The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-06-11
ROUTINE WORK AT THE WHITE
HOUSE.

The routine Office work Of the White House con-
stantly increases. The early Presidents were not
even allowed n private secretary by law. They
had 10 pay for all clerical assistance out of their
own salaries. Aterward one secretary was pro-
vidsd for then an assistant was added. From
administration to administration the working force
grew by the addition Of clerks, or the detail Of
Army officers, until what Is practically Bureau
Of Appointments has grown up. Including the
private secretary, there are now seven persons at
taehed TO this bureau, and their places are no
sinecurcs. 0ften they busy until late at night
bringing up the days work. II they allow Il 10
get behind u Is next 10 impossible 10 deal with u
satisfactorily. Perhaps n description Of the cur
rent Office duties Of the Presidents personal staff
may interest some readers. An enormous mail Is
received every day. The pile Of letters s deposit
cd upon the dcsk of the private secretary, Mr..
Brown, and he and Mr., Headley, the Executive
eisshy-F y-F-@~-aaiaaaifyt them. or course u IL Inn
pessbie for The Prssident 70 read ~ sAs les.srs
addressed 20 him. II be should undertake the Job
he would have little time for anything else. But
Il 10 important that he should be able TO select
from the mass such letters he wants 10 read
So there IL system Of briefng the correspondence
letter by letter on broad sheets Of paper and max
ing sort Of unbound volume Of the sheets Of each
day. by glancing over these abstracts the Prcsi-
dent can see In few minutes what letters there
requiring his attention among the hundreds
that daily arrive. Such of the letters n are ap-
pcations for office, and more than nine -tenths are
Of this class. are put each into long envelope
which has printed form ON its back for indorse-
mcnt with name. date, Office applied for and
marks. Most of these letters are distributed each
day 60 the several departments aud go upon their
files. There are, however, several files in ths
White llouse-onc "f otiicial letters TO which the
Presilcnt may wish To- refer. another of appiica-
tions and recommendations In eases pending for
his decision. one of personal letters. and one,
which would furnish curious reading TO students
oI human nature. called the eccentric fle. An
hour spent in looking the contents Of this dle
would make the least misanthropic man believe
that half the world had gone crazy. cause him
4" apply To America the bitter remark Of Carlyle.
who said that England was inhabited by 10000
Qua Of people. principally fools.
President lIayes CARRIE, OF 10 Fremont the "ec-
centric Gle'' of his Administration. thinking IL
c'ald not be considered by any stretch Of the im.
asination valuable public property. Hayes was
great collector VI material Of personal and his
toreal interest, and lac had active assistant in
his son Webb. All the newspaper criticisms on
the policy and appointments of his Administra.
tion we're carefully preserved by him. lie to"s
with him small library Of scrap books filled with
such clippings. Speaking of these scrap books I
must not forget to mention. in connection with the
office work of the White House. the fact that there
IL post similar to that of an exchange reader in
daily newspaper office. This place IL filed by
Mr.. Morton. who served under President Hayes.
lie gocs through two or three hundred papers n
day. cuts out every thing he thinks the President
ought To- zee. arranges his clippings in topical
scrap book. and takes the book in twice day for
the Presidents inspection ly this system Pres
ilrnt can !; he gives sufficient time 10 the matter,
keep almost as well po'ied On public opinion
the editor Of = great daily.
In length of service the oldest member 0f the
White House staff l. Mr.. ". l.. Crook. the execu-
tive agent and iisbursing clerk. who dates back
10 the end of President Lincoln's administration
but there l. among the servants Of the house .
man who appointed BY President Fillmore;
he L. the fireman, ani his name Is Herbert and
the principal doorkecpcr. Mr.. Locficr. was put in
his place by President Grant in 1869.
The exchange reader doe, his work behind u
biz screen in the general Tcception-Iooua. The
private secretary, Mr.. Brown. aud Mr.. IIeadley
have n loom to themselves, with two bay windows
looking uut ON the Potomac aud Virginia hills.
and door leading into the Presidents room.-
Adjoining is smaller room where Mr.. Prudon.
the assistant private secretary. keeps. with the
all of clerks. the records Of appointments and
movals in formidable leather. bound volumes like
the ledgcrs in q counting house.
Besides the staff Of secretaries and clerks there
Il what might be called official s,aii Of servants,
who appointed by the President and whose
salaries provided for by Congress in the an
nual appropriations. IL consists of n steE ard,
doorkccIcr. four assistant donrkecrs, n messenger
four a.sstant messengers two of them are mount
ed. a watchman and fireman. There is also n
telegraph operator detailed from the Signal Service
Corps The other servants af the household. such
~ the coachinau. the cook and the walters. are
paid by the President. The repairs and the gen
Cri good order Of the house. its furniture. and it,
conservatory and grounds are attended to by the
C"mmis'ioncr vi Pubiic Buildings and Grounds.