Evening star., 1900-06-30
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there was a slight rain. in western cities.
and the committees having charge of the
same were somewhat surprised when the
| admiral politely declined the shelter af-
fcrded by an umbrella. He did not mean to
be discourteous, but he would not use an
| umbrella
| X X X X
There is one thing lacking in the de-
partment service observed an experienced
| official in the Interior Department to a Star
| reporter. "and that is the establishment of
a commission for the purpose of arranging
| the location Of and setting up of electric
| fans. This question is one of the most
! serious in department life and is causing, and
| has caused, more ill-feeling and trouble
| than anything that 1 know of. The coun-
| try raised clerks. men and women, who
never had an electric fan before. and many
| of whom had never even seen one, give the
mcst trouble. They insist that the fan
| shall be placed, so that not only they shall
get its entire volume of air. but that after
| Il passes them it shall strike persons who
| do not want direct currents played upon
| them. Paining and annoying others seems
| to give this class of fresh air fiends more
pleasure and satisfaction than getting a full
sIlppIv of direct air shot at themselves.
| Having convinced themselves that direct
current of air is a good thing. they are
not satisfied unless the same thing is done
10 all other OCCUPANTS of the rooms also,
! whether they want It or not. Here is where
| the fresh air fiend becomes a nuisance.
When he insists on supplying unlimited
| quantities of fresh air to others with the
consequent toothaches, neuralgia, etc. he
| invades the rights and desires of others,
and resistance is a natural consequence.
Division chiefs are first appealed to to settle
the differences and quiet the disorder, and
from them the trouble goes to the chief
clerks.
lone of the chief clerks of the census Of
fee told me on Wednesday that he had been
i forced to devote the better part OF two days
! in one week in settling troubles that had
their origin in connection with the locat-
| ing of electric fans, and that when he got
through with the matter all hands were
dissatisfied. A similar lot of trouble has
existed in the patent office. and my son,
who is in the Treasury Department, tells
me that the electric fan war is lfvelier
subject of discussion and controversy there
than the Chinese war. These difficulties do
incalculab1e damage and upset clerks so
that they lose considerable valuable time
and while some may think that my propo-
siton suggesting a commission to settle
where electric fans should be placed, and
what is more important. should not be
placed. is jest. can assure them that it
is not 1t is the result of my experience
this and other summers. and it is intended
to do away with the constant wranglfng
that follows every warm spell. 1t is Won
| lerful how much trouble one electric fan
can create in room.
* * x X X
"See that woman sitting over there,
said the old doorkeeper of the executive
| offices of the White House, nodding toward
| a woman seated in the lobby. well, she
began coming here fully four months ago.
| She was discharged from one of the depart
ments and tried every way she knew how
| to be reinstated. She failed right along,
| and as a last resort thought she would try
| ~ him n r.
! Ger her reinstatement. Then was when
| she began coming here. We soon found out
! her business and she hasn't seen the Pres
| drnt vet AS starter, she hasn't got a
| good case. If she had she might stand
more show. OF course, We can't let every
! person with a hard luck story see the
| President. All his time would be taken up
| with that kind of people if We did. This
| woman first tried the various doorkeepers
| to secure admission to the President. Day
| after day she came and tried over and over
| again
s.Then she turned loose on Secretary Por-
| ter. Every time he showed his head in the
| hallway she was upon him. He put her on
| and told her often that the proper place for
| her endeavors was at the department she
| worked in when discharged. After Secre-
tary Porter retired she turned on Secretary
! Cortelyou. 1t was weeks before he sue
| ceeded in inducing her to leave him alone.
| Since then, and for nearly two months. she
| has come here every day OF the week as
| regularly as if employed here. Once or
| twice a day she walks down to Capt. Loef-
| fer. the Presidents doorkeeper. and wants
, to know when she Will get to see the Presi-
| dent. Capt Loeffier. with more patience
| than ever possessed by Job. gives her some
| civil answer. 1t is now question of which
| will wear out frst-the woman or Capt.
| I.oeffer. I look for her back here when the
| President gets back from Canton. I've been
| here over thirty years. but she is the most
| persistent human being that ever put foot
| in this building"