The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-15
DEPARTMENTAL WORKERS.
Interesting Gossip Cleaned Among Employees
of Government Bureaus.
Mr. SMITH LIKELY TO COME TO CONGRESS
Formerly an EmpIoye Of the Government Printing Office
and Now Republican Nominee for Representative
From Pennsylvania District.

NliA - q N~Aa4--t
8Ir. ". 0. smith. q former. employe Of 7
the Government Printing once. is one
member Of the great Smith family who
has emerged from comparative Cbscurity
into q conspicuous place in the public
mind Mr. Smith has received the Re
publican nomination. for Congress in the
Eighth Pennsylvania district, and the
nomination is said TO be equivalent TO
election Mr.. Smiths brother, Mr.
Frank Smith, is now an employe Of the
big Office
Nj. Charles y. Spencer. who for many
years has been Waterman in the Pen
sion once, has been assigned to a desk
in the certificate division of that bureau
Mr.. Spencer was appointed a watchuan
II The Pension Office from the Fourth
Congressional district of Indiana Janu-
airy &c 1894 since which time he has
made most excellent record as
guardian of Uncle Sans interests in the
big red brick building Sometime ago
Mr. Spencer decided 10 Try for d better
position. and with this eua in view ne
underwent civil service examination
for promotion He passed . very credit
able examination and by reason Of his
past services he was soon awarded the
desired cle-kship- Mr. Spencer has
made many friends during the eight
years he has been in the service. ali Of
whom are much pleased with his pro-
motion Mr. Spencer is q veteran Of the
civil war, and during the stormy times
CT 1876 he did good service as sol
der fer the cause Of the Union
The Patent Office has recently granted
TO two bright young men from the South
q patent on q device that, if adopted by
the railways. will save thousands of dol
lars in the way OF damage suits The
device. an automatic railway gate, has
had a practical test that proves all
claims made for II by the inventors
The gate was built specially for railroad
crossings and works very much after the
manner OF interlocktng switches third
OF a mile from the gate ii either direc-
ton a small bar projects from the track
Connected with the bar IS a wire lead
ing 70 the gate When q train reaches
the bar the wheel striking il pulls
wire leading TO the gate, which consists
of two upright posts with a beam sliding
up and down in grooves The tension Of
the wire releases the beam, which falls
to within four feet of the ground thus
barring the way As the train passes
gage. another bar, which releases q
spring attachment and the beam resumes
its normal position above the roadway
a gong attachment gives due warning OF
the descending beam.
Capt Lank. ". Barrett. messenger
in the Interior Department, and one Of
the fixtures OF the Patent Office, is
popular Georgian Secretary Hoke
Smith Is responsible for the coming Of
Captain Barrett TO Washington. and he
is reported TO have exclaimed with en-
thusiastic accent, when he appointed
the captain, that there was only on
Lark Barrett The captain was fayo-
rite from the first, and he still enjoys
an unusual degree Of esteem He is z
genial man. helper Of newcomers, Jha
guide philosopher and friend Of all
the boys at ali times
Captain Barrett was raised at
Charleston, q small town in East Ten
nessee. His father made . home IN
Bradley county before the Indians lett
that part Of the State. and II was in the
stirring days of the new State that
young Bradley geW 20 seIf-reIiant man
hood. Gen Winfield Scott made his head
quarters al Charleston. and was friend
OF the senior Barrett Young Barrett
grew up in the old home Of Chief Ross,
which had been purchased from the In
dfans The homestead is still il pos
session Of the family The subject Of
this sketch was q lively youth, and he
says that the man who taught him the
three Rs made decided Impressions OF
him IN accordance with 2 scTiptural in
Junction concerning the spelling OF the
child The Barrett child was far from
being spoiled He was educated in q
brick schoOIhOuse erected by the MasOns-
The first appearance Of young Barrett
II public life was his candidacy for cap
tain Of q militia company. He succeed
ed and it was matter OF great pride
10 him. Among the members Of the
company were several old soldiers who
had served IN the Mexican war. The
captain says he has been elected several
times since, but that Office Was the most
satisfying OF all.
White Sill young, Captain Barrett
vent into real war He vas a member
OF Company 4, Ninth Tennessee VOIuu-
teers, and served all through the war
He was garolea at Reseca, Ca. with
many other ConEederates. He was a
fav0rite in the army and was the life
OF his company His good sense and
good nature were very much needed and
he is adectOnaJely remembered by many
an old soldier.
Soon after the war he moved 10 Dali
three days election. which was held
when Georgia was e1deayoring 10 wrest
herself from the aliens. The struggle
was q success Against his own wish
he was placed Oh The ticket for az Of
ice and elected.
Captain Barrett was Tor ten years
treasurer Of the county and handled The
bonds when the new court house was
built and when a college vas erected By
public-spirited citizens he afterward
served four years as city clerk and sriIl
later s. city treasurer. He was mar
ried II league county. Ala, IN 1850 lie
has several children living. among them
being Beverly 3. Barrett, Of the Census
Office, and Miss Eleanor Gordon Barrett.
z teacher in the Emerson School of
Oratory in Boston. His son. Lark. g
fine young man died while in the service
Of the country in the Spanish-A-nerlcau
Rar and was buried al Dalton with high
honOrs-
The captain is q newspaper writer He
IS q contributor 20 the Dalton arEus 80
one CT the IiyeIiest papers IL the state
OF Georgia He has been 10 the Interior
Department since 1891. He is popular
IN Dalton and his accounts Of the
progress Of the town since ne rode an