Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-13

tfnoto 10y tIinetlnSt.i
lit does not fall To the lot of many men
70 continue thirty-three years continu-
qusly in the service of Uncle Sam.
But that is the record of John J. Miller
OF the United States life saving service, in
The Star building, who will today ceIe-
brate the eighty-seventh anniversary of
his birth
Mr.. Miller yesterday received the con-
Gratulations of Gen Summer L. kimball,
general superintendent of the life saving
service. and other officials of that branch
vi the public service upon having reached
the ripe old age of four score and seven
Years. Today his relatives and numer-
Jus friends will tender their congratulate
lions to the venerable official at his home
Mr. Miller is one OF the Districts oldest
and most respected citizens. He has re-
tanned all his faculties and is remarkably
active for man of his years. His friends
say he is as genial as sunshine on June
DAY, and lie is noted as racOnteuT. and
his acquaintance never tire of hearing
him tell yarns and adventures in the good
old days of yore. He is said to be one
of the oldest men IN point OF service in
the employ of the national government.
The sturdy men of the life saving Serv-
Ice who are stationed along the coast
from Maine to .orida on the great lakes
and the golden shores of California to
rescue Imperfect mariners from death be-
meath the waves all know and love Father
John j. Miller. His record as an official
is said to be without a flaw.
Born in Pennsylvania
Mr.. Miller was born in Kensington, Phil
adelphia county, Pa. September Is.
ISL He educated in a pri-
vate school, and at the age of seven
teen was apprenticed to the firm of I'm
derwood. Bald, Spencer & Hufty, bank
note engravers and printers. serving a
term OF four years. His father received
81 % per week for his sons board and
$50 year for clothing.
He continued al his trade for nearly
three years after his freedom. but on ac-
count of poor health he was compelled
TO give up the occupation. He next served
as shipping clerk on the Reading railroad.
In 1S4S Mr.. Miller started a small grocery
store.
lie came TO Washington in 1861. and
engaged with a friend who kept a store
where the New National Theater now
stands. The firm dealt largely with the
soldiers here until the army made move
across the Long bridge into Virginia He
returned to Philadelphia and entered upon
a business career. continuing until the
Jay Cook failure in 1873 when the entire
country was shaken financially.
Mr.. Miller came TO Washington again
in 1870, and October of that year he
eDldIDeC d position III the liIe saving SerN
ice under General Supt. Sumner ]. Kim
ball and has served continuously ever
since.
Memories of Lafayette.
He remembers while he was a child
wearing frocks that his father held him
In his arms that he might see Gen. La
fayette when he came to this country in
1924. Mr. Miller well remembers the
graf cholera epidemic i'll 1882 when
many hundreds of people fell victims to
the dread scourge in Philadelphia. He
also remembers the big fire in New York
In h1S35. when thousands of houses were
burned. There was no communication be-
tween Philadelphia and New York by rail
at that time. and the mails and passen-
gers were carried by four-horse stages
with relays OF fresh horses about every
ten miles. The drivers of the coaches
CARVED big pistols in their belts and
blunderbuss guns between their knees,
and MIR. Miller and other Philadelphia
boys stood on the sidewalk and cheered
them as they drove away at full speed
lie recalls when the first steam railroad
Was put into operation between Philadel-
PISA and Germantown. Pa. distance of
seven miles Philadelphia, then small
place. was lighted dimly by oil lamps
gas not having been discovered.
remember. Mr.. Miller said last
evening. when the Public Ledger was
frs; published. and ii only as large
as Il single sheet of The Evening Star
Mr.. Miller has seen twenty-five of the
twenty-SiX Presidents of the United
States in office. and he expects TO shake
hands with the twenty-seventh. He re-
members John Wanamaker when he was
struggling small dealer also the elder
Cramp. the millionaire shipbui.der. when
re was a poor ship carpenter: Drexel of
financial fame. and other men who came
up from poverty to wealth and distinc-
ton. His memory is still as clear as
the notes of bell. and ne relates many
interesting "reminiscences of bygone days