Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-25
DEPARTNrBNT VETERANs.
A Few of the Old Government Employees
at Washington.


at Washington.
From WASHINGTON Lsttsr 10 the Courier Jour
nal.
Many times in my search in the various
government buildings at Washington for
historical information concerning them or
the work carried on therein, l have been
referred to the person longest employed in
that branch of the service. The lack of
historical data about the various depart
ments, other than that obtained by tradi-
tion or through the memory of the ''oldest
inhabitant' of each, is truly amazing.
Somewhere in the yoluminous records
kept in each one, and IN the laws of the
United States relating TO each, may be
found all the data for a reliable history of
each, but such history exists nowhere
consecUtively narrated. For instance, l
have been inquiring about the official
seals used in each, and those who have
charge of the oldest Of these seals, with
the exception Of those at the State De-
partment and United States Supreme
Court, know nothing about their history,
or the law which au 'hOrized their use,
! and when asked how long the same de-
sign has been on their seals, refer you to
the oldest inhabitant of their bureau or
! department. In my quest | have come
! inhabitants" that 1t has occurred to me
it would be of interest 10 publish in sim
! gle paper sketches of them. Therefore,
| compiled the data above given in regard
| to Mr.. BFuf, and the others of whom l
am about to speak. Head OF the Iist IN
| length of continuous service in the same
! Office and attending to the same duties as
now, stands, or rather sits, for he is al
/ lowed TO rest as much as his age de-
/ mands, Lindsey Muse, the cOiored mes
! senger of the Secretary of the Navy, who
/ was appointed Assistant Messenger in
/ 1923, and after due time was promoted to
his present place of Chief Messenger to
the head of the Navy Department.
Lindsey's memory is good, and he has
! all his faculties; but, of course, gets tired
more easily than he used to do, so is al
lowed to go home before the regular de-
partment hours are over. MIR. Morgan,
one of the clerks in the same department,
has been there nearly as long as Lindsey
Muse.
Mr.. William Hunter, now the Second
Assistant Secretary of State, to which po-
! sition he was permanently promoted or
! July y, 1866. was first appointed a clerk
in the State Department on May y, 1929,
and has served in that department longer
than any other now there in any capacity.
| From 1888 to 1913, he was Chief of the
/ Bureau in charge of relations with Span
ish America and Brazil; Acting Claims
/ Clerk, Oct. l. 1S4S; Claims Clerk, March,
/ 1Sl9 Chief Clerk. May, 1852; commits
/ stoned Assistant Secretary May s, 1850,
with the understanding that on the APP
/ pOintment of another to that place he
| should resume the position from which ne
| was promoted, which he did the following
! November. He was designated Assistant
/ Secretary ad interim in December. 1860,
and was commissioned Second Assistant
| Secretary July y, 1866, and has held that
Office ever since then.
MIR. Bartle, who has the immediate GUS
t0dy of the United States seals, and has
the case with the new one aud that with
the old one also at his room at the State
! Department, is one OF the clerks who has
served longest in that department. He
has had immediate charge of the seal
since 1852, and before that time was other
wise employed In the department.
10 the War Department proper Mr.. Lee,
whose term of the service began May 10,
1851, and who is now third class clerk,
has had the longest continuous service.
ST. James Ercleth, who is in the office
/ of the Chief of Engineers, has been a
clerk in that bureau since June %, 1885,
and before that had served as an en- gineer
clerk at FIT. Monroe, Va, since Jan. 1,
1929.
In the Post Office Department, the
senior IN btfNiC6 IL OulR6 IdWTpnSOl, WHO
has sworn into Office % POstmasters Gene
raj. He was appointed to duty in the
General Post Offi SO April l, 1884, by Presi-
dent Jackson. He had previously been Is
years in the post Office at Baltimore, which
carries his first government duty back to
1919. He was also j Justice of the Peace,
and as such had authority to administer
oaths, until the number OF Justices of the
Peace in the District of Columbia was
limited by act of Congress. But the same
law authorized the President of the
United States to appoint as many NOta-
res Public as he pleased, and Mr.. Key,
then Postmaster General, had Judge Law
rensOn appointed the frs under this law
by President Hayes. so Judge Lawrenson
has continued u administer oaths to
PostmasteTs General and others. as he has
done since first appointed Justice Of the
Peace in 1874. Mr.. Mari, Chief Clerk in
the Office Of the First Assistant Postmas-
ter General, has served nearly as long as
Judge LawrensOn.
In the Interior Department the oldest
inhabitant is older in length of service
than the department itself, for he was a
clerk IN the General Land Office when il
was a Bureau OF the Treasury Depart
ment; so he has been continuously in the
same service since his appointment in
1873, whereas the Interior Department
was not organized until 1910. His name
is Benjamin 7. Reilly.
Henry Coleman, the Attorney Generals
Messenger. colOred man; Johnson, who
runs the elevator, and Mr.. Bentley, the Ii.
brarian of that department., have served
longest continuously in the Department
OF Justice. The first two began their duties
ia 1858, and Mr.. Bentley has been there
nearly, il not quite. as long. and having o
most retentive memory and great talents
for research. is great aid b. those who
wish 10 consult the books in that library.
THE CAPITOL VETERAN.
At the capitol the veteran by long odds
is Capt. Bts-ett. the Assistant Door.
keeper OF the Senate. who first served
there as q page. H. will be ~ years next
December since he was iirst appointed.
aud he has never been our Of the employ
OF the Senate since. He keeps, as q most
Justly valued treasure, q gold and silver
suuh-b0N presented 70 him nearly four
years ago. On the inside Ofthe lid OF which
Is the following inscription, 10 which
Capt. Bassett naturally points with great
pride: Zach mem ser OF the United
States Senate has loi0ed in presenting this
testimonial 70 Isaac Bassett on the con-
pletion OF the fiftieth year Of his services
as an officer Of that body. in recognition
OF his personal worth and official fidelity.
December >, 1881" This snuh-box, or
daral NJ tho auwpoet I'm ~ Sapator Rav