Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-16
P. Y, DE GRAW NAMED
WILL BE FOURTH ASSISTANT
POSTMASTER GENERAL.
Was One of the Best Photographers in
the Country-Press Representative
of the St. Louis Exposition.

Peter Voorhees, De Graw of the District
Of Columbia but a native of New Jersey.
has been nominated by the President, at
the suggestion of Postmaster General Cor
telyou, to be fourth assistant postmaster
general. He will assume the duties of the
office as soon as his confirmation is made
by the Senate.
This appointment to fill the office from
which Joseph l.. Bristow of Kansas some
time since resigned, came as a great sur
prise to those who have watched this va
cancy and speculated on a probable sue
Cessor of Mr.. .Brstow. 1t has been an
nounced, from time to time, that certain
persons had all but been chosen for the
place, but they all proved false scents, and
the Postmaster General has continually
said that the man for the place had not
yet been decided upon.
Importance of the Position.
II is, In many respects, the most import
ant of the offices Immediately under the
Postmaster General, and until former Post
master General Wynne transferred the in
spectors division from that office to that
of the Postmaster General it had been call
ed the real executive division of the postal
service. 1t supervises all free delivery,
which includes every carrier in the service,
! and all fourth-cass offices, and the man
| who takes charge must be one whose ex-
perience has fitted him for direct inter
| course with senator's, representatives in
Congress and other important public men
| He must be a man of discretion, judgment
| and executive ability, and it is these quail
| tiles which are claimed for the new ap-
polntee.
| Although the nominatto and appointment
are presidential prerogatives, it is under
stood that the selection of Mr.. De Graw was
| determined upon by Postmaster General
Cortelyou, whose acquaintance with the
| man is of long tenure and close assocta-
| ton. Their acquaintance dates from the
| time, in the Cleveland administration, when
| Mr.. Cortelyou was transferred from the
Post Office Department where he was at
| that time clerk, to the White House. hav-
| ing been appointed stenOgrapher to the
| President. From that date to the present
| the acquaintance has grown until it's culmi-
nation in the appointment noted.
Mr.. De Graw's Career.
| Peter Voorhees, De Graw was born at
| Princeton, N. J., about fifty-two years ago
In that city he received a common school
| education and later began his active lfe's
career as a telegrapher for the Camden
| and Amboy railroad al South Amboy, n. j..
| in the office of A. II. Van Cleve, general
purchasing agent of that railroad. He be-
| came an expert in the Morse system of
| biography and before he was sixteen
| years of age went to Philadelphia to extend
| his work. He there made a great reputa-
| ton for himself as an expert, growing to
| be known as one of the best knights of
| the key in America.
| 1t was in 1874 that he took one of the
eight keys operating on the first leased wire
between New York and Washington for the
New York Associated Press, and a year
later was transferred to Washington, where
h. engaged in work on the reportorial stan
OF the Associated Press under Lawrence a.
rntr .inlr VIl mod in a
1882 leaving it only when the New York
and Western Associated Presses severed
their relations. He went to the Western
Association and one year later, upon the
retirement of Walter 2. Phillips. became
the Washington manager of that asso-
citation.
Southern Manager of United Press.
He was called to the Washington man
agement of the United Press in 1885 and in
1886 became southern manager, admins
tering the duties of that Office over a
territory extending from Baltimore to New
Orleans. He was also made assistant gen.
eral manager of the Southern Associated
Press. Not until 1897 did he leave the
journalistic field leaving Washington to
enter commercial life in Philadelphia. He
remained in this work for four years and
then again came to Washington, where he
resumed the work of his early days.
He was appointed press representative IN
washington lOr the l4OulStdId purchase cA-
position and upon the death of Julian Ralph
was made eastern representative His
work for the exposition has been high
ly praised. At the time of the dedication
of the exposition he personally conducted
to st. Louis the largest party Of corre-
spondents which ever left Washington in
a body. He had charge of the telegraphic
arrangements by which the President OF
the United States opened the great expo
sition. and, as a recognition for those ana
other services. received the golden key,
which worked the western end of the cir
cuff.
One of the Gridiron Clubs Founders
He was one of the organizers of the Grid
iron Club and has served as its secretary
and is now a member of the executive
committee of that association Of corre-
spondents.
He claims that it was his knowledge of
telegraphy which enabled him to make his
greatest newspaper scoop 1t was when
President Garfield died at Eiberon. N. j.. In
1881. There were but two wires from Elbe-
ron and upon the death OF the President
the Attorney General, Wayne MacVeagh.
who had been at the bedside. entered the
Offices of the company and pre-empted both
for the use Of the government. The near
ct wire was mile away. at Long Branch.
III De Graw Vas present when tho At