Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-02-01

exhibit there. For several months-in fact,
since the Postmaster General selected Mr..
Beavers to take charge Of this important
work-he has been in correspondence with
all of the principal manufacturers of the
country who furnish the Post Office Depart
ment with the necessary apparatus to con-
duct a first-class office. Congress made a
mistake. it is said, in not appropriating
sufficient funds for this exhibit, and it has
been necessary to call upon these manu-
facturers for contributions in the shape of
duplicate appliances. They have responded
literally, and there is no longer any fear
that the exhibit will be anything but
grand success
1t is the purpose of Mr. Beavers, as soon
as he arrives at the French capital. to set
up model post office in the building set
aside for the United States exhibit. While
this will give visitors to the expedition
concise idea of the postal system of the
United States, 1t viii also serve practical
purpose in handling the mail intended for
the citizens of our country visiting the ex-
position. 1t will be possible for one inter-
ested in post office affairs to watch the
course a letter takes from the moment it is
mailed; how it is taken up by the collector,
turned in at the office, assorted, stamped
and distributed according to states.
OF considerable importance to the inveS-
tigator will be the canceling machines
which have made such revolution during
the last few years in the handling of mail.
1t has not been many years since all mail
was stamped by hand, and 1t can be readily
appreciated how long a time it took to
properly cancel all stamps, which is con-
dition In the transmission of mail that cam
not possibly be overlooked, since it would
affect the revenues of the government, and
very seriously, too. There will be several
different patterns of canceling machines
on exhibition, from the hand device used in
small offices to the rapid automatic machine
used in the larger offices of the country.
The System of Files.
Foreigners will also be interested and no
doubt learn a valuable lesson from the sys-
tenn of files and the method Of filing appli-
cations for increase of salary and allow
arce to postmasters which We're conceived
by Mr.. Beavers and are in operation in his
division in Washington. His system of files
is perhaps the most complete of any depart
ment in the government One is enabled
by a glance at the file wrapper to deter
mine the exact status of any case in his
division. There viii be shown also in this
connection the steel file cases. which were
first introduced in Washington by Mr.
Beavers, giving absolute security to records
i'll case of fire.
The display from the post office museum
which will be superintendent by Mr.. Black,
under the direction of Mr.. Beavers, also
promises to be noteworthy. 1t will contain
many curious things which have been found
in the mails of the United States, and Il
full issue of all stamps of the United States.
and will show the development of the pos
tai service, from the pony express and the
sleds drawn by dogs in the far northwest
to the model mail car with all of its mod
ern attachments.
The idea of having a postal exhibit at an
nterna tiOnal exposition is a new departure,
and had its origin with the Postmaster
General who has done much to develop
the service and bring it to its present high
state of efficiency. When Postmaster Cen
eral Smith looked about him for COM
petent man to take charge of this exhibit, it
was his desire to find an employe of the
department who was thoroughly acquaint-
ed with every branch of the service. This
| was embodied in only man. so far as
the department officials knew, and he was
Mr.. Beavers in charge Of the salary al
lowance division. man who has perhaps
more acquaintance among the senator's ard
representatives than any other man in Of
fetal life. 1t is to him they must come to
see about having d post office removed and
increased allowances given it, or an addi-
tional clerk allowed.
Typical American.
Mr.. Beavers is 3. typical American, genial,
easily approached, and a man of marked
ability in anything he undertakes. Abso-
lutely fearless in the discharge of his du-
ties, he operates the large Office under his
| immediate direction, which disburses mil
lions each year. with great ease.
AS soon as the appointment Of Mr.. Dea-
vers became known that gentleman set
about to elaborate the plan proposed by the
Postmaster General, until today he Is salts
fled with 1t, and this speaks volumes for
its success.
Mr.. Beavers will be accompanied by sew
eral experienced clerks, all of whom are
French scholars and thoroughly acquainted
with the intricacies Of the postal system
These are Mr.. L. p Moore, a graduate of
Princeton and clerk in the PHILADELPHIA
once, and the man who was in charge of
the postal station at the national export
exposition in Philadelphia: Mr.. Henry r.
Dorton. for years foreman of the foreign
mail bureau in the post office at Balti-
more; Mr.. w. A. Brown, who was con-
nected with the Paris exposition of 1875
and is an old post office inspector con-
nected with the New York post office.