The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-03
FINE FEDERAL OFFICIALS
MEN IN INDIANA DISTRICT PRAISED
BY DEPARTMENT. EXAMINERS.
L. G.. Ochsenreiter and Gen. w. A.
Pavey Complete Annual Inspection
of District Officers.

and Gen. w. A. Pavey, of Mount Vernon,
ILL.,. examiners of the Department of JUS
tice, Washington, ID. c., yesterday con-
cluded the work of the nnual examina-
ton of the books of the several federal Off
Gals of the Indiana district. To-day they
go to Grand Rapids to begin the work in
the Michigan district.
The work in this district has occupied
the examiners for the past four weeks. and
the greater part of this time has been spent
in Indianapolis, but as the work was con-
Quoted quietly and the arrival of Mr.. Och
senreiter and General Pavey was not
heralded by a blast of trumpets the fact
that they were here for that purpose has
SO far escaped publication.
The federal officers render an account to
the Department of Justice at Washington
every three months, but an inspection of
their books is made but once a year. In
Indiana there are the judges of the federal
District and Circuit courts. the clerks of
the courts, the United States marshal and
his deputies. the United States attorney
and about fifteen United States commits
%sioners, consequently the task of going over
all their books is no small one. MIR. Och
senreiter said last night at the Denison
Hotel that the work in this district was
easy, however, compared to what they had
to do in many other districts.
1.-The Indiana district is one of the very
best in the country he said. ''The off,
Gals are all efficient, accurate, painstaking,
and their books are kept right up to date.
AS a result we have had every assistance
that they could give us in making the ex-
animation, and our stay in this State has
been very pleasant.
COMPLIMENT OFFICIALS.
Il feel that we are especially indebted
to Judge John H. Baker, of the District
Court. Judge Baker is one of the ablest
men on the federal bench. and everything
about his office is par excellence. In adj
dition to that he is an affable and accom-
modating gentleman and he has been very
kline to US. Mr.. Petit, the United States
marshal, is another excellent official.
Everything about his office is in the best
of shane. l hope that it will fall to my
lot to be sent back to this district another
Mr.. Ochsenreiter is a comparatively new
man In the federal service, as he was APP
pointed to his present position; the first he
July. He has been a prominent Repub-
lican in South Dakota for several years
and he received the position as a recogni-
ton of his service 10 the party and of his
ability as a business man; Mr.. Ochsen-
reiter told al interesting story of his life
in South Dakota last night.
He walked to the Dakotas twenty-one
years ago, long before there was a railroad
built into that section of the country, and
before the Dakotas had been admitted to
statehood. He settled on a claim near the
site of the city of Webster, his present
home, and slept under a wagon for the
first few weeks he was there. The country
was entirely undeveloped, there were no
in hundreds OF miles, but in a few years
Mr.. O~chsenreiter and the sturdy pioneers
of his kind worked wonders in transform
ing the rough prairies into fine farms and
- nCrnh1fChin~ nuvn md nifipQ that nnuy
compare favorably with others of their size
in any of the Eastern States.
"The city of Webster said Mr.. Ochsen-
reiter, now has a population OF over 1000
and IL is wIdeawake and progressive in
every respect. 1t has electric lights, good
streets, good water, good business houses
and good city government. Recently steps
were taken for the erection of d $4,000
courthouse there, and when that is COM
pleted we shall have one of the best county
seats in the State"
ACTIVE IN POLITICS.
Mr.. Ochsenreiter was the first treasurer
of Day county, the county in which Web
ster is situated. He has been active in
State politics as well, but the only State
office that he has ever held was that Of
president of the South Dakota Worlds
Fair Commission in 1898. Contrary to the
procedure in most other states South Da-
kota did not start it's worlds fair work
Will oil oHPAOP w " Yin &c
1t left the question of funds to the COM
mission. Mr.. Ochsenreiter proposed a
plan that was adopted and carried out sue
cessfully. AS a result he treasures a gold
badge among his souvenirs that was pre-
sented to him by the Commission for the
citizens of the State. The plan was the
incorporation of a company called the
South Dakota Worlds Fair Commission.
Stock was sold for one dollar per share
and SIS, 900 was thus raised by popular SUBJ
scription. This amount was devoted to the
erection of a State building at the Chicago
Exposition. The next Legislature i'm recog-
milton of the work of the Commission APP
propriated $4,000 for its use and with this
amount every dollar of the stock of the
company was redeemed and the remaining
SIS, 900 was devoted to the States exhibit
at the fair. When the fair was over the
Commission had it's building and a surplus
of $500 in the treasury, which was turned
back into the State treasury.
Mr. Ochsenreiter was given the credit for
the successful work and as a tangible
token he was presented with a gold badge,
suitably engraved.
Il doubt if there was another State Com
mission in the country that came out with
a surplus" said Mr.. Ochsenreiter in telling
the story. Most of them went to their
legislatures with deficits. However, the
money that we turned back to the State
benefited the people little. for that very