The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-12-06
CHANGES OF TREASURY
IN HALF A CENTURY
Major Hobbs Has Served
Since 1853.
ADDITIONS TO THE BUILDING
Robert Preston Tells of Growth in Ser
vice Since the Days Of Presi-
dent Pierce.
ADDITIONS TO THE BUILDING

Two men in the Treasury have each
seen practically half a century of se-v-
ice in the department. They are Major
Thomas J. Hobbs. disbursing clerk. who
was appointed from Maine in 1853. and
Robert Z. Preston. examiner Of the Bu-
reau Cf the Mint. who was appointed
from Tennessee in 1856. Some idea OF
the mar elous development of the f1nc-
tons OF the Government since half a
century ago may be gained from talk
ing over the old days with these mon.
Major Hobbs is the oldest employe In
point of service IN the Treasury, and
Mr.. Preston is second only to him
There have been astonishing changes
since / first entered the Treasury De
partment." said Mr.. Preston. recently
The force then required to do the work
was small IN comparison with what it
is now. 1 was IN the First Auditors
Office until 1874 and then was trans
ferred TO the Bureau Of the Mint. In
al the auditors offices / do not think
more than seventy or eighty employees
were needed I'm those days: now. the
FORCE has grown to Geo or zoo And this
IS just an Illustration of how the de-
partment has developed in many d.
rections.
Pierce President.
Pierce was President when went
ia, and Guthrie was Secretary of the
Treasury he had but one assistant. /
saw Pierce frequently, and remember
meeting many OF the distinguished men
81 that day. Gen. sam Houston was in
the Senate at the time Gen. Lewis Cass
i remember well Thomas H. Benton
General Scott. President Buchanan.
yer1erson Davis. and many others. 1
could name. Webster, ] never saw.
The present Treasury building was
then much smaller Than it is now. Ad-
altions have been made on the west
'front.' and on the north and south.
Washington itself has been transformed
almost entirely. When i first came
here omnibuses were running between
Washington and Georgetown. The fare
was IL cents. Then came the horse cars.
and We thought the height of progress
IN the way Of urban transportation had
been reached But the electric cars were
still TO come Next 1 suppose, will come
compressed air or radiun or something
of the sort
In those days it took a day to 20 TO
New York II you took a berth YOU
had 10 wake up at every way station TO
Jet the conductor look at your ticket.
remember wen the first trip 1 took to
New York. The berths were arranged
50 there was a lower. a middle, end an
upper berth. each Just wide enough 10
lie in At every station the conductor
reused me I'D 10 ask for my ticket. and
didn't get sleep enough 20 hurt me. as
you can imagine
In the War Days
Yes, I was in the service OF the
Treasury in the days of the civil war.
Those were exciting times, not only in
the Treasury. but in all the DEPART
ments. The Treasury was heavily
guarded by soldiers When the first
battle OF Bull Run was fought / was
sick in bed with Intermittent fever, but
1 could hear the noise OF the guns dis
tinctly. Later on in the war when the
Confederate scouts approached 10 with
in few miles OF Washington. Of course
the excitement was intense.
Ona can hardly realize the great
transformations that have taken PLACE
since the DAYS when first came into
The department. as have already said
II has been so marvellous that / some
times ike 10 sit down and look over the
old papers and records and think Of IT,
~ have seen some amusing things in
mg time and some astonishing dOcu-
ments IN the way of accounts and
claims which men have presented and
attempted to collect of the Govern
ment
For four years Mr.. Preston was Di-
rector OF the Mint. from 1888 to 1887. He
is an authority on monetary subjects.
and in discussing the history OF the
demonetization Of silver he said few
people realized in 1873. when the legisIa-
ton 10 this end was being enacted, that
anything Of Importance was being done