Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-02
OF GENERA INTEREST
Some Of the H4psnins' Dur
ing Last Year.
PRESIDENTS MISHAPS
CHANGES IN TIE DIFFERENT
DEPARTMENTS.
General Legislation in Congress
Operations Carried on by the
Army and Navy.

The following brief compilation Of hap
penin&s during last year in the depart
ments, in the army and navy and In Con-
gress win be read with interest:
President Roosevelt began q tour Of New
England on August 20. and was nearing the
end of the trip when he sustained an acci-
Diet that severely injured him and resulted
in the death OF william Craig. the secret
service man who accompanied him on the
trip. This was at Pittsf1eld, Mass, Sep
TENDER 3. The Presidents carriage, in
which were seated himself. Governor Crane
Of Massachusetts,. Secretary Moody Of the
navy, and Secretary Cortelyou. and on the
seat Of which was Craig, the secret service
man, was struck by a trolley car and over
turned, the occupants being dashed vlo-
lently In all directions Craig was struck
by the car and killed instantly. All the
others were more or less hurt and bruised.
The President sustained an injury to one
leg that gave him serious trouble after
ward. On September 10, sixteen days after
the accident, the President started on a
western tour. He had gotten into Indiana
when his injured leg began to trouble him,
and his physicians forced him to abandon
the trip. He returned to Washington and
remained in his rooms in the temporary
White House for several weeks, unable to
that he brought about the settlement Of the
coal strike Several minor operations were
performed on the injured limb.
In the Departments.
Mr.. Henry c. Payne of Wisconsin was
sworn in as Postmaster General to succeed
Mr.. Charles Emory Smith January 16. Mr..
Payne had been prominently Identified with
the republican party for many years as a
member Of the national committee. He
was Chairman Hanna's right-hand man in
both Of the republican battles he waged
and was given the post Office portfolio when
Mr.. Smith resigned as the best equipped
man for the place.
On April 10 Mr.. Robert J. Wynne of this
city was selected by the president to sue
coed Mr.. w. M. johnson as first assistant
postmaster general. Mr.. Wynne was sworn
In May 1, entering Immediately upon his
duties. Mr.. Wynne was Washington corrs-
spondent Of the New York Press and came
to this city many years ago as one of the
correspondents Of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial Gazette. He was private secretary TO
Mr.. Charles Foster when the latter was
Secretary of the Treasury and attracted at
tention OF public men for his executive
ability. to
missioned commissioner of pensions May 10
and assumed charge OF the office MAY 13,
as the successor ofiMr Henry Clay Evans
Of Tennessee. Mr.. Evans resigned from the
pension bureau to accept the appointment
of consul general at London. Mr.. Ware is
a lawyer and has gained some fame as
poet. many works of his pen have been pub
lished in book form under the nom de
plume Of "Ironquill" -
Mr.. James R. Garfield Of Ohio accepted
the nosition of civil service commissioner to
SUCCEED Mr.. William A. Rodenberg. who
resigned March IA. Mr.. Garfield notified the
March 81 and entered upon the duties Of his
office. Mr., Garfield iss son OF the late
President GARFIELD and was prominently
identified with the civil service reform
L.
The civil service commission began an
investigation Of the manner in which the
laws relating to the civil service in the va
rious government departments were being
that no rule is being violated. The investi-
cation was made because Of repeated
charges that were made to the effect that
the civil service was not being operated in
strict compliance with the law.
Commissioner Binger Hermann of the
general land office announced December 30
that he would resign his Office to take effect
February !. 1903. Mr.. Hermann resigns to
take up the practice Of law in his native
state.
The civil service commission announced
August that there were but 1900 posi-
tons under the government outside of the
civil service rules "A statement was given
Of the chances Of appointment under the
present conditions.
The President signed the bill for the es-
tablishment OF permanent census bureau
Marcn T. Inc Dill mao stormy passage
through Congress, but was finally passed
by both houses and became law. The
census bureau was organized July 1 by d.
rector Merriam. and as many Of the clerks
of the old bureau as could be taken into
the new organization were reappointed.
Several innovations in the local mail
service have been under consideration dur
ing the year. The collection of mail by
trolley cars. with automobiles and the en-
ployment of new devices to prevent ccl-
lectorS from skipping letter boxes on their
collection rounds have been investigated by