The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-05-03
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.
rFrOm Our Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON, April 20.
To the Editor of The Statesman:
For several months previous to the
of the forty-seventh
congress there was a horde of able
bodied Texas statesmen hanging
around the federal capital, each one
trying to induce Arthur to install
him into the fat office of collector of
the port of Brownsville. All of the
boys were happy,
AS ONLY TEXANS CAN BE,
And fioated through the hotel Hobbies
at night the most confident band of
patriots in America. Each statesman
was armed with the best recommen-
dation, and each one supposed that he
of all other men on the continent was
best able to look out for Uncle Sans
interest in Brownsville. Daily did
these noble, disintereSted patriots call
at the white house and ask for an
audience with his excellency, as they
were pleased to style the ex-New
Y ork port collector.
The most persistent and enterpriS-
ing applicant, and the one, indeed,
who appeared to have the inside
track of his competitors, was the dis
COLONEL BOB TAYLOR.
Col. Bob is what is known in Texas
as a rough-shod, plain-spoken states
man and man of the people, and
rather impressed Gen. Arthur with
his simplicity of manners and pointed
ness Of speech. One day, about a
week before the adjournment. the
colonel called on the president and
was informed that the collection of
the public moneys at Brownsville
might be entrusted to his care. In
fact Arthur told him in al
most so many words that the
office was "his'n." Bob felt elated at
his interview with the president, and
going down to Wizards, met half
dozen other applicants for the col
lectorship standing in front of the
hotel. "Come in, boys" said Bob,
"let's take suthin. Champagne amt
any too good for you fellows. Set
'em up, Mr.. Barkeeper !" shouted the
over-jubilant Robert. Soon the wine
was flowing like water, and Robert
was asked by the party to explain his
sudden burst of liberality.
why, have got dead grip now
on the office" said Bob; "the president
Just told me 1 could rest easy and all
would be right" ooh! oh!' shouted
the Texas office-seekers, in chorus,
she told us all the same thing this
morning."
"Oh, h-!' said Bob, "he did, did
hep" "Why, yes" they all responded.
The next morning the gallant but
disheartened colonel went to the
White House and asked the president
if it was so that he had given all OF
the other Texas applicants the same
encouragement that he got. 81 guess
So" languidly and carelessly answer
ed Arthur.
"Well, Mr.. President" said the Tex
an, II want distinct understanding
about this business. l have got mat
tiers at home, and unless L can be as
sured that you are going to give me
the place I am seeking / shall leave
Washington Immediately"
Arthur gazed for minute or two
at the beaming countenance of the
colonel and said:
eff you have not already secured
your transportation you should do so
at once, as / have not got the slight
office of collector at Brownsville for
some time at least
This latter interview settled Col.
Robert. He Immediately decamped.
Among the other distinguished Texas
aspirants for the same office was
COL. MURPHY.
Col. Murphy came to Washington
early in the winter loaded with board
bill cash and a huge bundle of damag-
ing documents against the then in
cumbent. He was well fed and
housed and his good-natured face
beamed with the happy smiles
of the confident office-Seeker. In
deed, to see the colonel strut around
and hear him converse in the jovial,
reckless way of the Lone Star state,
one would have supposed that Arthur
had made arrangements to send him
to st. Petersburg. Any way, he knew
that Brownsville was his inheritance
by divine right.
Weeks rolled away and, as with the
other genial colonel, his chances be-
gan to grow misty and dim. But
Col. Murphy was undaunted, and
three weeks before the adjournment
he daily expected to receive his COM
mission. Perfdious and cruel for
tune persistently worked against the
good natured patriarch, and by the adj
journment of congress he found him.
self in the heartless capital money
less, friendleSS, officeleSS-a spectacle
of disappointment and woe.
A moneyless man does not have
plain sailing standing off the spiteful
hash-house mistress of Washington;
with them it is whack up weekly or
find some other place, sir. This became
Col. Murphy's case exactly; he had no
cash and no credit and it became nee
essary for him to exc out a Scanty
subsistence by doing,odd jobs for law
yers and other professionals near the
city hall.
Col. Murphy is still in Washington
living from hand to mouth, so to
speak. He can be seen any day when
he is not employed passing up and
down the avenue a careWorn, sad
looking man. He wants to go back
to Texas.
POSTAL AFFAIRS.
Forest Home postofice, Cass coun-
ty, will hereafter be known as Spring.
dale. The star service on route 81 ,443
from Palestine to Athens will be cur
tailed to end at Bradford after May 1.
The decreased distance is sixteen
miles, but the service will be increased
to twice a week. John M. Swisher,
postmaster at Corpus Christi,
has been placed under $1,000
bonds, and Henry L. Rankin, post
master at HempStead, Waller county,
under $4,000 bonds. Herman Stedman
has been appointed postmaster at
Lagarto, Texas; Frank Farek at Am
Evansville; Alfred Dawson at Shep-
herd; Kiah II. May at Buffalo Springs;
Lucius A. Stidham at Jones Prairie;
Felix Newman at Macy; William F.
Brooks at Switzerland Springs, and
Joel B. Kinyer at Springdale.
Frank Hatton has issued the fol-
lowing instructions, which it would
be well for the Texas postmasters to
inspect, as more changes are made in
that state than in any other in the
Union.
Postmasters. at offices not located
in government buildings will require
a deposit of fifty cents for each key
to lock-boxes rented by them, and on
the return of the keys they will re-
fund the amount from the pos
tai revenue, taking a receipt
from the party to whom it is paid.
Necessary repairs for locks for which
a key deposit has been received, will
be allowed. The amount collected for
keys must appear as an item in the
quarter yearly box account, and in