The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-04


tenisat. and return 20 his station in Chi
cage.
Another visitor at the War Department
is Major George I. scott. Of the Tenth
Cavalry. who IS here in connection with
the Dawes Indian Commission Deparr-
ment OF the Interior Major Scott is the
Indian Agent at Ouigum. Mimi. and will
probably return to his station tomorrow.
Mr. J. ". Lowell who was recently APP
pointed 10 the position of chief of the
new postofice division Of The United
States Treasurer's Office. is probably one
OF the hardest working employees IN the
service. Mr. Lowell came prominently
into notice IN 1898, when he prepared for
Mr. Springer. chairman o. the Ways and
Means Committee Of the House. the re-
suit of a quiet Investigation into the real
condition Of the Treasury. This report
was printed in House Document No. 262I
by Mr. Springer and created great con
I steTn2uOn IN the Republican camp ia and
! out OF Congress at the time, as il showed
/ that the official reports had been in error
I to the amount of about S122 900. 600. Mr.
/ Lowells ability as an accountant is we'll
known IN the department. and his friends
are not surprised at its recognition.
Mr.. Allies. Assistant Secretary Of the
Treasury. stated today that the depart
ment is very busy getting the revenue
rebates on tobacco through the different
necessary Offices. lie said that the num-
I Der OF warrants now filed numbers rp in
the millions. and that the department
VIII be kept busy with them Tor nearly
month Mr. Allies signs. in person.
day.
Mr. James Etter, one OF the vatcbmen
Of the Cox building, which is used in
| connection with the Treasury Department.
is perhaps the dean Of the Government
service He will be eighty-three years
OF age in short time, and has served on
/ the watch forces Of the Treasury and
War Departments for twoscore years. Al
| ter his service in the civil war he was
appointed to position in the Wynder
Building, which was then a branch OF
the War Department. and remained there
from 1853 until 1900. when he was removed
/ by Auditor Norris just before the lat
Ter tragic death. IL IS said by those
VINO have known Dr. Etter that he lis
the best-natured old gentleman that was
ever allowed 10 live" and several sto-
ries are told OF him which are fair
proofs or this opinion. Il is said that
when Mr. Morris told the old gentleman
that he was TO be removed tC the Cox
( building because he vas too old TO serve
/ In a buster Office, Mr.. Etter replied:
/ why, sir; I'm not old-I'm as good as I
| ever was. I'm only eighty"
| Another incident 10 the Government
l lie OF this veteran Waterman was an
AFFAIR which happened in 1863. and which
( included in its performers President Lin
/ coin 1t was a sunday" said Mr. Ett4r
/ in relating IL yesterday Il was sitting
there at my door in the usual place and
a gentleman drove up and asked for the
/ surgeon general, General Barnes and
I who should IL be but the President aim
I self. Wei. the general was not in then
and Mr. Lincoln drove away. but in a
short time he was back again asking for
I the general 1 told him that the general
I was not in yet, that be was over at the
| War Department. and Mr.. Lincoln said
I TO me. VIII you do me a favor. sir as
I I would do one fer you? You go over to
/ the Department and tell the general that
| I wish 10 see him. and I viii keep watch
] here until you come back.
HE took my place in the chair and
/ hurried over to tell the general. When
/ I came back there was the President
] q
/ your place over to you, sir says he, and
I as safe as you left it, and then he went
out 10 meet the general"
/ There are few men in the United States
! better informed on wireless telesraphy
/ than Mr.. p. B. Pierce, Of the Patent Of
fee. Since the first patent was issued to
Mr. Alder In 1888 all the patents following
have passed through the hands OF Mr.
I Pierce. There were tWenty-seven patents
issued on wireless telegraphy during the
/ past year, the last Of which was q patent
I obtained on the COherer by Mr. MarconI
I on January % 1902. Mr.. Pierce has beCI
I deeply interested in wireless telegraphy
I since Il was first discovered. and has
/ kept closely In touch with the subject
| up TO the present time. Mr.. Pierce says.
/ Wireless telegraphy has been on the
I verge OF discovery for the past twenty
years When the telegraph was discOv-
. cred the first great obstacle was how to
I get the wires across a river OF any large
I body Of water. In experimenting on this
I line IL WIS found that an electric current
could be sent across the water without
a wire, but there ~ no known way TO
I receive and record IL, thus preventing
/ the discovery from being Of any practical
value. MarcOni has. however. brought the
science down to practical footing and
I given fl a great commercial value by the
I discovery and his coherer."
Mr.. Pierce is preparing q paper to be
read before the AnthrOpoloEical Society
I Of this city Oh March II, and 1t will con
/ tain a valuable outline on the subject OF
I wireless telegraphy from its discovery
I down to the present time.