The Washington critic., 1890-03-03
IN TIE DEPARTMENTS.
Matters of Interest 60 the Employees
of Uncle Sam.

Captain James II. Merryman, one Of
the best known officers of the Revenue
Marine Service, died last week. He
was native of Maryland, but was APP
pointed from Illinois. For consider
able time past he has been incapaci.
tated for the performance of active
duty, and at the time of his DEATH
which resulted from cancerous affec-
tion, he was at New York under a
special assignment.
Mr.. J. NJ. Welty of Illinois was pro
NOTED last week from 81 600 to 81 800
I'D the Pension Office. This gentleman
was an assistant chief of division
under the last Administration and was
removed. On the appointment of
Commissioner Tanner he was reinstated.
He is regarded as very competent
clerk.
James W. Spencer of Iowa has
been appointed to 81 600 position in
the Geological Survey.
Mr.. S. II. Bundy of Illinois has re.
signed his 81 800 clerkship in the In.
terror Department.
Mr.. Warner Wilhite, the efficient
chief of the Eastern Division, one of the
largest and most important In the Pen
sion Bureau, has returned from visit
to his home In Indiana. Although this
gentleman was never in the Govern
ment service until the incoming of the
present Administration, he has mas
tered all the duties pertaining to his
division, Of which he is the head in fact
as well as in name. His popularity
with his clerks and the high opinion
entertained of his division by the su-
perior officers of the bureau is evidence
of his standing as man and official
In the Interior Department the fol-
lowing promotions have been an
nounced: Mrs. L. II. Miller of Mich
igan, Mrs. Tory Olesen of Minnesota
and j. M. Harriet of Illinois, from
81, 900 to 81 200 per annum.
Mr.. Henry B. Hitz Of the District of
Columbia was appointed on Thursday
to 5000 clerkship in the Geological
Survey.
Country visitors frequently mistake
the clerks of Senators for the members
of the American House of Lords. The
error is pardonable when one considers
the distinguished air of the average
clerk as contrasted with the happy-go-
lucky style of the ordinary Senator.
Some of the Senate clerks are free from
assumed airs, but they are in minority.
The special field for display of pompos-
ity is found in the Departments, which
are daily visited by the representatives
of the Senators, and where the Govern
ment clerks have lots of quiet fun at
the expense of the little gentlemen, upon
whose shoulders rest such weighty re-
sponsibilities as are usually devolved
upon private secretaries of men whose
mail contains but little more than ap-
peals for Office from needy constituents.
The Commissioner of Pensions has
promoted William II. Greer of Penn
sylvania, William II. Summers of Ohio
and William L. Wright of the District
of Columbia from 81, 200 to 81 400 per
annum.
Mrs. Ella Atkins of Ohio has received
an appointment to 5000 clerkship in
the Patent Office.
Mr.. G. l.. Poindexter of Illinois, q
clerk of the 81 400 class in the Interior
Department, has resigned.
A clerk in the Postotiice Department,
commenting upon statement in this
column in our last issue, to the effect
increase their rates il the proposed tax
is levied by the District Commissioners,
says he thinks some sort of organiza-
tion is required among boarders as a
protection against Washington land
ladies. In no other city are there so
many boarding houses as here, and
nowhere are landladies so independent
and eXacting. Women suffer more than
men at the hands of these female
tyrants, and woe to the poor copyist or
typewriter upon whose head the frown
Of the landlady falls. A male boarder
may occasionally be caught kissing the
cook, merely as matter of diplomacy,
and the mistress of the house will con-
tent herself by scolding the servant and
speaking of her boarder as "a scamp"
but If she detects any little Irritation be-
tween her guests there's big row at
once, unless the male is a member of
Congress, in which case the landlady
quietly says, Members are so &C.
centric. If there is any one thing that
makes the Washington boarder more
tired than another, il is the familiar an
nouncement of the landlady that she
"has seen better days" Most of them
never lived so well as they do now, and
yet they talk of better days A lady
clerk who has a room in one house and
takes her meals in another was sick a
few days ago. and when servant
brought her breakfast it was not al.
lowed to be sent to her room, as wit.
ties makes the cuttings SMELL" OuI
friend in the Postofilce closes his com.
munication with q reiterated demand
for a clerks clearinghouse pro
tective league"
ury Department is on an extended toul
through the Southern States on busi
ness connected with his office.
Quite number of clerks in the sew
eral Departments have very sensibly
concluded that they will no longer pay
excessive rents for homes and have in
vested in cottages along the lines oi
railways running from this city. The
entire route between Washington anC
Rockville, the thriving Maryland towr
sixteen miles north of our city, Is dot
ted with the snug homes of clerks anC
other employees of Uncle Sam. Their,
is much that is unhealthy in the specu
latiVe movements in suburban real es
tate, and the chances are that there will
sooner or later be mourning among
those who expect to buy land by thu
acre and sell it by the foot at fancy
prices. But there is no risk wher,
property is actually purchased and oc
cupied as homes anywhere within {
radius of twenty miles, So popular i
this movement becoming that the rail
roads will, during the coming summer
iun special Department trains ever,
morning and afternoon.
II. p. Minsball of Iowa was pro
NOTED on Wednesday from 81, 400 t
81 900 in the Interior Department,