The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-25


demption division OF the PostOfTice De
partment, has recently returned from q
sick leave He has been away 10 Hot
Springs, Va. Mr.. Scott was born at
Newburgh, y. y. in 1873 He served in
the civil war and was wounded at
Charlottesville.
Dir. Scott studied law and received his
bachelors degree at the National Law
University. and was admitted TO prac-
Tee before the Supreme Court of the
District Of Columbia.
He was appointed 10 tbE TosIofhCc De-
partment during Grants civil service
regulations through competitive eEaTnl-
nation in May 1873. During most Of his
service he has held positions OF sU-
pervisory nature, and was assigned 10
lis present position in 1894 The re-
demption division was al that tire at
Iached TO the stamp division When. IN
1893. Ii was made q separate division,
Mr.. Scott was placed in charge
A little information regarding the re-
demptiou division as given out by Nj
Scott VIII be of public interest This
division receives counts and destroys all
spoiled OF damaged stamped envelopes.
postal cards. and postage stamps, and
gives credit for them 20 the various
postmasters by whom they are return
ed When stamps we're first issued in
1877 they were burned in the ETeplaces
IN The Office in which they were count
ed Now large furnace. especially con-
struCted for the purpose, does the work.
Stamped envelopes were not redeemed
until 1852. when orders for their redemp-
tiOn were given By the Postmaster Gen
TAI in order 70 increase their sale.
The first destruction of spoiled stamp
ed envelopes was doEs by chopping of
the stamp with a broad ak. and chop
ping block. Then they were destroyed
by an instrument similar TO q tobacco
cutter. cutting a Triangular piece out Of
the stamp. The pewer for this machine
was furnished by a colored man.
The magnificent machine now IN use
which IS the only one OF its kind il The
world, has q capacity OF turning out per
day. 100000 envelopes. cut and bagged
ready for the waste paper contractor.
stamped envelopes are redeemed from
purchasers at the face value OF the
stamps In stamps OF other stamped pa
per Stamps and postal cards are not
redeemable from purchasers.
he redemption division has grown
front two 70 ten clerks and has pros
poets OF becoming even larger as the
ccun5T=- grows and new postofices are
established
The system and method introduced by
Nj Scott have made a great saving in
clerks, and in a number Of books which
were hitherto deemed necessity. Il
now ranks with the largest Of the postal
divisions n importance. Nr. Scott is
noted Tor his ability as an executive Of /
hcer, and IS 2 very reliable and pains
taking man.
Mr.. T. E Molkow- Of the photographic
ofhce OF the Navy Department. has made
an invention which IS now. being consid-
cred BY the officials OF that department.
It consists in q simple instrument for
finding ranges. Much time and monev
has been spent in order to invent an in
strunent for Ehis purpose. Many com
plicated machines have been patented.
some using he refraction OF light. some
the minute mea sUTement OF angles while /
recent ones have even used electricity
Many or the machines are very accurate
but their complication and cost is
serious drawback 10 their DTacticabiIfrv.
Men II position to know have ex-
pressed favorable opinions regarding Mr. /
AOlko1F S machine The simplicity Of the
invention is its strong feature Il elm
mates the measurement Of angles. which
has always been source OF error. since
the angle cannot BE measured with SUI
dcient accuracy
The instrument Is constructed to read
the exact distance on straight arm
This distance, in connection with q
Tadlal arm or constant base. gives the
required range by simple proportions
Inc geomeJrlc principle OF the machine
Is that "a perpendicular dropped fro7a
the YerteX OF q right angIed triangle /
makes either leg q mean proportional /
between the two segments." The ma
chine consists Of two telescopes which .
r. rzea~ tod 81
volving arms and q small telescope for +
finding the distance on a graduated arm
This arm is divided so that the required /
range is Immediately read without any +
cOmplicat ton The limit Of accurate |
range depends uDol the length OF radiaI
arm so that the machine ran be made
large OF small according 70 the require
ments OF reading long ranges OF small
ones.
The smaller instruments can be read
iIy adapted Tor surveying purposes.
where tho required distance is never
very long The large machine would be
most suited for coast fortifcatIous where
long ranges are quickly and accurately
required For instance with q hundred
foot arm the machine viii read 10 with /
iG q yard for as far as The observer
can see.
Should the decision Of -he officials be
favorable, the machines VIII be buiIt es-
CeClat4E IOT Government purposes
M Aolkcw il = graduate Of the Cen
trail High School Of this city Of fhe class
Of % After practlcing his profession Of
civil engineering on the Lehjgh valley
Railroad he was appointed 20 the Navy
Department by competitive examination.
He has been n the Navy Department for
about two years
Prof. H Harold Hume, OF he p0mo-I
logical experimental station, Of Lake
City, Fla. IS u jhe city.
Miss Belle C. Saunders. Of the bureau
Of plant industry in the Agricultural
Department. Is taking a three weeks
vacation. which her energetic work dur
ing the year greatly deserves
Miss Flora Patterson. in charge Of
the berbarium Office Of the pathologIst
division Of the Agricultural Department.
is at present spending her vacation in
Massachusetts. Miss Patterson has ,
been a faithful and trusted employ OF I
the Government for about ten years
Mr. Ernest lie Grvs OF the fifth ID