The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-03-12

- randolph.
He'll do anything he can for you" And
when one meets Mr.. Randolph the Iatter's
fame for aaablity is well understood, for
ne has all the charm OF manner Of the
Southern gentleman Of "thc quality" as
known before the civil war
lIr. Randolph is, so TO speak, one Of the
fathers Of the Department and one OF
the veterans in the service Of the country
which he has served almost constantly
since 81 He entered the army at that
time with the old National Rifles Of this
city. who went in almost as body at
the Presidents first call for volunteers.
and took among its numbers such men
as Paymaster General stanton, Governor
Shepherd, Mr.. Randolph. and many Of
Washington's finest men. After the close
OF the war he served as an inspector OF
customs in the New York customs house.
and afterwards in the Office Of the sec
oud auditor OF the Treasury. Later. since
70 he has been connected with the War
Department. and in that Office has work
Cd up and up through the different grades
10 his present position.
NO" said Dir. Randolph. when ques-
TONED about the work Of his Office; there
is not very much that l can say about
this bureau-nothing at all about its reg
ular routine-but now and then little
things do come up which seem in a way
interesting
"A short time before Christmas a letter.
enclosed in one Of the big War Depart
meut envelopes, came TO this office. and
when l arrived here one morning. il was
On my desk. 1t was a queer looking
package. indeed. marked across the front
in big. scrawI, over the address. which
read Nj. Santa Claus. Dolph Gulch.
ALASKA Returned fer better direction.
Well that letter had been way up
TO Alaska and then returned TO the Dead
Letter Once here from which IL was
sent over TO us because Of the stamped
envelope. ! opened it and found that there
was written on the paper enclosed
little boys letter to Santa Claus
asking for certain presents that he want
ed for mis- Christmas. The little fellow
was the son OF an army officer and was
then with his mother down in Cuba.
several OF MS here In the department
got together and thought over the thing
and finally all OF them made little con
triDuuOns 10 purchase the presents the
youngster has asked for. They got the
thugs that he wanted, packed them up,
together with big letter. which they
carefully drew up. sealed with red wax
and cord and signed santa Claus and
sent them all of 10 the Little chap; so I
guess he had his Christmas all right after
all"
1t was afterwards learned that the
idea was Mr.. Randoiph's and that he was
the prime mover in the kind act. Though
giving 10 others the credit for its accom-
pishmeut.
Mr. Willard F. Warner. chief clerk Of
the Office Of the United States Treasurer.
announced yesterday in regard TO the
work and Improvements in his Office:
The force IN the issue division Of thu
Treasurer's Office is working night and
day One hundred and thirty-six pack
ages Of 1900 notes each. are separated
and sealed each day The old presses
were operated by steam. but these have
lately been supplanted by twelve new
presses, which are run by electricity. The
demand for small notes has become so
great that II has been necessary 10 great
ly increase the output. from fifty-six TO
la6 packages a day. The notes to be
properly dried should be stored for
months in the reserve vaults. but the de-
Inand has been SO great that the supply
has frequently been reduced TO two days
stock
The urgent deficiency bin provided
for eighty-two new places in the Treas
urer's Office. These pieces we're filed al
most exclusively by transfers from The
Bureau Of Engraving ana Printing. Of en-
pIoyes who had been detailed there for
many months. and in some cases years.
The work in the redemption division
has also Increased 10 a great extent and
Il has been found necessary to remove a
large portion Of the files to give the space
necessary for the Increase in the number
OF employees. About $1,000 600 in new notes
20 out ever day and about the same
amount is daily presented for redemption.
These come from the sui treasures the
banks. and the various rust COMPANIES
throughout the country.
The work in relation o the pOstofice
accounts shows very marked increase
which. In the usual order OF things. must
continue. The urgent deficiency bHT
created new division. which is styled
the division Of pOstOfiCe accounts. This
work was formerly done in the division
Of accounts. the title OF which has been
changed 10 the division Of general ac-
counts.
Another division was created BY the
division Of accounts OF issue and redemp-
ton These accOdnts were formerly COM
puted IN the division Of accounts"
Hardly a day passes that some incl
dent % interest is not enacted IN con
nection with the work Of the watch Of
one or another o. the Government de-
partments. Good natured pranks are con
stantly being played by members OF the
watch On their fellow-oficers. or by
clerks Of the department on the watch
meo az the different doors. and an air Of
good fellowship IS almost always appar-
Cnt.
Yesterday one Of these pranks was In
cuiged in. which caused general rnisun-
derslan1lng and a good deal Of explain
ing The day Waterman OF one OF the
Fifteenth Street doors Of the Treasury
Department was seated a little back from
his usual post. enjoying q few moments
CT leisure after the closing OF the de-
portmeut at 2 o'clock, when a gentleman
OF the Well-dressed. sprightly sort, who
appear as ~ they are always IN readiness
for joke. entered the building and ap-
preached the officer
He glanced around for 2 moment or 30
and then asked, with a sort OF twinkle in
his e-e that completely fooled the watch
man, Would you be kind enough TO
tell me what building this2"
The watchman. wary OF previous fokers
was determined not 20 be fooled. and
thinking IL was one OF the clerks who
IRVING n he frE +,