Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-28
OFFICIAL SIGNATURES.
E-SeaD
The Record for signing the Name
PrObRbly Held In This CITY

Cabinet and bureau officers" said pri-
vate secretary of one of the former lose
lot of valuable time in signing their
names TO official documents. which are
given life by the scrawl traced so hurried
ly upon them
Ancient official documents show that
when George Washington signed his name
during the early part of his first adminis-
tration he frequently wrote 1t George
Washington although his favorite sigma
ture and the one he commonly signed was
Go Washington 1t has also been found
on documents written &C. washington
Doubts may be entertained as to the ac-
curacy of this statement as the almost
universal signature known to the public Is
with his first name abbreviated. Go, but
the facts are as state them.
When Mr.. Lincoln first entered the
White House he always signed his name
In full, Abraham Lincoln Subsequently
he abbreviated his official signature to the
"A Lincoln of familiar sight.
Mr.. Cleveland elided one of his Chris
tian names before he came to Washington
and he always wrote Grover Cleveland in
full
The President devotes a specified time
daily to affiXing his signature to papers of
state and the commissions of army. navy
and other officers bearing presidential ap-
pointments. and presidential postmasters.
OF whom there are about $500. changing
with each administration, or recommis-
IL
IDENTIFY found that ii consumed TOO much
time to write his name in full, and this is
the reason, no doubt, why he abbreviated
1t.
1T cannot be said with exactness which
of the cabinet officers signs his name the
most frequently. 1 believe however. that
1t is the Postmaster General. Not only
does he affix his signature to the countless
official papers of the department. in conn
mon with his confreres, but he signs the
commissions of all Of the postmasters Of
the fourth class, and they approximate
10000 Sometimes post Office will be
commissioned several times during the
term of the incumbent Postmaster General,
and it would not be far out of the way to
say that he signs from $1,000 to 100000
fourth-class postmasters' commissions dur
ing his term
cabinet officers acquire great rapidity
in making these formal signatures. and
they hurry through with 1t. as it is a task
and blocks other more important work:
Messengers stand by the side of the chief
presenting the commissions or papers with
one hand while they quickly blot each sig
nature as made with the other.
The record in the United States. and
probably In the world. of the rapid signing
of the name consecutively many times 10
probably held in this city, and the dis
tinction belongs to Col. j. q. Berret, for
respected resident of the capital.
During President Folks administration
Col. Berret was connected with the Treas
ury Department. Bonds to the amount OF
S13. 900, 600 were issued, and 1t was neces-
sary for either the Secretary of the Treas
ury. r. ]. Walker to sign them. or for
some one in his stead. He delegated Col:
Berret to affix his signature to each one OF
the forty coupons on each bond, lZo,eoO
coupons in all. Col. Berret signed his
name 1000 times the first day Of the work
and kept this average up every day, COM
pleting his task in thirty days"