The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-09-20
NATIONAL CAPITAL.
Douglas COunfy-Dr- McDonald's
Case NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. order
Divisions of Postomces.

a, T.
was first sent in as consul general al
Kanasawa. but this Office has been absn-
donsd in view Of the more important loca-
ton al Yokohama. so the change was
made. Mr.. Conveys appointment was
looked upon by politicians generally as
one personal 10 the president. and il was
well for Mr.. Convey that he possessed the
presidents personal friendship, for the
state department furnishes the information
that the consul generalship Is worth not
less than s.. 10 year.
The next best position IN the consular
service held by a citizen OF Washington
. state is the consulship at Sydney, New
South Wales. to which George W. Bell
Was appointed by President Cleveland
June - 1893. quite long enough ago for
Republican TO have been put in his place:
but IL is reported that Mr.. Bell was not
a rabid free silver Democrat. and those
kind of Democrats were of some help in
the last campaign. Whether this Office will
be retained by a resident of Washington
state when a change Is made, is. however,
still matter Of doubt.
Sylvester @. Hill, who was appointed
vice consul at Tientsin, China. June 8.
1887 is also accredited to the state OF
Washington.
Philip Tillinghast, tr. who is consular
agent at Cucuta, Colombia, received his
commission January IL, 1897.
JOHN 1apfSss Oh oItSons WHO WIS
pointed consul at Valparaiso, will receive
in salary and fees, dating from July II.
1897, little over 5000 a year.
Messrs j. c. Atwood. Leonard F. Spear
and many other settlers upon the public
lands In township q north. range q and
% east on the line of the Great Northern
railway. In Douglas county. Wash, have
petitioned the fourth assistant postmas-
ter general for the establishment Of
postoffice at Stratford station to be
known at Stratford. and for the appoint
ment OF Sven Kerr of that place. as
postmaster. The nearest postoffice at the
present time is on the Great Northern
railroad at Wilson creek eight miles east
OF Stratford station. The only other post
Office in that section OF the county is at
Coulee City twenty miles north. and
there is no wAgon road between Couiee
City and Stratford station.
The petition states that owing to the
rapid construction OF the Cooperative
Company's irrigation ditch. and the con-
sequent irrigation OF the land, there Is
certain to be large community at STRAIT
ford in the near future. Some of the sign
ers of the petition live at a place known
as Adrian. and these have to go sixteen
miles TO get their mail. There is no wagon
road and they are Obliged to follow the
most convenient route along the railroad
these settlers could get their man at the
Wilson creek postofffce only by crossing
the flooded streams on the railroad bridges
For these reasons immediate action has
been urged upon the postoffice depart
ment by Representative Lewis. whose In
dorsement the petition bears. The matter
will be referred to a special postofice In
spector in the Washington district for ex-
animation and report.
Assistant Secretary Spaul6ing of the
treasury department has written a letter
TO the civil service commission In reply
10 a request from the commission for a
report IS IN the facts in regard TO a COM
rnunication from Representative Lewis
relative 20 the dismissal of DIR. ]. H. Nc
Donald from the position Of immigrant
inspector at Olympia. II was charged by
Mr.. Mcdonald in s letter 10 the congress-
man. that his removal was preceded only
By a very few DAYS by the appointment
OF another inspector In that district lie
complained therefore 20 the civil service
commission alleging that he should have
been transferred. In his letter TO the
civil service commission. Assistant Secre-
tary Spaulding says:
You are informed that the dismissal Of
Mr.. Mcdonald from the service was made
together with others, for the purpose Of
reducing the force and expenses In the
immigration service. and that no appoint
ment was made to the Office vacated by
his removal"
Willard ]. Phillips Of Newport Idaho.
who has been trying for some time to OBJ
tain an increased pension but has been
ura able to do so. owing TO his inability 10
find any of his old comrades who could
furnish evidence that the disabilities
from which he Is now suffering were con-
tracted I'm the service has been furnished
through the courtesy OF Pension Com
missioner Evans with a list of members
OF the Forty-fourth Wisconsin infantry.
TO which Mr.. Phillips belonged. and their
present addresses as they appear on the
records Of the pension bureau. From past
experience II has been found that SOL
diers are often enabled 70 obtain evidence
in this way that could never have been
obtained otherwise.
The regular fall civil service exa-1ina-
tions throughout the country for all
classes Of government Offices will muster
only about quarter or a third OF the
usual number OF candidates. This Is the
prediction made by the civil service COM
mission. and Chief Examiner Server at
tributes this falling OF 70 the unusual
number Of applicants examined during the
spring when high-water mark was
reached. the number Of applicants exam
ined then being an increase of 100 per
cent over the preceding fall or spring.
This rush was due 10 the change OF adj
mtniStrattOn and the civil service exteu-
sion made by President Cleveland As a
result, and IN view % an inadeouata er-
aiming force. the commission is far h,
arrears in marking the papers. ard II D00
Of them. all submitted during the spring
have yet 10 De reached for marking This
aggregate includes 2ssS relating n the
railway mail service. and I,sI 10 the
clerk-copyist places. This unprecedented
St2.e cf affairs has been a great factor
In deterring applicants from APPLYING for
examination at this time
The postofflce department Is planning
for q very thorough investigation Of noss.
Offices. especially the money order dtvj.
sion q such Offices The rohberias ina,
nave lately been discovered on the part
q employees in that department have
Shown where the weak points In tba sxs
TEN lie. and an EFFORT Is 10 be rrase "a
correct these deficiencies, though the sys-
tenn as whole IS regarded as being "a
safe as could be devised.
Hereafter poStof1ice inspectors ufn ~
Kept euSily engaged examining postofNnes
ard suo-s'ations ~ Irregular and rnex-
pecied times, so that any irrsFulzrisv NJ
accounts viii be quickly discovered T-ha
examination viii be conducted On rhs
pan o. examinations % national banks,
40 VI" De quite as thorough ss are the
investigations a. such institution.
Lieut. Col George 3. Russell. -Four.
teenta Etsntry. has been rranfas taa,,a
q absence 81 iwo months. 20 take ere.
apon the expiration - ais present stck
lsaFe
FIRST Lieut. Charles l. Potter. corps OF