The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-23

war department was George Phelps. VINO
In 1888 was detailed from the army as
an orderly or messenger to the secretary
OF war for the purpose OF carrying his
mail, and he continued to perform that
duty day after day. seldom taking a va
cation, for sixty-two years. until the
spring of 1896. when he died Of pneu-
monia at the age Of 81. Mr.. Phelps was
scarcely ever absent from his post of
duty, and. as one would naturally sup
pose, came TO think that the war depart
menr could not be carried on without
nm.
The oldest clerk al present in the wac
department is G. ]. L. Foxwell, who
was also private soldier and fought
through the Mexican war in ranks.
After the return Of his regiment ne was
detailed as a messenger or orderly 70 the
commissary general, and al the end OF
his term OF enlistment was made a clerk
in 1851. He will soon celebrate the
forty-sixth anniversary Of his appoint
ment
George Bartla has been a clerk In the
department. of state since the LIST Of Au-
gust. 1915, and Henry p Randolph was
appointed in the same office the follow
ing September. Previous TO that date
Mr.. Randolph had been a clerk IN the
New York customs house.
Henry A. lockwood was appointed TO
the treasury on the 14th of November.
1853, and was prornseed from time 10
time until ne became deputy commits
sioner of customs When that bureau
where.
In the state department there are four
persons who have served over thirty
years.
In the war department are four per-
sons who have served over forty years.
three who have served over thirty
eight years and five who have served
over tnirty-six years.
In the treasury department are forty
two persons who have served over thirty
years, ard sixteen who have served over
forty years.
A. r. Spofford, librarian OF congress.
has been in the service longer tran any
other appointee Of the president. He
used TO be a newspaper man IN Cincin-
ns;i, and came 20 Washington TO take
the place OF assistant librarian IN 1851
Three years later he was promoted TO
the office OF librarian in chief. Mr..
Spofford is a very remarkable man. He
has memory that absorbs and retains
every fact tia: he hears TIE negro
messengers about The capitol think he Is
gifted with supernatural powers. be-
cause he can tell what Is inside book
by looking at the covers. He mas prob
ably read more books than any man in
America, and has the extraordinary
faculty of being able to seize upon the
important portion of the contents at a
glance. He will go through half dozen
books in an evening, and when ne puts
them back on the shelves he has trans
ferred 70 MS memory almost every fac;
OF Importance they contain. He is,
therefore, invaluable az a reference
When a member who wants 10 make UP
a speech will send note TO Mr.. Spot
ford saying:
Give me some thing on the occul,a-
ton of Venus"
In five minutes the page will come
back with half a dozen books, with slips
OF paper between the pages The con-
gresham can open al these marks,
spend fifteen or twenty minutes in
reading, and then amaze the people in
the galleries. the members on the ffoor,
and his constituents al home with .
learned dissertation about the heavy
bodies
Next in length OF service is Sumner I
K'mball, chief Of the life-saving bureau
Of the treasury department. He was
the organizer OF that institution. He
was first appointed clerk In the office
of the second auditor. in 1852. and has
been promoted from time 10 time.
Mr.. Adee, the second assistant secre-
tary Of state, entered the service in 1870
as secretary of legation al Madrid and
was appointed to his present position m
1876.
General James A. Dumont. supervising
inspector Of steamships, was appointed
in 1876.
Last February Henry l. Whiting OF
the coast survey. who had been in the
service for hf5y-nine years. died very
suddenly. He was appointed in 1888 and
was over so, bu; he was both mentally
and physically as vigorous as a man %
30, and performed his duties a. his Office
as usual on the day OF his death. He
was i member OF the Mississippi river
commission. and had charge OF ne
tropical survey o<Massachuse;ts. and had
a worldwide reputation as a topog-
"a phe-.
Charles A Schott has been IN the en-
pioy OF the coast survey since 1s4s and
mas been n charge OF Astronomical. |
= gonometric. hypsometris and magnetic
ever since 1857. He : an
author OF distinction also. and f. recog- /
nizei al over ne world as an authority !
on photography. Csoiszy and terrestrial |
magnetism. Although Il years old. Nr. !
Scno.t retains his paystcaI and mental l
vigor. Is z; his desk every day sni 1
works as hard as the youngest MAI IN !
the se-yica