Evening star., 1901-07-02
RESULTS SATISFACTORY.
Inauguration OF free Delivery System
at THEoma Park


| at Takoma Park.
| The new rural free delivery system went
into operation yesterday at Takoma Park
and collections were made in the suburban
sections for theo first time. Postmaster
Enoch Maris was highly pleased at the re-
suits attained, and stated that the first
| days operation ended most satisfactorily.
| The collections and distributions were
| made by two carriers, W. E. Vaughan and
Eugene Burdine.. each being supplied with
a team. Mr.. Vaughan has that section of
| the suburbs west of the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad tracks over to Brightwood avenue
| extending as far north the District line
and Terra Gotta on the south, including
Woodburn. f. -
The section east of the Baltimore and
Ohio tracks is covered by Mr.. Burdine, and
does not include quite as large a territory
as the other. 1t takes in North Takoma
and all OF the corporate limits Of Takoma
Park south of Sligo Fifteen United States
letter boxes have been erected throughout
the suburban sections. from which colec-
tfons will be made twice a day
Owing to the fact that the houses in the
park are not numbered the carriers ex-
perienced considerable difficulty in locating
parties to whom mail was consigned. AS
both men are expert In the business. hav-
ing been connected with the delivery branch
in Washington for a number Of years. the
matter of locating the residents on their
respective routes will be question of but
short time.
The engineer department of the District
now has under consideration the number
ing OF houses IN Takoma. and when this Is
completed the facilities for delivering mail
Will be all that could be desired.
The post office and all of it's equipment
was.moved yesterday from it's present loca-
tion on Carroll avenue to Oak avenue The
new office is on the ground floor of Takoma
Hall The quarters are considerably larger
than the old ones, giving ample space in
which to handle the mail.
The choral service at the Takoma Pres
byterian Church Sunday evening was
largely attended and an excellent program
of music was rendered. The solos were
rendered by Miss Sallie Nicholson, Miss
Helen Davis, Miss Estelle Gulick and Mr..
Harry Campbell. Two anthems were sung
by the choir, and the pastor. Rev. John
Van Ness, made a short address. Five of
the junior members Of the Sunday school
also took part in the musical selections.
Mr.. Byron Blodgett was the accompanist
for the occasion.
AT the meeting of the Christian Endeavor
Society Sunday evening at 1880 Mr.. James
0. Macallister conducted the exercises. The
subject of his address was ''Whatever He
Would Like to Have Me Do Sunday
evening next the society will hold an open
a1T meeting at o'clock on the lawn in
front of the church.
Mrs. G. L. Seaman has returned to ST.
Louis, after an extended visit to her pa
rents, MIR. and Mrs L. NJ. Mooers. on
Montgomery avenue.
The chorus choir which will participate
In the 4th of July celebration in Takoma
Hail Thursday morning, had a rehearsal
last evening at the residence of Mrs NJ. A.
Dyre, on Carroll avenue. The final rehear-
sal will be held tomorrow night.
In Praise of Commissioner Evans.
To the Editor of The Evening Star,
Owing to the fact that Commissioner Ev-
ans is undergoing one of the periodical at
tacks made upon his administration of the
bureau of pensions, perhaps a few wards
respecting his work as commissioner may
not be out ox place, especially as they
come from ore whom Mr.. Evans selected
for dropping from The official rolls for the
sole reason of his being a democrat The
writer served under four different commits
sloners, and occupied positions of some lit
tie responsibility, 50 that he believes him
self qualified to- speak of Mr. Evans hon
eSty and efficiency adminiSt rator of
the pension laws Had all of Mr. Evans
predecessors IN office possessed his moral
courage there would now be no bowling
for his removal from office. Unfortunately
Tor both the claimants and government
some of the former commissioners allowed
claims on the tiimsieSt machne-made atfi-
daVits, without cross-eXamining the wit
neSSeS or even corresponding with them to
learn if they testified from personal knowl-
edge of facts. The claimants became ac-
customed to that sort of thing liked IT
and now regard Mr. Evans as an enemy be-
Commissioner Lochren of requiring some
thing more convincing that bare state
nlent before handing out the governments S
money to every man who filed an applca-
tfon. Judge LOchren put the pension busi-
ness upon a higher plane than it had pre-
viously occupied; to obtain a pension a
claimant had to be entitled to it. Mr.. Ev-
ans has rightly leld to Judge LOchren's |
view of requiring claimants to meet the
provisions OF the pension laws of common
honesty and of common sense. The claim |
ants, doubt, think that Mr.. Evans has |
out-Lochrened L.ochren. and perhaps he !
has. but claimants should desire the pen
sion roll to be A roll of honor and assist |
Mr. Evans in his efforts to make 1t such.
The great majority Of general law in |
valid applications filed during the past ten |
years are simply preposterous. That men
suffering forty years from the diseases al |
legged by the veterans while all the time
following the ordinary occupations Of life |
is thing not to be believed by an un-
pre1udiced sane man; for be it remembered |
that most Of the claims are based upon |
diseases and not gunshOt wounds. OF these |
alleged diseases there Is seldom record at |
the War Department. Their origin in the
service must be established by comrades, |
and what encyclopaedia memories they |
have. remembering even to the very day |
when each other contracted heart disease, |
kidney disease and that other veteran, ma
larial poisoning. The foregoing applies to |
claims filed under the general law. The |
act Of June 81 1890. claims do not require |
much testimony. The principal testimony
IN such claims 1s TO show that claimants |
are actually disabled and that the diseases
alleged are not the result Of vicious ha bits |
1t is a rare thing, indeed, to find an ex-
confederate soldier who will say that he is
suffering from diseases that he contracted
while in the military service. Diseases
seem to have affected confederate soldiers
very much like they do other people, re-
sultng in death or a recovery Of health
Mr.. Evans is simply doing his duty to
the government and the old soldiers alike |
He REQUIRES that claims shall be honestly
established before allowing them.