The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-26

sesF'e Wien iurking Idea or matrf. mony with this significant quotation:
 Abandon hope. all ye who enter here"
 Miss Clara Barton who last Christ mas Day celebrated her seth birth day at her Washington home, says she was the first woman to be employed hv the government. This was in 1854. when Miss Barton was doing som. bookkeeping for her brothers, who were In business. The Commissioner of Patents. who was much in need. of the services of person and had heard of the ability of that little Barton girl" sent for her to take a desk in his de- pertinent. Standing alone in this un- ique honor. Miss Barton contin- ued there for three years until the outbreak of the Civil War, when she laid the foundation of the Red Cross work, which made her famous.
 The older of the women workers speak fondly of the memory of Gen eral spinner. to whose wise choice they ode their present positions. Tn telling of this episode which the wo- men regard as part of their history. and also a part of the history of wom- ans work in this country, a woman said, General Spinner. who was the War Treasurer persuaded Secretary of the Treasury Chase to employ wom- en in the department to cut and trim notes. Miss Jennie Douglass was the first woman employed Her first days work settled 1t, said General Spinner: when I saw how well she did her work and how eficient she was, and how much we needed women for this work. with the scarcity of men caused by the war"
 Forfy-ave Years of Service.
 The dean of government women. still actively engaged. who received her ap- pointment soon after the regular ap- propriation was made for women in the departments. is Mrs. Helen l.. Me- Lean Kimball. Mrs. Kimball has the record of the longest continuous ser vice and one of the most active of all the women workers. She Is the widow of civil war officer who was killed in the field. and shortly after his death. in the early part of 1863. she took up her duties in the treasury for Uncle for forty-fve years. Mrs. Kimball Is one of the most valued employees in | this department. and one of the most | popular, her keen intellect. her kindly | manner. her application to her work | and her trustworthiness, endearing her | to all her associates. For more than | twenty years Mrs. Kimball was chief of the treasury library. which she helped to build up and make valuable. | For the many years since she has been engaged in the responsible position of file clerk for the Comptroller of the Currency. Mrs. Kimball Is a remark ably well preserved woman for her fourscore years of exacting work. In fact, many women of 50 and 55 would rejoice to appear to such good advan- tage. with a clear complexion. the bright blue eyes of youth, and the sparse number of lines that distinguish Mrs. Kimball's sunny face and pleas ant appearance.
 Following close upon the heels of Mrs. Kimball's appointment was that of Miss Sarah F. Hoey who has count sd money and rendered other valuable services to Uncle Sam for term of nearly forty-four years.
 Miss Hoey has a charming personal ty and surprisingly cheerful disposi- ion for one who has followed this rou- line of important and exacting work Tor so many years. During this long period Miss Hoey has handled millions of dollars which found their way to the United States redemption department. n spite or her long service Miss Hoey s spoken of as young woman by her department Her hair Is jet black and he does not look a day older for the 'orty-four years she has put in in the Jervice.
 Mrs. W. A Leonard frequently is
  nan in the government service. She LlsS was appointed in 1884. Her work IS chief counterfeit detecter in the rreasurer's office is well known. She I s the original Sherlock Holmes of bad urrency" and has brought destruction O the painstaking labor of the clever st counterfeiters. In addition to feel ng a natural pride in her long and onorable career, she has the distinc- ion of being the mother of Captain leonard. the brave young officer who [ distinguished himself during the Boxer { lprlsing and incidentally lost his left Lrm in carrying out the wounded at 'gnized his services and officially hanked him, and he is now employed m important work in the Navy De- 'artment at Washington. Both he and I lis mother are popular and their pretty | lome is the scene during the season of , gatherings of notably brilliant people. drs Leonard. like many of her CO., workers in the treasury. formerly was l district school teacher. and was the l Irst woman to win equal pay with men !, while teaching a little school in Penn iylvania. As an expert money counter 1 he has often demonstrated her ability I't " handling more than $12,000, 900 in c single day. f Mrs. Augusta Rainals is another .
 
 m expert clerk in the patent office, her ! ! ervice there covering a period of thir- z y-seven years. Mrs. Rainals is a widow of a civil war officer who was s titled on the field. Miss Mabel Hatch. who has been em- | | 'loyed in the patent office as clerk to | he commissioner, is one of the highest alaried women in the government ser | 'ice. She receives $l.s0O a year. Miss Hatch. with the exception of a few | weeks illness, has had a remarkable | ecord Outside of this short illness, 1 he never has had a days bad health in : Ter long career.
 Mrs. Angeline D. Ware. who has held [ responsible clerks position in the patent office for more than a quarter ' 'f century, is one of the most popular ' ' women In the service. Mrs. Ware Is essentially a lady of quality. having ! moved in the first circles of Ohio soci- | 'ty In her young days. Her brother vas Governor Dennisou, the war" T Governor of Ohio. and a member of c 4incolns ca binet. Her husband was | me of the first lawyers of Ohio. and ! .fter his death. with the family for $ unes involved and the later sorrow oc- ( asioned by the loss of her four hand 6 ome daughters. Mrs. Ware came to C Washington and to the work she now E oes with the cheerfulness of youth E nd with the great satisfaction. she avs, she finds in earning an independ- l mt livelihood. ( Miss Caroline c. Kirkland. who has ' cached her four-score of years, is an- ! ther woman who has not found Uncle c