Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-16
MR.. GRANT PROTESTS
Thinks East Capitol Post Office Comes
Under Civil Service
Two Appointments by Postmaster
suit the Postmaster General.

Postmaster Willett began yesterday to
distribute the limited patronage left to him
by the extension of the classification of the
civil service. In the evening he appointed
Mr.. VIM. NJ. Dove, superintendent Of the
East Capitol station, to succeed Mr..
Frederick A. Grant, and Mr.. William H.
Fletcher, superintendent of the southwest
station, of which the former incumbent
was Mr.. Alfred c. Irvine. Both Mr.. Grant
and Mr.. Irvine resigned and were given
thirty days leave of absence with pay.
Mr.. Dove is one of the best-known citi-
Gems Of the District, where he has resided
all his life. He is forty-three years OLD, and
has been an ardent democrat ever since he
| was old enough to know what politics
meant. He was for a long tiIle fuel in
spector Of the District He is leading
member of the Columbia Athletic Club.
Mr.. Fletcher Is also prominent among
Washingtonians. He has been engaged in
the furniture business here for many years,
having been member OF the firm OF SIN
gleton & Fletcher. and also for a long time
employed by w. b. Moses. His democracy
is of the Jeffersonian variety, and he has
always taken warm interest In party
politics.
Some interest has been created in the
case of Mr.. Grant by the announcement
that several days ago he presented TO the
civil SeTNiCe CcIlItiiSSiOIl anu the IOStHdS-
ter General a protest against the exclusion
of the East Capitol station from the opera
ton of the civil service law, whose protec-
ton had been extended by a recent order
of President Cleveland, to all the post OF
flee stations in WashiI gton except the East
Capitol, the southwest and the Georgetown
branches. MIR. Grant based his protest
upon the ground that under the postal
laws a superintendent of carrier station
is classified as other superintendent who
are responsible directly TO the postmaster
and the Post Once Department, and who
are now protected by the civil service law
Consequently, he believed that the East
Capitol station should have been included
in the list placed under the classified SER
vice, and so he requested the civil service
commission and the Postmaster General for
a decision in the matter.
Mr.. Grant states that his course is not
intended as a move against the appoint
ment OF his successor, but for the purpose
of having the law construed. The Post
master General was not at his office to-
day, being still indisposed by the Slight
illness he has been suffering for several
days. Others at the department knew
nothing about the protest. At the city
post office, Postmaster Willett, when his
attention was called to Mr.. Grants action,
said he knew nothing about it.
Mr.. Grant resigned as the superinten-
dent of the East Washington station, said
Mr.. Willett, and / have appointed his
successor. Mr.. Grant was given one
months leave of absence with pay.
Mr.. Grants memorial had been received
by the civil service commission, but no
action had been taken upon it..
81 do not in what way the COM
mission can take up the question present.
ed by Mr.. Grant, other than to refer ii to
the Postmaster General, said President
Proctor. THE commission would certain
ly not make any recommendations to the
President that did not meet Mr.. Bissellj
approval, because he is good a civil
service reformer as the members of the
commission themselves. If he wishes the
stations in question to be excepted We will,
of course, endeavor to have such result
accomplished"
was the Postmaster General consulted
in the preparation of the recent order ex-
tending the classified service in his de-
partment," inquired the reporter.
why, certainly. The order met with
his cordial approval, as well as that of the
commission. / have not called his atten-
tion to Mr.. Grants communication yet as
he has not been well. L expect to see him
today, but on different matters"