Jasper County Democrat, Volume 1, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 July 1898 — WASHINGTON. [ARTICLE]

WASHINGTON.

The Commissioner of Internal Revenue (it Washington has decided that all telegraphic messages must be stamped by the sender. The Navy Department at Washington has asked for bids for two floating docks, the two to cost not exceeding $250,000, as recently provided by Congress. Chief Endicott of the bureau of,yards and docks bas been very anxious to get some of these floating structures in order to send them down to the gulf, and possibly to Cuba, where our cruisers, guntwats and auxiliary craft could be docked in them without the necessity of sending the ships to northern docks. There are a number of floating docks in view, and it is expected that two of these will be secured under the bids asked without waiting for the long time necessary to build structures. Two such docks are located at New Y’ork and three more in and about New Orleans. Au officer of the bureau has been in New Orleans looking over the docks there in anticipation of their being offered to the Government. The choice will be made with very little delay, and it is probable that the two floating docks will be in the service of the Government within a fortnight or so. The bids for the mammoth floating docks to be built at New Orleans will be called for in a few days.