Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-07-05
dinner he goes at it again AMI works till

hshed, well carpcted, gorgcously frcs-
coed and adorned with oil portraits of
Sherman, Folger and others of his prctc-
cessors. Everybody leaves Window with
regret, Tor he is Il very agreeable host.
ne always was so pleasant, might with
truth be written on his tombstone. He
stands this strain so well, though he gets
so little exercise, that ii is hard to con-
meet him i'll this world with Il tombstone.
Next in the line of promotion comes
the Secretary of War, the veteran Cover
nor, Rediield Proctor, of Vermont, the
richest man in the Cabinet. 10 see him
we must go back to the Stanawar. where
his Office is splendid room on the west
SIDE OF the same floor Us Blainc's Proc
tor, gray with years and bent with work,
looks quiesccnt and even phlema;ic. But
lie IS the most nervous man i'll the Cabi-
net. lie always walks us he talks. He
does not mean to shake you or; he is I'M
aiiectedly courteous to you, but he must
walk. He walks up and down when he
Is debating TO his stcnogrphcr; hc walks
up and down when lie eats his luncheon.
lie walks over 10 the Department from
the Arlington and back again when the
weather will let him. Like most million
aires who have made their millions. if not
themselves, he is an early riser, and usu-
ally anticipates his clerks Mt the Office.
lie has very few oiiiccSecilins: callers. and
has been able to learn more about his Of
flee than any of his colleagues, except the
Secretary OF the Navy.
The Secretary of the Navy, Benjamin
r. Tracy, of Brooklyn, comes next. Ills
Office is that of his predecessor on the
eastern side of the same floorand directly
Ill line with Secretary Proctor's. Tracy
uses the little inner room more constantly
than Whitney did, giving up tie long
show Office with lis costly woods and
rugs ami frcScods and the oil portraits of
his predecessors to Lieutenant L. Il. NJ.
Mason, his naval secretary; Henry w.
Raymond, his private secretary, and
their clerks. lie is Il gray-haircd, .sray-
whlskcred man, with Il benevolent expires
sion, clever tongue and Pheasant
laugh. He is very apt to have his callers
brought i'll one ut a'timc into his inner
Office, where, on the famous Monitor
desk, he does most Of his work. lie GETS
over to his Office from the Arno little
after ,, goes back for luncheon at , and
gets away finally ut o'clock, working
often, however, in the evening II the
rooms. For, like all the res, lie has too
man, callers just now TO permit linn TO lo
all his days stint at his Office and. like
all the others, he disli!lcs 10 Lei il go over
from day TO day. ~
The Postmastcr-G General comes next.
TO see him we must ride all across the
business part of town 10 the crowded
sma!l-roomcd postoilcc department. on
Seventh street. There is moi Il good
sized room in this department, nor one
which is handsomely furnished, and the
Postmaster-Gcneral's is no exception. In
contrast with the magnificent Offices we
have just left, the newest and finest in
Washington, his rooms seems shabby.
But they seem to be the most attractive
rooms in Washington. From tho time
the doors are opened in the morning
until the time they are closed in the even
ing his callers are comm. and going.
There is Il little ante room where his TYNE
writer works Off bcni:d IL screen the LET
tiers he has taken in shorthand from the
Postmaster Generals lictaton. IL is
small, and usually full of waiting visitors.
Then there is his formal office, which is
not much larger, and is pretty well filled
by his big desk, two lcltic.-covcrcd sofas.
several lcathcrcOvcred chairs and :; cabi-
net. What space is left is also usually
filled. The Postmaster General may be
found here, sitting in II fitting chair be-
hind his desk or standing leaning on the
mantel-piccc where Benjamin franklin sits
so!emnly surveying his successor. Or he
may be in his inner office, about the same
size, and just beyond, where his faithful
private secretary, Mr.. Jones, writes neat
notes all day long. AS likely MS not that
inner office is filled, TOO, although usu-
ally it is not, since he reserves it for con
iidcntial conferences. Portraits of his
predecessors look down from every wall.
The PostmastcrGencral gets down to
his office in the official rattlc-trap called
by courtcsty Il coupe, any time between
1880 and $50, having already, after
breakfast and prayers, accomplished some
work. lie docs II good deal before 8
o'clock, when the visitor first gets in, UNI
less lie has Il special engagement with
the PosinastcrGenerGl, and then SIr.
Wanamakcr gets in his worl. in the in
lcistlccs Of interviews until ! O'Clock,
Wien the cutter doors are closed and no
oiiicc-scckcrs are admitted. BY > most of
them are gone, and between tirat and Z
lie can get III two solid hours of work.
After dinner he goes at it again Ii he
is hot careful he will break down. a
temperate, methotlical man can do won
dcrs Of work, but there is limit TO
every man. powers. Still, DO not think
he wastes work, and perhaps the post
Office department and a great business
cannot be successfully run in a:;y other
way. The postmaster-Genc is very
agreeable, even if he does loos at YOU
rather peremp;orily through his eye
glasses now and them. He is rapidly
learning Washington ways rs we'll as
Washington men. and vii! be more pro-
iicicnt every day. lie did very wise
thing when he bought The Frciingliuysen
Whitney house. In fact, and 10y ira
dition, it is one OF the most attractive
houses in Washington. Tic Postmaster