Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-13

Col F. c. Ainsworth is undoubtedly the
most talked-about man in the United States
today. The public has fixed on him the
principal share Of responsibility for the awful
catastrophe Of Friday last, and the prevalent
belief is that he compelled the clerks in his
office to remain at their desks in the Inflated
building when it was apparent that they risked
their lives in 30 doing. They say now that they
knew the building was unsafe. but that their fear
Of him prevented their making any complaint
He Gays that no one ever animated or suggested
to him or any of his subordinates anything of
the kind, and that, on the contrary, the builders
who examined the work proposed for the intro
duction OF the electric plant all agreed
in the opinion that ii was safe and feasible.
The facts in this matter will be established by
the coroner's jury Of inquest and will subse-
quently be passed upon by an army court Of
inquiry.
AN ANOMALOUS POSITION.
As the case now stands Col Ainsworth Is the
principal figure Of interest He has had a re-
markable career in the army, and now occupies
a somewhat anomalous position in that service.
being tie only officer in the army not attached
to any corps and filing a position specially
created by Congress Tor his benefit
HIS ARMY cAEEER.
Col. Ainsworth was appointed an assistant
surgeon in the army from civil life November
10, 1874, and his first duty was at West Point.
Subsequently he had service at Fort Vancouver.
Wash, Sitka, Alaska, Fort Yuma, Cal,
Camp Grant, Ariz.. and in the field with
the eighth infantry in the depart
ment of California. These assignments
we're between November, 1874 and April. 1880.
In which latter year he was transferred to duty
Z Tey ha mad Unity
at various posts in that state and vicinity until
October IL, 1885. when he was assigned to duty
as recorder Of the army medical board in New
York city, which position he held when he was
summoned to Washington December, 1856.
HIS DUTY IN WASHINGTON.
His first connection with his present duties
dates from that time. The demand for the
settlement Of pension cases was then at its
height, and an investigation showed that the
calls for information from the hospital records
of the army were about 10000 cases in arrears.
Secretary Endicott was then Secretary of
War. He determined to find some one
who possessed sufficient executive ability TO
bring these records up to date IL possible. and
he applied to the surgeon general of the army
for such man. Mr.. Ainsworth then an
assistant surgeon in the corps with
the rank of captain. He was on
duty in New York. The surgeon general rec
commended him and he was selected and as
signed to duty in the Office Of the surgeon
general at Washington He was regularly
rlaced in charge of the record and pension Of
fee.
THE CARD SYSTEM OF INDEX.
Soon after he had informed himself Of the
character OF the work assigned him he con-
ceived the idea of solving the existing diffcul-
ties Dy the application Of the ''card index sys-
tenn" (st that time in general use in libraries)
to these pension records. Hisplan was approved
bv the surgeon general, by Senator CockeriIl.
then chairman of the Senate committee engaged
in investigating departmental methods OF bust
ness. and finally by the Secretary Of War
(Endicott).
Work under this system was commenced
early in 1887. and, as everybody familiar with
public business knows with wonderful results
in the settlement Of pension claims.
THE DIVISION AUGMENTED.
In July, 1891. Secretary Proctor, impressed
with the remarkable success Of Col. Ainsworth's
work with the medical records, decided to ap-
ply the same system to the military
records To this end be issued an
order transferring all such records in the
Offices OF the adjutsnt general and the surgeon
general to be a common Office. which be desig-
dated rs the record and pension Office" and
placed Col. Ainsworth at the head Of it, This
transfer included all the clerks who were then
engaged on this work. numbering nearly 800
altogether.
In the first session Of the last Congress the
49,. .S ~ y, WIG Vi we, was iesanzeo
".u VIC pte9eu' ouioe VI recoros anu pensions
vi .ue "ar oePar.nen' Mss created as an inoe-
Peuuen ~ y. sSiNan, iais act oi congress SO
po,n'eo. s inaIca'ea Coi. Ainswortn as the mead
,ne oihce 'na. Iesiuen. aar risoh vetoed tne
oii. On VIC siouuo .nat inirinseo on .ne con-
s'l,u'ionsi plerosa.Ne Oh tns PRESIDENT IN tne
matte, oi APPOINTMENTS. Inc oiii pracucaily
named ooL AinsWortn Tor the place
anu gave Tue rresioent no discretion
IA IA .ne iha''er. ne act was tnen AMENDED oy
iont Hsrr;son tho, annrovoS !. - -.
nominated Col. Ainsworth for the place and his
nomination was confirmed BY the Senate.
rExr OF THE ACT
Tb;s a., w.s en,;,,ed a. 90, =, ,;s. g.
s w ~ " .o'
Tue permanent preservation ana custody OF the
records OF the volunteer armies and for other
purposes. and was as follows:
"be 1t enacted by the Senate and House OF
Representatives OF the United States of
America In Congress assembled. That the divi-
sion organized by the Secretary OF War in his
ofice for the preservation and custody
OF the records OF the volunteer armies
under tine name OF the record and pension
division Is hereby established as now organized.
and shall hereafter be known as the
record ana pension once OF the War
department; ana the PRESIDENT Is hereby au-
thorized to select an odicer OF the army
whon ne NAV consider to be especially well