The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-30

this country at any time while the in
vestigation was in progress The in
spectors therefore did not have an OPP
portunity to interrogate him.
Elliott & Hatch Book TypeWriters.
The Elliott & Hatch book TYPEWRITER
is machine intended primarily to
write in record books. A company was
organized to manufacture and sell the
machine, with Walter p. Hatch as gen
eral manager H. J. Gensler. one of
senate, was in August, 1897, given the
agency for Maryland, Virginia and the
District of Columbia
The machine was not a success On
January 81, 1899, the postmaster at
Brooklyn. N. Y, to whom three ma
chimes had been sent, wrote, asking
that they be taken away, stating that
they were useless and an incumbrance
cago notified the department that
they were of no advantage to him:
that the clerks could do the work bet
ter and faster by hand.
The work done upon these typewrit-
ers was of such an unsatisfactory
character that the clerks in the in
specting division of the auditors Office
protested against their use. Their pro-
test was transmitted to the first assist
ant postmaster general by A L
Lawshe, acting auditor, suggesting
that the use of the typewriter be dis
cintinued.
On September %, 1898, Gensler wrote
Hatch as follows:
have Mr.. Eylar's letter of the I'D CON
corning the No. machine which was
delivered to the postmaster at Allentown
Ia, who only wants to pay $175 for same.
He does not 'cut any ice You
VIII notice from the copy of the letter
posfoffice departme sn sent YOU IT0 nnd dee
another cover, that the postmaster has
been authorized to pay $500 for that ma
chine, and you can bet that he will pay
it p. d. q. or he will be hauled I'D with
a jerk.
Gensler's correspondence plainly indi-
Gates that he had an understanding
with Beavers to furnish his machines
when requested by postmasters But
requests did not come in fast enough,
and Beavers furnished the Elliott &
Hatch when other machines were
asked for.
The postmaster at Erie. Pa. REQUEST
ed an allowance of $3.50 to purchase a
Fisher book typewriter, but it was de-
cllned: and one week later he was fur
nished an Elliott & Hatch, for which
he was ordered to pay 5000.
On October 3d. 1899, the postmaster at
Council Bluffs, Iowa, asked permission
to buy Remington machine at $40.
His request was declined, but in March
following he was forwarded an Elliott
& Hatch and ordered to pay 5000 for it.
On June 81, 1892 the postmaster at
Asheville. N. c., made similar re-
quest with the same result.
at Decatur. Ill, asked authority to
purchase a Smith Premier typewriter
at $40, which was declined. He then
asked permission to test a Remington,
which was also declined, but on Janu-
airy % following he was ordered to pay
5000 for an Elliott & Hatch.
The postmaster at Elgin, Ill, asked
permission to buy a Remington ma
the Elliott & Hatch, and did his work
more satisfactorily. but his request
was declined and he was ordered to
pay $500 for the Elliott & Hatch
The postmaster at Kansas City, Mo-,
made similar request, with the same
results.
The postmaster at Spokane. Wash,
asked permission to buy Remington.
stating that he could get one for 500:
that the Elliott & Hatch was not suit
ed to the needs of his office. He was
refused permission to buy the Rem
ington, however. and ordered to pay
5000 for the Elliott & Hatch.
A hundred other such cases can be
cited
Gensler. however, was not able to
induce many postmasters to ask for the
Elliott & Hatch machine. From Janu-
airy, 1898, to April Is, 1901, 1913 of these
machines were bought by the depart
ment at a total cost of, $3S,57 OF this
number, 131 were sent to pOstmaSterS
without reQuisition.
The investigation revealed the fact
company by which he received SIS on
each machine sold to the postoffice de-
partment- From this SIS he paid w
Scott Towers, superintendent of Sta
ton c, of the Washington postoffice,
$50; and the inspectors have evidence
that Towers divided this $50 that he
received from Gensler equally with
Beavers
by the grand jury in the District of
Columbia October 1 and 5. 1908.
Bundy Time Recorders.
In 1890, while John Wanamaker was
postmaster general, an effort was made
to introduce the Bundy time recorder
for use in the postal SERVICE but it fail
ed Later, during the administration of
recommendation of A. w. Machen. it
was adopted. Machen estimated that
the entire free delivery service could be
supplied fer $45, 1880
The purpose of this clock was to re-
cord the time Of arrival and departure
of carriers on their official trips. The
price of the clock when first adopted
was $75, which was afterwards increas-
ed to $500, and 80 cents for. each key
ordered. These time recorders were
first used only in the free delivery SER
vice, and their purchase was in the
hands of Machen; but in 1898 First AS
sistant Postmaster General Heath re-
Quired postoffice clerks to use them, and
the purchase of them was transferred to
the salary and allowance division.
In 1901 an effort was made by First
Assistant Postmaster General w. NJ.
Johnson and his chief clerk, John NJ.
Masten, to reduce the price of these
time recorders, but the effort was after
wards abandoned.
H. J. Truesdell, who was the agent of
the company at the time these clocks
were first adopted, states that he paid
Machen $1,000 for his services in secur-
ing their introduction into the service
Criminal action on such payment is
barred by the statute of limitations
The same reckless waste that charac-
terized Beavers administration in other
matters prevailed in the supply of these
time recorders. The office of Berkeley
Cal, has II carriers and clerks, yet it
has been furnished with clocks and
1872 keys.
Los Angeles, Cal, with SO carriers and
81 clerks. was supplied with IL clocks