Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-10-12

corner OF the floor on which the Secretary
has his Office The latter is at the ex-
IRENE southeastern corner. Mr.. Higgins
gets a great deal OF exercise every day.
His own room is larger than the little den
where the Secretary does most OF his
work just of from the big gllded room
where he receives his callers. his
! Appointment Clerk and his assistant sit
facing each other at large double desk
in the centre Of the room. a few flowers
and loads OF papers are on the desk. A
cOlOred messenger sits in the corner.
Applicants for places sit or stand Wher-
ever they can find room, looking wnale
they wait through two large windows at
the Washington Monument and the Poto-
mac flowing beyond. All morning long
the stream of callers is constant. The
Appointment Clerk receives them a1aoiy
aud cOurteousIy, even jOcularly at times.
Many Of them lind it 50 pleasant that they
say they viii call again. To them Mr..
Higgins is apt TO say, as he
did to the Ohio bore who said TO him,
after a half hours session: "Wel, I'll
see you tomorrow" Not II | see you
first" But the shrewder ones call again
without saying anything about 1t. 1t Is
really q difficult task this that Higgins
performs 80 patiently. l would not do it
for twice the salary he gets. Ii is so
monotOnOus. At , O'Clock. though, he gets
a rest. Sometimes he manages to get out
on the street before that hour for lunch,
smoke and a stroll. When he does, he's
the most attractive man on the avenue.
He seldom gets any farther than
Wizards, for by the time he gets
there be has drawn crowd around him
as magnet draws iron filings. But at >
O'Clock, in any event, he goes in behind
screen in the corner of the room and
signs his name or his initials for the rest
OF the afternoon on the days mail. Be
sides these duties he must see that all the
files are kept intact and that the additions
TO them are made regularly and promptly.
As said. the work Of the Office WAS never
better done. But it is not strange that
Mr. higgins seeks 10 escape from this
drudgery to the comparative rest OF the
DOOrkeeper OF the House of Representa-
tives. He thinks he will get there, too.
Mr.. Higgins is a handsome man. He is
straight, sinewy, well built, with gray
hair and a heavy gray mOustache. He
has good complexion, and good, kindly
eyes behind his gold-rimmed eye glasses.
He dresses neatly and quietly. His con-
yersational powers are remarkable. He
has a very original mind and q keen sense
Of humor. He is fond of good stories,
and knows how to tell them. Withal, he
has a kind heart, and would be the last
feelings of any one unnecessarily. Neither
is he hungry or thirsty for spoils, al
though he believes with Marcy that the
victOrs ought to have them. His own
assistant, sitting opposite him at MS
desk every day, is a legacy from the last
administration. he doesn't seem to be
trembling in his shoes. 1t will be news
to some of his critics that Higgins is a
college educate. He graduated from
Georgetown University in 1860. Being
Marylander, he fought through the war
on the Confederate side, coming out with
out title, so far as | have heard. In
1865 he began his political career in Balti-
more. In 1878 he was a city councilman,
IN 1878 member of the State legislature.
in 1880 secretary Of the State senate. Now
he is the best appointment clerk the
treasury has ever had. If he wasn't he
wouldn't be there now. When Secretary
Manning was asked how he came 10 APP
point Higgins, he said: "SenatOr German
recommended him highly; that iusti-
ted his appointment. His official work
will come under my immediate supervis-
ion; if 1t is not we'll done l will remove
him." The fact that he has not been re-
moved, in spite of the pressure to that
end, is the greatest compliment he has
ever received.