The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-02-25
r DOCUMENT ROOM
DEPARTMENT. or CONGRESS
IN THE CAPITOL.

UOcWlmemfA AEO EAAe0 ANAN
Ow They are Kept I'm order.
lshington Hatciot man had occa-
20 iato the Senate Document
,hc other day and was so struck
lie busy and peculiar scene pre-
that he naturally fell to pumping
Thomas II. Mckee, the assis-
perintendent He said it was one
most complicated departments Of
nate, or House either, for that
branch has been presided over by
nen of peculiar fitness and ability,
aptain Mckee. 'It is very COM
ID and requires great experience to
fitness. ''There is q mass of bills
Dcuments here, " continued he, land
lires a good deal Of bookkeeping
OF a short memory to keep people
nor. The bills presented in Con-
up to the last year aggregated 3d.
(which 81, 10S were introduced in
Iouse and 3s. 500 in the Senate.
it is only small item of the
to keep run of the bills,
he miscellaneous and executive
ments, together with committee
It's of the two Houses form one of
most composite and varied collec-
of literature, history aud statistics
found in any portion of the world"
should think it would require great
L to keep in hand this complete
5 and yet be able to find any given
document or report2" the Hdtchet
arked.
1t requires five clerks, but it is
e., replied Captain Mckee. 81 have
en- the work four years study, two
RS of which were in the House, and
Smith, the superintendent, has been
e twelve years"
do you not receive many peculiar re-
sstsg"
'Ohl yes. Very many people simply
for report, or document or bill,
thout mentioning the number, Con-
ess or session, or even the correct title,
zen in fact, there are two or three hun
ed of the same kind of documepts, and
ey wonder why we cannot hand them
it. Again, some give the title without
ming the number or Congress, and the
me title, you see, may apply to bill,
executive document, or miscellaneous
ocument, or report/of a committee,
nd that Of either House."
"What can you do in such cases"
'sWell, we fhave very many ways OF
rorl1ing out these difficult problems. 1t
kind OF Instinct that exercises and
nllS lis better than they, what is
wanted"
''Are you not annoyed by those who
yant documentsln
'sNo, for the great portion who cal
NOW what they want. The great diff
ulty with this class is, however, they
want too much. There ar,
many professionals who call, but the.
Isually have private claims pending. ar
luiet and easily satisfied. There is 8
Gahomedan here with a private claim
Who is a crank. He calls every few days
o see if there is not some new docu
nent issued in his case. Then we have
number of lady callers. They are usual
v undemonstrative and not so exacting
IS the gentlemen. A few of them
hough, who are playing the role of lob
,yist, are nuisances. They would Dor
he man in the moon by their question:
md opportunities. A few days ago, on
IF these lady lobbyists came into tn
document room and requested that W
give her copy of her bill. We in
Iuired for the name in the bill and wer
given a name commencing with w.
examined over six thousand pages G
index matter, and informed he
that no such bill had ever been befor
Congress. Then she asked me to try an
other name beginning with r, and agai
[ carefully examined the index mattel
but without finding any such name.
then asked the nature of her claim, an
upon being informed, ] cited claim.
with A. "Ohn exclaime
she, ''that is the one meant all ii
time; that is my CLAMP | had sper
lust two hours of hard searching of ole
musty papers, and to my utter disgu
was informed that claim which ] coul
have found in ten seconds, was what WI
desired 1t came near trying my patienc'
but we must be patient, you know"
+ ''F'rom what source do you receive I'll
greatest number of callsl"
tClerks and messengers from commit
tees, then agents and attorneys. I'll
latter give us much trouble, and a
about the most ungrateful of all wi
call. They seem to think the Senate
under special obligations to support
document-room with its complement
files and men TO keep them supplied vii
all they want-several copies of ever
thing issued"
"Do Senators make many callsl"
''Yes, and they are peculiar to ol
branch of the werk. They usually wal
precedent for some proposition, or Il
complete history of some act. This I
quires special work Superintende
Smith is specialist in this branch of t
work. His methods are as peculiar
his success as are those of Pinkerton
Davenport in working up a complicat'
case of crime In his absence this brani
of the work falls to me, and ! assure "
it tells upon the brain and nerve, it b
ing the most laborious of all the dutie
The Senators are the most industrious
all public men.
"lhe newspaper men come oftenl'
"They come and 60 at will. We ha
special arrangements for them, and
must say it is pleasure to wait up
them. They are the most practicable
al in tho t,oo nf 6ooumontc Tbau 20