The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1902-01-14
HIS CURE FOR RED TAPE.
A Chicago Man Collects a Bill at az
Omce Where They Had system.

Omce Where They Had system.
Stories of the red tape in the govern
ment departments at Washington are
common, but they are not the only
places where delays In the transaction
of business are found. There are con-
Germs in every large city SO hemmed
in by red tape that it may take a week
or so to untangle 1t, and a Chicago
man ran into one of them not long ago.
The concern owed him a little mon-
ey, and after waiting awhile for
check he went to collect it. He didn't
go far, however, for he was stopped
by boy at the outer door of the first
of the many offices.
What do you want?" asked the boy.
Money" said the man.
"What for?" demanded the boy.
The man explained, and thereupon
the boy told him that all such accounts
were paid Saturdays at the cashiers
office. So the man came back Satur-
day.
Don't know anything about It." said
the cashier. you'll have to get an or
der from some one"
Then the man started out after the
order and promptly ran up against the
boy again.
Write out your name and the ma
| ture of your business" said the boy.
"and I'll take it in to Mr.. Smith,"
The man did as he was told, and
| word came back that Mr.. Smith didn't
know anything at all about it.
'If can see Mr.. Smith half min
ute," suggested the man, Il think
| can straighten the matter out"
'Mr. Smith has no time to see you,' y
answered the boy, "but maybe Mr.
| Jones knows something about it"
Mr.. Jones was equally inaccessible
Another boy guarded the outer door
for him, and another statement had
| to be written out and sent in to him
| which resulted in the announcement
| that Mr. Jones didn't know anything
about It
Cant see anybody In this officer
demanded the man In desperation
Its only a small matter. and IL could
| get hold Of some one In authority
could straighten 1t out In less than two
minutes"
mix" answered the boy. Cant sex
anybody here unless he knows about
your business first"
The man next tried writing letter
but it remained unanswered, SO ht
went back In person. By this time h'
| had become interested as well as indig
4 NJ
time and labor 1t would take to get thu
money.
On the second trip luck favored him
Workmen were changing some off1c'
| partitions. and he managed to sliI
through when no one was looking ant
get hold of man at one of the desks.
"How about it" he asked when ht
had stated his business.
Everything here" replied the maj
at the desk, ''is done according to {
system. Now, If anything Is due yol
you should make out a bill in regulal
form and
MAKE out billv' cried the amateur
collector Hang it all! l can't get ,
chance to present bill to any one"
| However, that seemed to be the onl,
thing left for him to do, so he departei
to make out a bill, and while he wa
doing it he kept getting warmer ant
warmer until he reached point wher
he made the bill "for services rendered
$751;" Then he returned to the offic
and gave 1t to the first boy he met
'I'll bet that will wake them up," b
| said to himself.
1t did. The boy was back inside O
two minutes with the message tina
"Mr. Smith says it is exorbitant. H
called up the right department throug
the Office phone and was told tn
amount due was only ST."
"Of course" said the man with th
bill, "but / wanted to get action on
some way. You tell Mr.. Smith tha
there is q discount Of $3.50 for cash."
Word came back that check woul
be mailed that afternoon, and 1t wa
All of which shows that there Is a wa
to wake up a red tape o6ice.-Chicag
Inter Ocean