximum: volume. From now on he thinks there will be a decrease in the number of pensioners. “I think there will now be a gradual falling off in ‘the numpbef/ of pensioners,” said Commissioner Evans to a Star report- er today. “Imst year 31,900 pensioners died, in aggition to which 1,074 widows lost their pefsions by remarfiage, 1,845 minors receiving pensions lost ‘them by arriving at the age, limitation, 2,683 by fail- ure to claim them and 3,560 from other causes, making a grand total In the reduc- tion of pensioners 41,122. “I think Congress should take prompt action in preventing a multiplication of pensions through the marriage of old sol- diers. We have on the rolls the widows of seven revolitionary soldiers. A case was’ Giscovered in which’ an aged soldier was propped up in bed to be married to a young girl and after the ceremony had been per- formed he dropped back and dled. In that case the pension ‘was not paid. But a good many people think that the prospec- tive pension 4s a widow of a soldier is enougn to cause many young girls to mar- ry aged men for whom they care nothing except to have a pension for the balance of their lives, It seems to me the practice is a bad one, and.I hope Congress will take this matter in hand and pass legis- lation to prevent a pension being given widows of soldiers. of the !ast war who marry the soldiers in the future.” Sa CENTURY PLANT IN BLOOM. A Unique Attraction at the White House. The century plant at the White House which has been getting ready for several months to bloom is now in blossom, and every lady visitor stops to look at it and talk about it. There ere many century plants of all varieties at the White House, but this is the first to bloom there, and naturally attracts attention. The plant is of the Agava Americana variety, so plentiful and so beautiful in Mexico and Central’America. It is at least fifty years old, and, of course, has never before bloomed. After the blossoms disap- pear, which will be in a short time, the plant will die. In the country in which the century plant is at home it blooms in from seven to fifteen years, but the climate of this country retards maturity. There «were thirteen branches on the plant. The first three branches to bloom were sent to Mrs. McKinley at Lake Cham- plain, by Henry Pfeister, the head of the White House conservatory. Four branches are now in bloom and six are yet to bloom. The branches are about eight inches long, and the plant is about twelve feet high. In Mexico the plant ofteri grows as high as thirty feet and has*branches six feet long, with blooms at the end. Mrs, Cleveland may get one of the branches. The century plant ae ‘always flowers in August. This is in its native country Feil = th country. ane lower of the spe of a yel- jomiah green. color ané ee in a globose luster. Persona} Sian Representative Hitt of Iiinols is in the city, and called upon Acting Secretary Roosevelt today. ; Mr. Ghas. F. 4 ahd Mr. Wm. C. Botsch have return three weeks’ outing at Atlantic'City, — Mr. M. J. Lane left the*city today for an extended trip >the east and Canada. ‘Alexander Ashley ofthe weather bureau, but now detached fog dufy at the clvii service yn, is urn! 7 twenty days at ‘Oceas® Grove, Mr. Singleton L.. Cooper left today to visit friends in Staffotd county, Va. - SESE Cater gt coon ‘The North Atjamtic Squadron. cockroach, which never troubles the old beoks, but is attracted by the paste on the as dust, and there is no insect which could porary leted. By the superintendent of the bullding. Science, Fiction and Philosophy Shooting the Chutes. MOVING THE CONGRESSIONAL LIBRARY Novel Processes Adopted in the Transfer of Valuable Volumes. MODERN METHODS IN VOGUE “Shooting the chutes” is the form of amusement being indulged in at the Capi- tol just now. It is really not indulged for pastime, however, but is done in strict- ly a serious business sense, as the books are being removed from the old Congres- sional Library in the Capitol building to the new library. The work of removal was begun this week, but !s just now tempor- arjly delayed owing to the necessary prepa- ratior of the volumes in the Capitol before they can be transferred to their 1.ew home. Books, like people, cannot be moved helter skelter. They must be prepared for the transferral, and this work is going on at present, so the “chutes” are having a temporary rest. One of these chutes extends from the east portico of the Capitol to the plaza, and is simply a long, narrow wooden trough, in which the specially constructed boxes are placed with the volumes inside and slid down to the plaza. Then they cre lifted from the chute and placed in the wagcns and taken to the new library building. Most of the materia! removed so far has been copyright material, all musical com- positions, unbound periodicals and dupli- cates of books. The Chutes Described. * The chutes extend at first from the old library ficor to the fourth floor. When the books from these floors have been taken down in the little boxes, with handles, which just slide easily in the troughs, the chute will be dropped to the floor beneath, and the same process is indulged in. The arrangements are most complete in every particular. All of the books to be transferred receive first an outside label. The work of prepar- ing them for their new resting places is a job both arduous and particular. t care has to be taken to have this done ex- actly, or the results would be a woeful mixing of volumes. Almost the same effect would be produced as the mistaking of sig- nals on a trunk line railway. It would hard- ly do for a congressman piously inclined to send a message through the pneumatic tube for the latest edition of Cushing’s Manual and receive in return a beautiful book in red, white and blue, on “How to Beat the National Game—An Up-to-Date Treatise on Poker as Played Through teen Administrations.” Therefore, it can be seen that the ticketing-of the books takes special care. There is no truth, however, in the rumor that every volume is opened with prayers. ‘The Process of Labeling. All of the volumes receive. an outsid> label. This label is firmly glued to the back. The grand division is marked cn each and also the subdivision. This is to show where they will go, in order to be er- ranged with all books on the same subject. They will further receive the figures of dis- tinctive “deck” or floor of the new building to which they will go for permanent ar- rangement. They are marked with sepa- rate number for each shelf, besides colored labels, assigning the volumes to their proper shelves in the new. library building. The shelves in the new library building are of rolled steel, light and firm, instead of cumbrous iron, and are nearly as smooth as glass, the surface being galvan- ized by the Bower-Barff process. Work of the Experts. The library experts are at present busily «ngaged In ticketing the volumes. As they are finished they are placed in the boxes, shot to the floor, where they are lif! hand and carried through the Cap ridors to the east front, where the pro’ of shooting the chutes is again gone through with. When the volumes reach the bottom they are Ifted into the carts and removed direct to the new building. A watchman accompanies cach cart, so that by no possibility can a volume be taken or lost. When the cart with the boxes arrives at the new building the boxes are lifted out and taken inside, where the pneumatic hose is turned on them. This is an original idea with Superintendent Green of the new library. Down stairs in the basement is the huge compressed air tank for the au- tomatic pneumatic service through the tv: nel connecting the library with the Capitol, its leagth being about 1,300 fee. This is to convey messages for books from the Capitol, the cable which takes them being in the same place. Will Keep the Books Clean. The air tank has been utilized fo> the purpose of dusting the books. A long hose, with a nozzle on the order of that on a watering pot, has been conne:ted with the air tank. The nozzle is turned on the boxes of books, and the visitor, unaware of the method to be employed, stands aghast at the idea of the volumes being drenched with water. A stopcock is turned on. There 13 a sound like that made by the air brakes on a car when it slows up at a statior. The dust is everywhere in a second—but on the volumes, which are taken to their final resting places. The only insect which has been discov- ered so far in removing the books is the a 8S new ones. The old volumes are all dry find anything about them to subsist on. * The work of tran8ferring the volumes will take at least five or six weeks, it is thought. At different times there will be employed datly from twenty to sixty tem- persons until the removal is com- The day laborers will be employed —_——.-—__ Recent Naval Orders. The officers who heve been out with the Monongahela have been detached and or- dered back to the Naval Academy. Lieut. Guaring has been detached from the Stan- Another Communication Five-Year-Old John Conway Restored to His i) Parents. The Child Was Abducted by His Uncle and a Man Named Blake. ALBANY, N. Y., August 19.—Five-year- old John Conway, who has been at the mercy of kidnapers since Monday morn- ing, was returned to his parents shortly after 9 o'clock today, through the efforts of private detectives and reporters in the em- ploy df the Argus. The child was abducted by his uncle, Joseph Hardy, and H. G. Blake. Hardy has been placed under arrest, but Blake escaped from his captors and is being pursued by a squad of police. Early yesterday morning a clue was se- cured that a relative of Mr. Conway had some connection with the kidnaping, and an investigation of the character and repu- tation of Hardy strengthened the belief that if the Conway child was to be re- stored, it would be through information given by this relative. Slowly but surely a chain of evidence was made against him and early this morning it was believed that Blake was his companion in the crime. Binke Makes Confession. Blake was found and taken to the Argus office with Hardy at 4 o'clock this morning. He was indirectly -aecused of knowing where the child was, but was deeply af- fronted and apparently offended at such a suggestion. He was pressed closely and never given an opportunity to concoct or fix a scheme whereby he could throw his accusers cff the track. It was seen that threats would not bring bout the desired results and persuasion was brought to bear on him. He was offered a big ransom to tell anything he knew about the kidnap- ig, and finally it was made so large that he confessed the kidnaping and piloted a party of Argus men some five miles out in the courtry, where he left them, and in & short time returned with the boy in his arms. Given a Stuffed Pocket Book. He was given a stuffed pocket book for his ransom, and an effort was made to ar- rest him. When he saw that he had been trapped he vulled a revolver, fired four shots and broke away from his captors, who did not pursue him, but drove immediately to the city with the boy. Their drive through the city will long be remembered. Driving down State street at a few minutes before 9 o'clock, when thousands of people were on the streets, the little fellow was held high in the air and his rescuers shouted, “We've got him.” In I than a second, the crowd realized what" “We've got him” meant, and an uproarious shout went uv. Men, women and children followed the wagon with shouts of joy to the Argus office, where little Johnny Conway was placed in the window for the benefit of the admiring and joyous crowd. Joy of the Mother. Ten minutes later he was receiving the loving embraces and fend kisses of his mother, who rejoiced as if one from the grave had been restored to her. In fact, the neighbors for blocks around, who had been in sympathetie mourning with the parents of the boy since his mysterious disappear- ance, were overcome with joy at his re- who will probably soon be brought to bay by the police, did not cpenly confess that he kidnaped the boy, but claimed that he knew a party who knew where the boy could be found. ee A CLAIM AGAINST ECUADOR. Blane Charges False Imprison- ment and Hl Treatment. Lewis Jerome Edward Blanc,.an Ameri- can citizen, has @Jed with the State Depart- ment a claim: against the government of Keuador for $200,000 for false imprison- ment and ill treatment over twenty years ago. Gen. W. W. Dudley represents Dr. Blanc. The State Department will not send the claim to Ecuador until the new minister to that country goes from here. The present mirister will not get a chance at the case. Between 1873 ané 1881 Dr. Blanc lived in Ecuador. He practiced medicine and farm- ed, and was doing well. He incurred the ill will of the governor of his province, and on a trivial pretence was arrested’ ard thrown in jail. He was ill treated and kept in prison a long time. He was at last re- leased through the efforts of the American government. He filed claims several years ago, but they were never pushed to final action. Dr. Blane was born in New Orleans, but in recent years has been living in Savan- nah, Ga. He bas row moved to this city, and will remain here until something deti- nite is done. ——_——_-e-______ HOW THEY OBTAINED PLACE. Dr. Department Clerks Mi m Account of Themselves. Assistant Secretary Vanderlip has or- t dered that, in addition to the census to be taken of the number of old soldiers, sailors, soldiers’ widows and army nurses in the Treasury Department throughout the ccuntry, a compilation be made of the departmental histery of Blanks will be sent out to each employe with a request to fill in a statement of how he or she came in the classified serv- ice, together with a general history of pro- motion, reduction, salary, etc., The ques- tions will be full and searching. every employe. The primary object is to ascertain how many employes attained their positions through political were already in the department when they were put under the givil service and how many have come into the service through regular civil service examinations. influence, how many All this information will be used in the future in the Treesury Department: It may result in some changes, but that is not the purpose at the present time. —_———2+______ REPLY TO JAPAN’S NOTE. Regarding Hawalian Annexation. The State Department has sent to the Japanese legation its reply to the lasc note of the Japanese government relat- ing to the annexation of Hawaii. The officials in the cent regarding there is no intention ent are very reti- the reply and say that making it public. : The Evening Star is the only afternoon paper in Washington that receives the dispatches of the Associated Press. It therefore the only one in w the reader can find the complete news of the world, directly trans- mitted by telegraph, up to the moment of going to press. TO TEST EFFICIENCY Bules Drawn Up by the Civil Service Commission. WILL HAVE PRELIMINARY TRIAL May Eventually Be Applied Gen- erally. FOR MAKING PROMOTIONS apes: In view of the President's amendment to civil service rule-Il, which provides that dismissals from the public service shall be only for cause, and that promotions shall be based upon merit, the civil service com- mission has drawn up a sect of rules as a suide for an efficiency record. These rules are of a tentative character, and in order to test them before applying them to the entire force of the civil service commission they are row being applied to the certifica- tion division of the commission. These rules are especially interesting to all government employes, as it is likely they will eventually form the basis of sim- ilar rules in all the departments keeping no efficiency record at present. The rules follow: Ordered: That beginning August 16, 1897, the following records shall be kept in the certification division: Record of the arrival and departure each In day of each employe in that division. connection with this record, taken by an employe for lunch in exc’ the thirty minutes allowed will be noted. For difference in timepieces a margin of three minutes will be allowed in noting e of arrival. Note will be made of all es in which an employe works over- time, tne note to distinguish betwcen over- time which is voluntary, and that which fs done by order. All cases of exceptionally meritorious work, whether in quality or quanti both. will be specially reco: the particular kind of work Any improvement in metho¢ by an employe and adopted by mission will be specially recorde A record of all errors committed will also be kept. This récord will show the nature of the error, and when and by wiom com- mitted. While it is expected that errors will be made, yet the commission desires that the utmost care be taken to guard against the same. The records indicated will be submitted to the commission at the end of each month, A transcript of the records in the case of each employe for duty with the commission will be transmitted at the end of each month to the department, bu- reau or office from which such employe is detailed. ° The chief of the certification division is hereby directed to issue such detailed tn- structions and to prepare such furms as will carry this minute ingo effect. It is not regarded as at all likely that ary of these rules will be eliminated as a part of the guide to the conduct of em- ployes of the commission, though they will be added to as experience shows the neces- sity for such action. Upon the showing of the records made by following these in- structions promotions in the future will be based, which is regarded as a better method than a mere reliance upon the efficiency mark made by chiefs from ob- serving the work of clerks. When a premotion is made the record will be referred to, and if any one co plains of unfairness it is thought the ord itself will be ample proof cf the fitness of the one selected for promotion. ———_——_—_-e.____ BIG INCREASE IN RECEIPTS, Internal Revenue ( The monthly statement of the collections of internal revenue shows the total collec- tions during the month of July to have been $19,4 as compared with July, 1896, of $5 The receipts from the several sources of revenue dur- ing July, and the increase or decrease as compared with the same month last year, are given, as follows: Spirits Tobacco Oleomargarine ...... Fermented liquors.. Miscellaneous el * increase; x decrease. The exceptional increase in the receipts from fermented liquors was due to the large purchases cf beer stamps in antici- pation of the increased tax from 922 cents to $1 per barrel. ———_2-——___ SCHLATTER-FERRIS NUPTIALS. Divine Healer Wedded to the Widow of the In PITTSBURG, Pa., August it was positively announced that Margaret Ferris, widow of the builder of the Chicago wheel, had been married in Pittsburg to Francis Schlatter, the divine heaier of Canton. The ceremony was performed by Rev. Mr. Ward, pastor of St. Peter's Episcopal Chureh. Mr. and Mrs. Schlatter are now at a-down town hotel. ——_.—_—_ TIMOTHY DONOGHUE DEAD. Mrs. CAPT. Once Famous as an Oarsman, Later a Boat Builder. NEWBURG. N. Y., August 19.—Capt. Timothy Donoghue, once a famous oars- man and skater, and for many years the acknowledged leading manufacturer of cars for boat races in this country and Europe, died suddenly here this morning of heart disease. He was sixty-one years old. He was born in Ireland, and came here as a child. He served two years in the m1 y in the civil war as captain of emer %, 36h New York Volunteers, und was wounded by the bursting of a shell. He leaves four sons and four daugh- ters. Joe Donoghue, the skater and wheel- an, is one of the sons. TO AID STRIKING MINERS. Cincinnati Business Men Will Hold Big Meeting Tomorrow. CINCINNATI, Ohio, August 19.—A joint meeting of the citizens’ commitiece for the relief of the striking miners and the com- mittee of ten of the chamber of com- \