Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-12-14


| through sickness, but Mr.. Lawrenson is always
at his post. 1t is often said of him by those
who know him best that he is harder today
than many man who is only half his age. He
is frequently told that he ought not to subject
himself to the fatigue of the daily trip from
Baltimore and return, but his invariable reply
is that he likes the journey and believes that 1t
does him good The slight spare figure OF the
Judge" as he is generally known. is familiar
sight in the corridors of the Post Office depart
ment, where he is held in great respect by his
fellows. He moves along with brisk active
step and manages to keep well informed on
what Is going on in the department, especially
when new appointments are being made
SwEARISG IN OFFICIALS.
He is a notary public, and nearly all the swear
ing that is officially permitted in the Post Office
department is done under his personal super
vision. He has performed this duty for SO
many years that it is now beyond the recollec-
ton of the oldest clerk in the department to
say when he began to make his rounds with
his little Bible one hand and the notaral
seal IN the other. He has administered the oath
OF office to twenty-five Postmasters General
and Mr.; Wanamaker was the last Postmaster
General to touch his lips to the time-staned
covers OF the judges Bible. Mr.. Lawrenson
preserves the book with the greatest
care, and on one of the fly leaves is re-
corded the names OF all the Postmasters Gene
raj to whom he has administered the oath of
and coming down to John Wanamaker in 1889.
1t has become a recognized custom in the de-
partment that he should swear in all the Off
Gals, and when the situation is explained to
the newcomers Judge Lawrenson is at once
summoned.
MIR. Villas DOUBLE OBLIGATION.
When Mr. Villas was made Postmaster Gen.
| eral it nearly happened that the judges record
was broken and his heart at the same time, for
Mr. ,,, I
agreed to allow Justice Field of the United
States Supreme Court to administer the oath.
Justice Field had performed chat service for
MIR. Villas colleagues i'll the cabinet, and while
MIR. Villas was awaiting in the Postmaster Cen
erals room the arrival of the Justice he was
confronted by Judge Lawrenson his little
Bible and the custom of years. Mr.. Villas ex-
pressed deep regret that he had not been aware
OF the ceremony involving the official invest
ing OF Postmaster General. But what conld
he do! Justice Field was coming and he could
not dismiss justice of the Supreme Court with
the remark that he did not need him. There
was period OF painful doubt and uncertainty
IN the Post Office department Finally it was
suggested that after Justice Field had gotten
| through that Judge Lawrenson could also ad-
minister the oath. This was dcne to the in
tense satisfaction of everybody, especially the
latter.
THE oPOSSUM INCIDENT.
When a boy of sixteen or seventeen Judge
Lawrenson began his official career in the Bal
timore city post office. 1t WAS during his con-
nection with that office that the famous opossum
episode occurred. 1t was way back in the
2Os, and Gen. Lafayette making his
second visit to this country. He of course WIS.,
tied Baltimore, and it was announced that he
desired to procure specimens of animals native
to this country to take back to France. MIR.
Skinner, the postmaster wanted to have the
animals OF Maryland well represented and SO
a ~ fha IF Oar, T,yo %to
inserted in the newspapers, with the announce
ment that all gifts of this kind could be sent to
the post office in care of the postmaster. Judge
Lawrenson says that in a few days boxes of pos
sums began to come III from all parts Of Mary
land, and not knowing what to do with them
| In the temporary absence of Postmaster skinner
the judge directed that the squrming contents
OF the boxes be turned loose into the cellar
! under the post office building. Such was the
zeal of the good citizens of Maryland that in
the course of a week enough 'possums had been
| received to fill the cellar. The Judge is unable
to give an accurate esti nate of the number as
he never went down into the cellar to count
them. But at any rate there were enough to
make Postmaster Skinner use pretty vigorous
language when he saw how his cellar was occu-
pied. He did not know exactly what to do
with his collection, but finally selecting few
as samples of this product Of Maryland he
directed MIR. Lawrenson at IL o'clock that night
to open the cellar door and let the 'possums
| escape The judge did as he was directed and
supposed that the animals would rush down
Calvert street and out into the country But
judge OF his surprise when early the next
morning he saw possums hanging to the doors
and windows of the fronts of the houses on
both sides of that street. Calvert street had
the appearance Of being gotten up for a Rus
sian holiday, but as the day wore on the deco
rations were brought down with more or less
violence by the citizens, and 'possum was the
fashionable dish of the town for the next few
days.
EARLY DAYS IN THE DEPARTMENT
Judge Lawrenson was transferred to the Post
Office department in this city in the year 1884.
during the presidency of Andrew Jackson.
When he entered the department the entire
clerical force numbered seventy clerks. They
| were accommodated in an old building known
| as Blodgett's hotel, which occupied the E.
street front of the site Of the present building
Judge Lawrenson says that the usual salary
| paid to clerks at that time was $500 per year
Where the patent Office building now stands
was commons and here the horses which the
| clerks rode in from their homes in the country
| were tied during the day.
WHY THE EFFORT FAILED.
He says about the time he entered the de-
partment service an organized effort was made
with the approval of the Postmaster General,
| then W. T. Barry, to induce Congress to in
| crease the salaries. A committee went before
resented to them the arduous duties the clerks
were obliged to perform and the meagerness
OF the compensation. Their representations
proved SO effective that a subcommittee was
| authorized to visit the department and make
an examination of the methods Of doing busi-
ness with the view of being able to determine
| exactly what was needed. The committee of
clerks, thus assured that their petition would
| receive attention retired, and when they re-
ported the facts to their associates in the de-
partment there was great rejoicing. This
| Joy was somewhat dampened by the
tact that the weeks rolled around and
the committee had made no effort to fulfill their
promise and there was q general feeling that
| their little matter had been forgotten. How
| ever, the congressional committee did appear
one day at the department and calling upon the
| Postmaster General informed him that they
had come to see for themselves the work that
| was being done by his clerks with the purpose
/ of making such recommendations as would
tend to relieve their burdens. The Postmaster
General expressed his qualification that the
| committee had come to the department. per-
| sonally and at once summoned the chief clerk
| to show the committee around the building.
The third-story floor was mainly occupied by
| one large room, where a number of the clerks
| had their desks. The committee decided to be-
gin with the upper floor and ascending the
| stairs they reached the door of the room. On
looking in they found, instead Of a group of