National Republican., 1883-02-15
THE LATE COL. IRISH.
His Faithful Work rs Chief OF the Bu-
renu OF Engraving and Printing.

His Faithful Work rs Chief OF the Bu-
reau OF Engraving and Printing.
The following sketch of tho administration
of the bureau of engraving and printing by
tho late Col. o. Ii. Irish is copied from tho
New York Examiner:
In the first fourteen months of his administra-
ton Col, Irish effected an economy OF SGbO,OOO,
spending that amount less than the Appropriation,
OF this saving congress appropriated s32fOOO 10
buy a site and erect a bureau building. TINS sum
was placed under the cOonel's control, aud ho did
what had never before been done ut Washington
he accomplished the work within the limits Of tho
appropriation to the entire satisfaction of all
parties interested.
In the work Of the bureau he quietly but firmly
introduced hettermethods. FOrday swagcs, equal
TO all, he substituted, wherever prucuclc, work by
the piece thus enabling the skilliul and dlligent
Ia earn laTge wages. The incompetent and lazy
either Lett voluntarily or were weedcd out. by re-
quiring punCtnality in attendance he rooted ont,
little by little, the vice of intemperance. The man
who had been kept from work on Monday by dG'
bauch found the difficulties OF resuming work
growing constantly. 1t about two years hundreds
had reformed their habits, and there wns not
drunkard TO be found in tho bureau. In aborng
to save men from this vice. the chief was patient
and forbearing, but firm. III making new APP
pointmcnts he always inquired carefully into thc
never removed so long Ns he did his duty. pro-
Vided there was any work to be done. II the
scarcity of work compelled dlsmissals, the Inst
appointee went first. There was no mvoritism
Every man knew his rights would be respectedi
The were charged with miscOnduct,that he would
be heard tried fairly, and treated justly. There
were no dismissals, except on the report OF fairly
constituted committee of investigation. The re-
suit Of this wise system was that the tenure OF a
place in the bureau has not been precarousi most
OF the employees have been there tOrycars; ana III
about twelve hundred workmen last year there
were only thirty-seeven disnissal''
During the last few years of his life, millions OF
dollars passed through his hands; but he died Il
poor man. lie had been rich In Neblnska but
fire and the graSSh Opper plague swept ms rlChts
away in single summer His ample salary nshn
officer was spent partly In the payment OF debts
| from which he was legally freed and partly IN
the support OF relatives and connections VINO were
either aged or for other causes dependent on hin'
| His own expenses and those of his family were
moderate. lie left Il widow, two daughters, ana
son. The eldest daughter is iavoraDly known as
| sity, Ohio; the other children are of 10 and 10
| years respectively. Their heritage Is the ame OF
| great administrator who Lived up 10 MS nOWO; T;
| Ssnpef Nilits Il cOlsitRs.
| 1t is most Creditable to our government that a
man who was the imper-onation of ciyil service
reform was sustained by every successive secretary
OF the treasury for nearly six years. Every newly
! appointed secretary was besieged by applicants
for Col. Irish's place, each one of whom thought,
! no doubt, he could better Ill 1t. Each secretary,
| when appointed was stranger 10 the colonel,
but each one regarded him as Indispensable To- the
| administration and refused 10 dispAce him' inc
| colonel took deep personal interest III ms WORK.
| When the pressure OF business was great, ne was
| at his Office at daybreak TO make preparation Of
drove more than TWO miles TO get there. The rules
gave him ono months leave OF absence yearly /
| but In five yearshll his absences dld not eNCeou
| In the aggregate n single month.