The Somerset reporter., 1903-02-19
Our Washington Letter.
Accounts of Ex-Postmasters Of Somerset
towns-Appropriatio for Public
Buildings.
Especial to the Somerset Reporter.)


or their heirs Ms some of them are dead.
are represented in claims that are being
prosecuted here this winter for the col
lection of back pay. These claims are
based ON contention that in the re-
statement of salaries made good many
years ago the postmasters we're not
paid all that was legally coming to
them. A claim attorney has been
prosecuting the matter here and Sem
ator Frye had passed in the Senate II
resolution setting forth the amount of
money alleged to be due in each case.
Whether it will eventually be paid or
not is another matter The money,
said to be due, is for services generally
along in the Cos and the early 70s,
when postmasters were appointed for
terms of two years. Congress in 1883
appropriated money for the payment in
part of these restated salaries.
From Skowhegan claim has been
made in behalf of j. FL. Philhrick, who
was postmaster there from 1864 TO 1865.
II is claimed that $500 are still due his
account and a bill for that amount was
presented in 1884 to the Postmaster
General. The same year Henry C..
Powers, postmaster at South Norridge.
wock from 1867 to 1870 put in claim
with the Postmaster General for $95
due him. That claim is now being
pressed along with .others.
The following year, in 1885, Thomas
Gray of North Arson, now deceased,
put In claim with the postmaster
General for $500 in salary due him for
the term 1868 1870. His son, Stickney
Gray, was many years postmaster at
North Arson, following that period.
Abijah Coleman, now deceased, who
was postmaster at North New Portland
from 1864 to 1868, made claim in
1883 for 800 in overdue salary. 1t was
never paid. He afterwards resided at
North Arson.
At the Arson postofiice. just across
from Madison, J. C. Metcalf was post
master for two terms between 1864
aud 1870 and in 1886 he filed claim
with the postmaster general for SAT
which has not been paid.
There are two claims pending from
Athens, both presented in 1884. One
of them is for salary claimed to be due
George A. Kimball, as postmaster to
the amount of $84 and the other for
$3.50 alleged to have been due to E. D..
Dutton for services in part as post
master from 1868 TO 1872. Mr.. Kimball
was postmaster at Athens the four
years previous to Mr.. button.
Simeon Goodrich made claim In
1888 for 1925 on account of services
as postmaster at Bingham from 1870 to
1874 but it was never paid and is now
one of the claims being prosecuted
here.
At Canaan Francis w. Towle, post
master from 1870 to 1872, claimed 500
more due him. That claim was pre-
sented in 1888 and at Cambridge, David
Bailey in 1886 claimed $l02 for services
from 1866 to 1872.
One of the largest of the Somerset
claims WAS filed in 1885 by William fl.
Emery for $500 alleged to be due him
for services between 1872 and 1874
Henry A. Archer, postmaster at
Fairfield Centre from 1866 to 1868, filed
a claim Ia 1886 for $lS on account Of
salary unpaid.
For services as postmaster at Ken
dalPs Mills from 1864 to 1870 Post
master Joseph P. Blunt in 1885 filed a
claim for $4l7, which it is now hoped
TO collect from the government.
There ale TWO claims from Pittsfield
on the basis of bill for $3.50 presented
by Ii. c. Chandler in 1888 and for 1899
presented by Jesse c. Conner in 1885.
A bill of S. A. Todd, once postmaster
at Ripley, for SIG is another Somerset
claim pending.
EX-Gov. Burleigh has scored big hit
here among Maine people this week in
the big sums he has pulled out of the
House Committee on public buildings
and grounds for increases for public
buildings in Maine. He made start for
Bar Harbor and Calais at the last session
of Congress but did not get as much as
he thought those places ought to have.
Accordingly he set to work, as a member
of the committee, to get those appropria-
lions increased to 1000 each and has
succeeded. But that really represents
only beginning of what wants to do,
He is determined that both places shall
nave good public buildings at an early
date. But the biggest stroke of all was
in securing an appropriation of 100000
for the purchase of site for a new fed
eral courthouse at Portland. That could
not properly go on the bin at this SEES
sion, which is for only hose projects
which have already been hrgun. Repre-
sentative Burleigh, however, had prom
ised Representative A Hen some months
ago that he was going to help Portland
out just as soon rs possible. He did not
think it would be till the next Congress
but nevertheless thought he would try
his hand at it now. In that he has sue
ceeded by getting 100000 for the site,
which will assure still larger appro-
priation at the next session of Congress
and the completion of the project.
Only year or two ago members we're
talking around the Capitol that MAR
could not have any more public buildings
for a decade, because the state had been
Wen looked after when the late Repre-.
sentative Millikeu was chairman OF the
committee on public buildings and
grounds. How idle WIS hat statement
is shown IN the fact that GOV. Bugleigh
since then has secured about $3.50, 600
for public building prof cts in Maine
with every assurance th5t The total will
be syelled to over hall million before
the end of the incoming Congress. The
work is only a sample of what the Third
District Representative is doing for his
constituents. He leads the procession
of successful workers down in This neck
of the woods. w