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est Bet for today Sired by Good PeopSe. Dammed by Teetotaler. Cam Use a Good Bow= Legged Jockey That's Straight. VERY WINNER Enjoys His Evenings at GEYER'S mm palm mm, 1827 14th St. N.W. Muale Erery Evening. nolB lw* n 0 One Sells Purs as Cheap as 9 929 F St. N. W., Importer and Manufacturer [FDK3E [FQDffiSo World-wide Reputation (or Sellable Fori and Repalrlngs. nol6 0 Other Gun as Good for $4.00. Harrington * Rlchardaon Single barrel Shotgun. Automatic Shell Ejector, 12, IS and 20 gang*. Only $4.00. ' SHAPPIRIO'S Sporting Goods Store, 905 D St. N.W. Make a specialty of FAMILY TRADE. WINES?25c. per bottle. Pure Old Double Stamp Rye, $2.50, $2.75 and $3 per gallon. Prompt Delivery la Unlettered Wagon*. A. COLLINS, 2028 14th Street N.W. iiot?-14t* ' Phone #18-Y North. I EVER again will Furniture be so low priced as now at RUDDEN'S, 801 7th Street N. W. CASH OR CREDIT. ^OLDSMITHS, Jewelers and r~] Watchmakers, 911 Pa. Ave. Make a apeclatty of repairing HORtJK T1MUKH ana all com plicated watchea. ALL WORK UUARANTKKD A complete stock of Horse Timer* on band. Sure Winner, MOO Penn Rye, $1.25 Bottle. 12 years old. (Finest Yet.) SHOOMAKER CO., 1331 E Street N. W. D)URE milk, 8c. QUART. Wf pasteurize and chill both milk ami cream. Standard Dairy & See Co., 1.1.1.1 MT11 ST. N.W. TEL. NORTH 183. o .l# 7t AKB YOUR Thanksgiving Want Ads. to THE STAIR And all concerned will give thanl s. N SUNDAY'S STAR There are Thanksgiving Bargains for All. VISIT OUR CAFE COSY CORNER AFTER THE RACES. I I, 15th St. arad Pa. Ave. Roefaurant open till 12 p.m. Special attention to theater parties. WASHINGTON. JOCKEY CLUB. A T From a copyrighted photograph by the Pictorial Sewn Company, New York. h Y VELATI'S JjARAMELS. Fine Confections, 1408 Q Street N. W. For the very best go to THE TAILOR. nolfl 14t* 1310 F Street N.W. $30,000 Rose on ISOQ DiBOTTDCDK!] -AT KRAMER'S, 916 F N.W., CHRYSANTHEMUM SHOW. SOUVENIRS TO EVERY CUSTOMER EHAN'S Buffet, Imported Wines and Liquors, 1203 Pa. Ave. N. W. n= ? "All my days I'll alng the prals* of good old Sparkling Ale." THANKSGIVING dinner Is certain to 1** enjoyed with *??*t by on?* and all if there's a aupply of Cl'H r# -on hand. It'* pure, Celirlotts and free from sediment. Promotes good digestion and g.?< d cheer. lLv*S?-iid y? ur order in good sea s. it J IKJZKN BOTTLKS, $1.50. Sample doa., 73c. Washington Brewery Co., r>th and V sts. n.c. 'Phone E. 201. no2.VSa.tu, th.30 That Hunting Trip You're Pflannimg Will prove a succesa If you'll have ua sup ply your Guns, Ainu.unit ion. Shooting Cloth ing. Kvfrything we handle is dependable, and onr prices for such goods are absolutely the lowest. CITS'.op it: and Inspect our stocks. Walford's Sst-T SPORTING AND ATIILKTIC GOODS. no2f>-a.tu&th 20 If we get tine or^er at once for that Sack Suit ?Overcoat ? or Tuxedo ?we may be ab3eto de liver it before Thanks- t giving. Do it now. Sack Suits to order. $25&$30 *K Overcoats to order. $25&$30 | !? Tuxedo Suits to order... HAXKSGIVING HUNT INT, PARTIES supplied with guns and ammunition at specially reduced prices. M. A. TAPPAN & CO., ^ n.Ct 1(M HOTELS. RESTAURANTS & CAFES. WHERE TO DINE. J HILADiHLPniA OYSTEU AND CHOP IIOl Sli. for ladies ami gentlemen. 613 11th ?t. n.w.; nerv lre a la carte, sea atenkn. ( hops it'aS ?.ls Ac . of superior quality. properly served! aeS-iiot The St. James l?,estlt,on. European. Rooms, $1 to $3. High class Restaurant at Reasonable Prices. m.vU-tf.4 VIIM1KIIH1:II>K'S HOTEI. MANHATTAN European. 0th st. n.w. Business Men'a 1/unch. 11:30 to 2. Restaurant now open. ae21-60t Eckitein's ae2ft-tf,4 Indies' (>ife now open. HARVEY'S ffcHiat.'.*!" varlettes of a*?a food?with every dish known to gastronomy Klegant lunch. 12 to 4 myN-tf ? THE PILGHIM CAFE A PI;AGE TO PM&A8H 814 F. Olub Breakfasta. 15c. to 85c. Luncheon A la carte. Table d'llote iHuuera. 25c. and 1?C? (Opposite Patent Ufllce. se0-tf.4 YOlHN HONG 1?W, ~ I'Mneae reataurant. S?4>arate dining room for la uie* and gentlemeu. Genuine Chinese dlahes In all different atylea. 2d floor. 317 \*n. ave. n.w. puT-SOt* ___ I'ALLAGHAN'S. 7TH AND G ST8. N.W.-LA dlea' and gentlemen's cafe. Bualness men'a lunch 12 to 2; a la carte dinner. 4 to 7:3u. Finest and I?esi aerved sea foods In the city. no4-90t HONG"KONG"LOW," CHINK-HE RRBTAIRANT. Sll 8TH ST. N.W. Recently reBtted In true oriental atjfle. Chines* ladj cashier. Handsome Chlne?e furnishings Im yorted from China make this the moat attractive urn! cosy restaurant In the city. Everything crien tal. 'Hkipi' aaaa-M. au2tt UOt.S TheNew Vatoldi, "ft?; 508 9th St. Il.W. Special dinner 'Suit#?. oc20-2m,4 Pier Being Improved. Considerable Improvement Is to be made in tho Forsberg pier, at the foot of K Btreet southwest, to lit it for modern busi ness requirements. Mr. O. W. Forsberg has ordered a modern five-ton derrick, and as soon as It arrives It Is to be erected on the pier at Its outer end and will be used In lifting boilers and engines and other heavy machinery out of vessels that are at the pier for repair work. The pier is also to be lighted with electricity, and several lijrg'' arc lights will be installed on it within the next week. -This pier la now be ing used as the I'nited States army quarter master's department pier, and the tugs run ning between Fort Washington and Fort Hunt and tills city are making It their ter minus in this city. It is said that the army authorities will shortly begin the erection of a' warehouse on the pier, to protect gov ernment stores en route between this city and the Potomac forts from the Inclement weather. An army tent is now being used na a warehouse for the government prop erty. Private William R. MeClosky of the de tachment of cavalry stationed at the United States Military Academy at West Point, V. Y-, committed suicide Thursday by Maklni carbolic acid. MeClosky FOOT BALL, BOWLING AND OTHER SPORTS Yale and Harvard Compared for Today's Great Battle, j I DARK BLUE STRONGER AGREEMENT OF GEORGETOWN AND GEORGE WASHINGTON. Techs. Had Easy Time Trimming Easterns?Corcorans Won at Basket Ball. The foot ball games today practieall> mark the close of the season for 190T.. Two important games will be played next week but Yale, Harvard, Columbia and most of the other college elevens will line up for the last time today. Chief Interest natur ally centers in the annual struggle between Yale and Harvard at Cambridge, as, to all appearances. It will decide beyond question the so-called championship of the east. There are other games, however, which will provide close and hard-fought contests. Co lombia and Pennsylvania will line-up at New York, and indications point to a strug gle that will keep the crowd on edge from kick-off to final whistle. New York Uni versity and Union will be the opposing forces at Ohio Field, and here, too, a game of more than usual Interest is promised. Dartmouth, with a victory over Princeton and a tie game with Harvard to Its' will meet its natural r-val. Brown, ^Jlle Le hiEh and Lafayette, Syracuse and VVest Point and Annapolis and Y^it,ia ln8mu,e will struggle for the master*. The scheil " Georgetown vs. George Washington 1 nl verslty. at Washington. Yale vs. Harvard, at Cambridge: Columbia vs. Pennsylvania, at New York. Union vs. New York University, at Ohio * West Point vs. Syracuse, at West P'?''>t Brown vs. Dartmouth, at Springfield. MEStah vs Lafayette, at South Bethlehem Carlisle vs. Washington and Jefferson, at F Armapoiis vs. Virginia Polytechnic Insti 1 "penn?y h"in* IT S t ate vs. West Virginia, at S,WesleyanK<vs. Swarthmore, at Philadel P Trinity vs. Haverford. at Haverford Holy Cross vs. Vermont, at Worcester. Johns Hopkins vs. St. John s, at Balti "Bucknell vs. Villa Nova, at Philadelphia. Ford ham vs. Rutgers, at New Brunswick. Yale and Harvard Compared. Today will show whether the ponderous, j weighty and little varied Harvard tandem , attack can control over the darting, wider and more diversified attack of Yale. The success of each depends d. good deal on tho | speed and consistency and unison wl-h which it Is manipulated. The Harvard at tack mav be just as wearing on the men who execute It as on those who resist it, but it has more of a suggestion of smashing power about It than any other mode of ad vancement of the pigskin. The condition of the field is likely to have a bearing on the score, but If the Harvard men have ac quired speed they will be Just as much at home on a dry Held as ^ ale. Har\ ard. in compliance with Yale's wish, has been spreading straw over the field at nlght a l week, thus showing a sportsmanlike ^P11^1 When the two teams trot on the field the Yale men will look fragile alongside the beefier Crimson, but they hope to make up for this in skill and endurance. The \ale men run up to the wiry, rangy type Experts say that the Yale men follow the ball better than Harvard, are quicker to act when opportunities arise and are better drilled in team effort. A man for man an alysis does not render a satisfactory con clusion of what Is to be expected today. Jf nrevious performances this season have a bearing on such analysis the result would lean toward Yale, for both as Individuals and as a team Yale has done the better work but studying the Harvard men from the standpoint of what they ought to be able to do when at their best, not what they have done, one could satisfy himself that Har vard was as good. If not better, than Yale Individually. Harvard, we are told, will fight better today than ever before. If she does she has the individual ability to make the fighting tell, provided there Is team work with It. The records and actual play ing of the teams so far this season Indicate that Yale knows more foot ball. Harvard relies on spirit to offset this. As to Yale spirit, there never Is any question. Shevlln the Best. On the ends of the line Capt. Shevlin of Yale faces Leary of Harvard, while Cates, Yale's left end, plays opposite Knowlton. Harvard's right end and new captain. Shev lin, as has been often said, Is rated tlys best end In the country. He can do most every thing a foot ball player should do and Is the best of defensive ends. I.eary is not his eni]al in experience or all around cleverness | but Leary IS a hard, nervy player a fast runner and plays his best every minute of the came He showed more life and aggres . In the Pennsylvania game than I hsnssrz SK ??he^ una^,c2i hand^adugup a tacKi r#xuime DlavinR. Knowlton was ^first-class tackle, and with his foot hall instinct Is Just as apt to be a first class end. Both men are sharp tackiers, wfth Knowlton likely to be the steadier on defense He will have to hustle to follow the ball as well as Cates. Whether the lat ter will be at his best depends on the con dition of his shoulder, which was lame in ^BrilC'the Harvard left tackle. Is a bigger aikd stronger man than Blglow, bale's right tackle, and a hard man to stop in the tan dem. He can make big holes and carry the ball well. Ibut Blglow Is the quicker of the two and has done better P1"^'"* ^le deDartmenta of the game. That is to say, while not as powerful as BrlU In rushing the ball he has evidenced an evener balance f ahilitv in combining offensive and d?* ?in.Ue playSi^He Is the headier player of the two, foUows the ball splendidly and gets down under kicks as soon ? hl? On defense he Is a harder man to jmt out of th* W | Forbes, Yale's left tackle, are both Inclined i to be erratic. Forbes is the better man at i carrying the ball and a smashing ground gainer, 'but hardly as steady as Squires on the defense, although the latter Is nothing extra In that line. Squires Is a good fighter, j but plays at times as if up In the air. At that he is as dependable as his vis-a-vis. About Even on Guards. In the guard positions Burr, the fresh man, faces Yale's experienced and capable right guard, Tripp, and Kersburg, Har vard's right guard, lines up again Erwin, Yale's left guard. If Burr can hold the Yale man level he will accomplish the un expected. Tripp is the better man on the offense and the best man on either team at helping the runner. On the defense there is less difference in the ability of the two men. On the other side of the pivotal position Harvard looks to have the better of it. Kersburg Is more aggressive than Erwln and more likely to lend a helping hand in. plays in the open. He is the more actlvu of the two. a man who, like Squires, plays at a high tension, and who also possibly may waste some of his nervous energy for want of what might be called repose. Parker, the Harvard center, ls_ a much ?bigger man than Flanders of Yaie; not | quite as steady in passing, but active and aggressive as he is big. H# is a harder I man to dislodge on the defense than Flan j ders. and perhaps not quite so alert on ofTense or as shifty in branching out from center work. In the immediate require I ments of center work, however, his bulk and ability make him more likely to put Flanders out of the way than to be put out of- the way by Flanders. Altogether Harvard shapes up stronger in the three center places than Yale. Were Jones of Yale at his best today he would show himself the best quarterback in the east. What he can do with a weak ankle remains to be seen. He is out of practice. When fit he is the best of quar ters at handling the ball between center and the runner. Hutchinson of Yale drives his team pretty speedily himself and runs back punts In lively fashion. Starr of Harvard can do that, too, and Is better than Hutchinson in catching punts. Starr is always cool and unflurried. All three of the. quarterbacks named are good generals, with Hutchinson a shade better than Starr In interfering for a runner. The Yale man plays the more dashing game. Yale Has Better Backs. Foster. Wendell and Carr, composing the rest of the Harvard backfield, are not as versatile In ground gaining as Yale's trio, Morse, Roome and Flinn. They hit a line just as hard, but do not start as suddenly or take openings as quickly. Nevertheless, in t'nelr more limited maneuvers they are likely to count as much as their rivals. On wide flung plays, just outside of tackie, Morse Is the btst of the lot, but does not run as low or follow interference as well as Yetder of Sale. Roome Is probably fie best deren-sive Yale back. Is a hard line breaker, but can't go as far through his own efforts with equal opportunity aj Fllnn. the Yale fullback, who runs low and twists along In a manner that makes trouble for tlie enemy. Harvard's fullback, Carr. is a strong ae fensive player and a good plunging back. Wt nde 11, who took Hurley's place at right half, i? not Hurley's equal on the defense, but better on the offense. He keeps going well and lights for every Inch of ground. ; The absence of Hurley will not weaken I Harvard, as he has played but little this ' season. Foster of Harvard is better in the I tandem than anywhere else. He does pretty well on a cross buck when he takes tho ball, but opDonents have not found him a hard man to stop. He Is better In the tandem when somebody else takes the ball than when he Lakes It himself. He Is a deter mined but uncertain player. The Harvard backfield. considered as a whole, has not shown the harmony in working with 'the line that Yale's has. Burr does the punting for Harvard and is stronger in that department thrtn any \alc kicker. Roome drives a long punt, but does not strike the consistent average that Burr does, the latter combining height and dis tance nicely. FOOT BALL CAPTAIN'S CONDITION Operation Upon Hurley of Harvard May Occur. BOSTON. November 25.?Daniel J. Hurley, captain of the Harvard foot ball team, spent a very comfortable night at the City Hos pital. Hospital officials would not confirm the report that a consultation of physicians was to be held today to decide whether an operation would be necessary. It was pointed out. however, as Dr. W. M. Bullard. a brain specialist, and Dr. E. H. Nichols, medical adviser of the Harvard team, had been attending Capt. Hurley Jointly, such a consultation might occur at any time. STUDENTS AFTEB "LONG GREEN.'" Reported Discovery of Scheme at Ticket-Scalping. CHICAGO. November 25.?Search for ticket scalpers among the University of Chicago students by the officials of the in stitution yesterday brought to light the fact that Hyde Park High School and University High School students have been offenders In ticket scalping. It Is believed that few students of the university have engaged In the scalping, the search yester day resulting In the clearing of suspicion of several students. Persons who were unable to secure seats for the Thanksgiving day foot ball game have complained to the university officials that numerous boys In the vicinity of the Hyde Park High School have offered tick ets at exorbitant prices. Manager Chltwood, who has been la charge of the ticket sale, believes that the high school boys posed as university stu dents and bought scores of tickets when the sale opened In Cobb Hall. Officials to Attend Army-Navy Game. Secretary Taft has Invited a party of about twenty ladles and gentlemen to ac company him to Princeton next Saturday to attend the annual foot ball game between the Military sad Naval Academy teams. Secretary Bonaparte, by reason of other en gagements, will be ?tch. The Navy at unable to attend will be the AGREEMENT SIGNED Georgetown and George Wash ington Come Together. McLEAN SILVER CUP deliberations at the meeting last EVENING. Hecox of Technical High School Chosen as Head Lines man. The foot ball representatives of George Washington University and Georgetown University met last evening at the resi dence of Manager Heflebower of George ashlngton University, on New Hampshire avenue and Washington circle. Those present were Capt. Ben G. Steenerson or the George Washington team and Manager Heflebower, also of the Butt and Blue team, Mr. H. P. Blair, the remaining George Washington member, being unable to be present. Georgetown University was rep resented by Mr. Alston Cockrell, president ?L .. athletic association of the univer sity; Manager Gerald Egan of the base ball team of the university and Manager Hanl gan of the foot ball team. Both sides were expecting that several ffiivismt w?' i be tofca"ensed as to their eligibilltj to play In the game this after noon but the representatives of the Blue and Gray-announced that Georgetown would not question the eligibility of any gridiron "fjr'or of *h? George Washington Univer sity team. Capt. Steenerson said that the ?n'l pIayer. t.h?t the George Washington management did not want to play in the contest was Quarterback Bocock Mr Steenerson stated that he did not believe fact thst?h? b6 played ln vlew of the tact that he had been coaching the foot ball wesjern High School, and that he was of the opinion that the Blue and Qrav quarterback had received remuneration^? ^ ?" the ,oot ball team at Gwrge town University. Manager Hanlgansrwsfk Ing for Georgetown, stated that fpnjt?h? records at Georgetown l^lversityT wm shown that Bocock had never received anv remuneration for his services^ he^ also stated that the free scholarships which had "vs? by the university didnot in clude the quarterback's name. Manaier I? f . 8tated fhat the quarte?bfck and ?l Capt Steenerson s charges been made against the terback and that he believedthe^ ? unfounded. It was also t i forth that Bocock Is of the and afternoon, but the p h,s t'ves were stro^ly ?pe"ent? Agreement Discussed. Manager Egan then produced the athletic agreement which had been drawn up ? tween the representatives of the two uni -rCS f0r the contests tor the possession of thecup which was offered last week by Mr. Edward r. McLean, son of Mr. r McLean of this city. Three contests are to Both the CUP' one each season Both of the representatives of the two unl versltles read the agreement over S sev-" er.l change. were m.,1. u. wora, be taken to the rem^ng w-^??rt ton University representative. Wa?Mng The agreement was as follows- -cj ward R. McLean having donlf^j ^.,.Ed" cup to be comoeted fXl uZ a "liver teams of the ??orge Wa*hh?L/00t ***** Georgetown universities on tlons set out in full In his letl?r ?? xr^ndl* ^ Ik" 190b,- ?f wh,ch *MPT * and the undersigned havinv hl?.? attached, by the athletic sS^iaflom ?^tlfppolnted tlve universities 2ls5& re?^ full power to arrange the detx .!,^6 Wli,h tlons of the contest, as provided bv^h0*! j* ter of the donor Mr 5? let conference. do unanlmouslT^re* u?on ft" ?dr% S8ntm0d'fled sisani^amcttwh^ atu' purpose of this Por the ^uror'T^lr^y00,^"^^ eltherwdl catalogued in any Spalding or rais?/its?1 as a professional team. ch guide 2- A player to be elisibU ?.... . matriculated ln the unl^erirttv e! team he is credited and muTt Lire a course or courses Involving at hours a week of required work ix Jects leading to a degree "ut>" 3. No player shall be ellrihla in .l contests who has taken oartln ?? .? leglate athletic contests for four yea? " 4. No player shall be eligible whT h?. played the previous year on any oth? !?? ?ge team until be shall have bU^rS* V18, ulri7?n?1?y to w^Sh he te credited not less than one year and ahaii have qualified, himself for advance to ^L next year's standing. 10 the 5. No player shall be eligible who ha* not mat riculsted tt lwrt one month prior yw **?e tn ?*<? ?. The annual game shall be played on a date subsequent to Noveotfber 14 of eJ* year, arranged by the managen of^hi respective teams. " m "Wonder What Mertz Will Say Today?" Store Closes Daily at G p.m.; Saturdays at 9 p.m. mtm 'HREE large concerns closed out their remaining lines off black, blue and mixed suitings to us at a fraction off their worth right in the face off an advance in the woolen market. They had made their profit on the lines and were glad to accept our cash offer in order to clean up the season's output. We got a great bargain and, as usual, we share that bargain with you. The fabrics are thoroughly high=grade and are worth at least double the sale prices. Every suit tailored in the "Mertz=way" and guaranteed to satisfy, or money will be refunded. Line Suits to order, Line No. 2. Suits to order, Line No. 3. Suits to order, o Co., F St no25-d.eSn ager shall submit to the opposing manager In writing a list of the players who are to participate In the game a^panied by the certificate of the prudent of the re spectlve institutions to the effect that the mltf^y^Jlh0bi9eWble to participate in *%???? tTwy Player on either of these lists must be :submitted eoclatlons and the decision of thesehodl?i ^ rtVoect to the qualifications of the pro te^^lay^s on their own teams shall be *9* All final decisions on protests shall 22S?VSi^SSt?^iThTt?chAsGsSeion and lngton Heflebower. manager, foot ff^.Tr George Washington Vnlv^r slty Athletic Association^ and ^or George town "vnh^-slty AtMetlc Association of 'A a copCy Is appende^ stall govern he business arrangements^^^detall^ lor SX^e^mTy be applicable by Us gen 6 m w i t n?s9 0f ^ t l(^mnlwe tee for our' r P dfJ the 2-Uh day of No?S?* executing this agreement in duplicate, Q gxEENERSON, ROT C HEFLEBOWER. H. P. BLAlRi - Committee ?n l?haU ^^^^^^clatlon. lngton UnUAe[|.l/oN COCKRELL, GERALD EGAN, "H A. HANIGAN. At the ^'"re^resentatlv^ of the two agreement the rep - aaree upon. a universities atte"TPt^ contest. Alexander head linesman 'h . foot ^all team of Rorke. who <?^*Vnfvers?ty last season. George Washington Hanlgan. but was proposed by Capt ateen both M*??fLorge Washington Un4verslty erson of Geor&e the foITOer Buff and were not In favor caiftolty of head Blue coach actlng ln Coaches UneSmail- a^ H^Mon? wI"ed some one Barnard ana chose Coach else. Manager H . School and the j Hecox of T^^^reaentatlvea agreed to Blue and Gray wr of the halves came the *electlon,1-uZ^tioiu tout upon mutual up for wmto. decWd when the tlSl afternoon. yiflY FOB TECHBTIOAIi. OvTwl-lm*i B-t.ru Boy. on th? Gridiron. . i ^orwhelmed Eastern yesterday Technical overw League Park by afternoon up?*^ Q wlth the loss of Capt. a score of 30 the Baby Blue and Field from the ltn v lnCapable of put Whlte seeded a ^ ^ on 0ctober 27. ? the two teams played a tie gam* when the "? 4 an4 only once did Technlca wa Wbite low the ball on a the ^ark R thf> gtart t0 th8 flnl8h Tech Zl had thS confidence that wins games nlcf' roach Hecox has been endeavor and . ,nto ?he players from the wan ing to work into the play ^ ^ t(me thlB ual training sch . has been kicked season In c LGanne ha* the honor from the flel?- whirling between the of sending tl5|^[f^aay afternoon he sent It goal posts. T twenty-flve-yard line. It Straight from the twenty v-j ^ ^ fe. was a _^"t fhose who aaw It. The heavy membered by hould have much of the Technical Une f lf they had not held credit for *}|? J^e the Technical captain EaB,Mrn6ver h^e had the opportunity of would never- am. ^ jj less one of s?s?sz*3\i:S??>"?} ?.'5&-3?. WSS Ellsworth ball on the klckoff line after he receive???. about the pret Srfth^eBotern badrt, who were not near with the Jmmt. tat who RETENT ON CONTRACTS CONGRESS TO BE ASKED TO REGULATE DURATION. Tear Believed to Be Sufficient for Test ing Work on Bridges and Sewers. A new measure, which is to receive the strong support of the District Commission ers before the next Congress, U directly In line with the effort to decrease expenses of the District In connection with the work on municipal improvements Inaugurated last year In the presentation to Congress and subsequent enactments into law of a provision for placing almost entirely at the discretion of the Commissioners the amount of bond to be required from contractors. This new measure has as its purpose the reduction of the retent contracts within the District, and this statement alone Is sufficient to make it certain that the bill will be one of the few most anxiously watched by that very large proportion of the population which is closely interested in contracts for public works, in the contrac tors, and finally In the financial side of the proposition. / Considered a Year Ago. When this general phase of the subject of municipal contracts came up a year ago it was recommended by Superintendent Mc Comb of the sewer department that a re duction be made In the amount of the bonds required of contractors on certain classes of District work. Subsequently Daniel E. Garges, secretary to the Engineer Commis sioner, formulated the draft of a bill which was passed by Congress and approved, so that it became law on February 8, 1H06, by the terms of which the Commissioners are permitted to accept bonds in sums as low as one-fourth of the total estimated amount of a contract. As nearly, if not quite, all contracting firms are compelled to pay for bonds a regular per centum on the amount of the contract, it Is obvious that all Of them Include this as one of the items of expense Incident to a piece of work and accordingly place It as one of the Items in the bill. It was argued by the District'# engineers, and no doubt correctly, that any reduction such as this would redound to the benefit of the city because competition would force the contractors to lower their Items for bonds. Existing Law. The existing law concerning retent on contracts la contained in section 5 of the organic act of the District of Columbia ap proved June 11, 1878, and provides as fol lows: "And that the contractors shall keep new pavements or other new works In repair for a term of five years from the date of completion of their contracts. "And 10 per centum of the cost of all new works shall be retained as an additional security and a guarantee fund to keep the same in repair for said term, which said per centum shall be Invested in registered bonds of the United States or the District of Columbia and the Interest thereon paid to said contractors." It has been construed that the term "new pavements or other new works" Includes all construction, work with the exception of buildings and grading, and since the passage of the act 10 per centum of the cost of such construction work, including all Improved pavements, bridges and sew ers, has been retained. On buildings, plumbing work and work of like nature, a retent has been held for one year as a matter of good administration, though not required by law. Concerning street pavements It is still be lieved to be advisable that a retent shall be kept for five years. It has been strongly urged by the of ficers In immediate charge of the con struction of bridges and sewers, however, that a retent of one year on such work is ample to cover all risk of inferiorities because thto work, being generally con crete masonry, any defects are bound to develop within a year. Greater Competition. The most important reason for the change in law provided by the proposed bill la that It wiU allow of more compe tition. Under the present law 10 per cen tum of the cost of the work is held in ths bids frequently on District contract* It means that a goodly portion of his capital is thus tied up and thus ffood contrao tors with small capital are unable to com pete with others having larger capital. The advantage of having a relent, of course, is the fact that if any defect does develop and a contractor refuses to make It good the work can bo done, by the I>4*? trict and the coat oan be paid from Ui* amount retained. The draft of the bill which the Commuif* sloners have prepared provides that 10 per centum of the cost of all work of con* structing pavements shall be held for flv# years from the date of completion of con? tract as now required by law. but it fut% ?ther provides that on contracts for th* construction of bridges and sewers a ra tent shall be held for one year from th* date of completion of contract, and oft contracts for construction of buildings and other contract* for construction work the retent shall be held until the comply tton of the work. The Commissioners have stated their b*? lief that the passage of this measure will be In the Interest of economy ai.d g"o4 administration. On the Biver Front. The Philadelphia tug Peerless yesterday brought the barge Thomas J. Cleaver up to Georgetown to unload a c*rgo of coal from Philadelphia, about 700 tons, and sail* ed with the barges Laura V. Groves and Isabelle. The first-named barge has aboard a big cargo of asphalt paving block from the factory on the Eastern branch, and la bound for Richmond, while the I.sabelle is loaded with railway ties, and is bound to New York. At Norfolk the tug Asher J. Hudson will take the Isabelle in tow and will take her to her destination. Arrived: Steamer Dennis Simmons, lunv ber and shingles, from Newbern, N. C.t for Alexandria and this city; schooner Warren, lumber, from Rappahannock river; schoon ers J. D. Bell, Peri, Osceola and Mayflower, cordwood, from river points. Sailed: Schooner A. H. Bixler for lower Potomac, for oysters; schooners I'riah Hor ner and Five Sisters, river points, for car goes of cordwood for thin city. Memoranda: Schooner Harold B. Cousens, with laths for this city, sailed from New York 23d instant; schooner John McOlnnls, with coal for this city, sailed from Philadel phia IBd instant; schooner Murray Van diver, from this city, at Walkerton, V*., 22d instant; schooner Mary' Ann Shea, load ing lumber In Aqula creek for this dV) schooner May Brown, loading cordwood In lower Machodoc creek for this port; schoon er Clara Leonard, loading barrel stave* In Nomini creek for Philadelphia. The two-masted schooner Alethea, whose master died aboard the vessel in the Rap pahannock river. Is on her way to this oily with a cargo of lumber aboard from Wal kerton, Va., under the command of her mate. She should arrive here early in the coming week. The pUe-driving machines belonging to Carter & Clark are laid up at the wharf foot of 10th street for a general overhaul ing and to be made ready to return to service at the new Highway bridge la a few days. Capt. Frank V. Klntz, master of the tug D. M. Key. who has been spending a few days at his home In Alexandria, has again assumed command of his tug, relieving Capt. Charley Railey. Prosecuting Dredgers of Small Oysters. Reports coming from the lower river state that the Maryland oyster police steamer Bessie Jones made a descent on the oyster men on the Wicomico river Wednesday last and captured two tongers with small oys ters In their boats. The men were taken before a magistrate at Rock Point, who Imposed a line of $60 and costs on each. The Virginia police steamer Accomac has jolnad the Maryland fleet on the Potomac and Is gradually weeding out the oystermen who are robbing the Potomac beds. The vigor ous warfare being carried on by the police boats has caused consternation among those who catch small oysters, spat and shells, In violation of the law. for planting purpose*. The natural beds, from Lower Cedar Point and about Blacklstone's Island, onoe the most productive on the Potomac, have bean greatly depleted by the oyster pirates, and the police are making strenuous efforts to protect what remains of the beds. It If stated that if the oyster beds are allow** to lie idle for about three years they will once more be productive of fine oysters. Condition of Wm. H. Yerkea. Mr. William H. Terkes, Jr., who went a serious operation at the Washington Hospital about three ago, I* slowly ooavalescing, asi M thought he will be able to tew* the h**_