The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-06-25

efaL Land ONCE Is not generally under
stood This branch of the work Of the
Interior Department deals with every
form OF grant made to the people by the
Government, and the titles made cover
millions of acres. Of land in all parts OF
the country a large portion of the most
prosperous part Of this country. derives
support from the Government land pre-
empted or homesteaded- Government
titles are the best. and the Land ONCE
here puts up titles warranted 20 stand
Eighty million papers are stored in
the rooms Of the Interior Department
ailotted to the General Land Office. Twen-
ty-tTe rooms are flied literally crowd
ed with documents. and there is an
overflow in another building. More room
Is going 10 be needed soon = Is easy
70 be seen that the department Is con
Eested. with So.o0O.U00 documents. when
1t IS considered that few thousand pa
Pers VIII I'll she space in a small Office
Several States are missing from the
space set apart for land files, and are
crowded into new quarters The pat
eated land files cover several hundred
square feet. and the records of trans
49, az 7ASA-AEt -1E tzi several hundred
Ieet OF cases ranged along the lower
nails OF the old Postof5ce Department
building
Patented land files. including grants
Tor military b0unties, Indian grants.
prescriptions and homesteads. are on
Eie, showing the dealings of the Govern
ment with the people since 1872 Among
the most interesting and picturesque
are the Chippewa Grants The Govern
ment grants land IN all sorts of shapes
and parcels, and different acts Of Con
STeSS provide for tracts OF VARYING size
Litigation resulting from any confusion
mas beginning in the General Land
once, because all records are faithfully
kIQJ 1heTe and can be seen at any time
The method OF keeping records is
necessarily so well sysJematized as to
De almost perfect The documents are
arranged for ready reference. and auv
one OF the SeUt0-000 Of papers can be
lounc n q lev minutes. The employees
OF the department are experts in their
respective lines and searchers of the
records nave every opportunity for in
Capt. Charles E. DibbIe. who has an
Office in the basement in the midst OF
ne records. is familiar with the nat
enled land flies from the year 1912. and is /
always ready 70 find them for inquirers-
captain Bibble is an Ohio man. and was
y the war between the States It IS his
business 10 keep. track of ali the TWENTY
I'VE rooms where the files are stored and
70 Keep an eye on the several hundred
1@ics OF bound records ranged along
ne walls of the basement Captain Df5- /
bic is an old newspap per man. being one
9 - oia Appeal-ATalanchs' reporters /
il Memphis.
a T-ory Of bravery is told Of one of
the officers O. the Lighthouse Service +
his family and assistants Like -nanv
other Instances occurring in the time
Of peace and at stations Of small note I
II has not attracted general attention +
The officer is Capt. J. " Whitley. sta
toned At Castle Pfnckney. in Charles
ton HarboT- This Is a small post. more
used for . hospital and a light station
than anything else
Homentous deeds have occurred
around and on The little patch of
land II lies between the cftv and I.
Fort Sumter and the shots that were
heard around the world sfnged the grass
On its modest fats
Recently the captain was aroused DIV
the two watchd0gs and found the main
building en- fire The faithful beasts
saw the FIRE bursting through a build I
ing and Immediately set up an alarm
A window in the captains bedroom
oveTlookE The oil house. The moment
he arose he discovered the blaze and
realized the danger BE wakeued the
members OF his family. consisting Of
Mrs whitley and five children. rang
Ing rom seven to eighteen years Of age.
Two OF the keepers =-istants also an
sweTed the summons. Captain Whitley
stationed two OF his boys at q hand
a. ID ErrF 4
the oil house, armed some with buck
SITS While he himself snaUChed Up d
snaII BabcOck IRE eEti1guisher and pre- &
pared for action
The Ere. which was the result Of spon-
taneous combustion. started In one Of {
the FIVE gallon cans All these receD-
sacIes are encased in square wooden
boxes. thoroughly saturated with oil by
constant redning and long use Ire
rans are kept tightly cOTked. which. Of
soUrse. helped 70 cheek the progress OF
re blaze. but the wooden cases made
EXCELLENT fuel for the flames When ire Z
npTCmptu FIRE department reached the Z
sceue one Ct the first imperative tasks d
zas 10 get as many Of the burning cans
sut CT the house as possible While Z
Captain Waiteley handled the Babcock /.
machine and others dashed buckets Of q
-Eter on the flames, two little girls. one 7
IN and the other twelve years old, =
.eIDef 20 carry out these blazing boxes a
.ach containing a tin caH Of kerosene =
~ which might explode any minute @
"a hurl rhe little fire ishIers into
..srrIty One might searcL -he records =
z rnany orga ufzed Ere departments and =
AZ 10 ind IN Instance OF SUI 70 heroism- y
Here were I5.G00 gallons Of oil ready r,
q any moment 10 ignite in one terrific -
suZtle Of fame that would CONSUME She -
;utfre supply depot more quickly thaB -.
! would take 20 tell the story Even . -
scond's tlme was valuable. And The -
.ronB4ness wsth which theE responded -
: the alarm. the utter disregard Of dan ..
- n which they fought the flames. and
~ efgaaI success Of their efforts TO
ave Uncle Sans property wiu not be 81
oou forgotten. -
IN the fwcnty wears o. Captain White j.
,v's service n Castle Piurkney this IS n
is ars1 encounter With Ere He anj Z
3r mon have saved 7fty-four lives and II
e-r-rmad other deeds Of bravery and n
erva but this Is G new departure for u
be Federal servant e
one Of tse capable men In the employ y
: the District Of Columbia is Nr. a. 2. =. =,
q draf-smaH in the surface ID