Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-04
DEATH OF WARD BURLINGAME
EMPLOYE IN POST OFFICE DE-
PARTMENT 81 YEARS.
Ten Years Chief Clerk in the Dead
Letter Office-Pioneer Editor
in Kansas.


Burlingame, for ten years chief clerk in
the dead letter office at Washington. D.
c.. and former private secretary to four
Kansas governors and three Kansas sena-
tors. died at his home here last night
aged seventy-two years. He was secre-
tary to Senators James H. Lane, Preston
3. Plumb and George Caldwell. He was
also secretary to Cows. Carney. Crawford.
Harvey and Osborne. In 1850 he was ap-
pointed chief clerk in the dead letter Of
flee, which position he held until 1907.
General Expression of Sorrow.
There was general expression of sor-
row in the Post Office Department today
at the announcement of Mr.. Burlingame's
death. and the officials and employees of
the dead letter office. of which he had
been chief clerk. united in a telegram of
sympathy and coincidence to his widow.
his daughter. Mrs. Harriet Kitchell, and
his grandchildren in Topeka. A request
was also sent to the postmaster at that
city to procure a suitable floral TRIBUTE to
place upon his bier.
A meeting of the Post Office Depart
ment Immediate Benefit Association was
held in Chief Clerk Conrard's office at II
O'Clock this morning, at which appro-
pirate action was taken with reference to
NAi' 1'oi 'ihSoiiO USoIii-
Pioneer Kansas Editor.
Ward Burlinsame was born in Glovers-
vile, n. Y. February 6, 1885, and emf
grated to Kansas early in 1858. where he
was engaged in the newspaper business
first with publication known as the
Ledger, later with the Leavenworth Daily
Herald, and still later, with the Times
and Evening Bulletin. He was editor
for time of the Conservative. afterward
becoming secretary to Gov. Thomas Car
ney upon his election. in December, 1862.
He came to Washington in 1865 as con-
f1dential secretary to Gen. James H. Lane.
then senator from Kansas. He was also
secretary to Gov. Samuel ]. Crawford
during his second term. and to Gov.
Harvey until February of his second term,
when he resigned to serve in that ca
pacity for Senator Alexander Caldwell,
with whom he remained for two years.
After an extended European tour Mr..
Burlingame returned to become secretary
to Gov. Osborn. whom he served until
his resignation to accept similar posi-
ton with the late Senator Preston Il.
Plumb. During this period he also acted
as correspondent in Washington for the
Atchison Champion, then owned and edit
ed by Gov. John A. Martin.
He subsequently made two other Eu-
ropean tours. His legal residence was
Topeka, Kan, where he died. During the
ton he lived at 11O2 18th street north
west.
Appointed Clerk in 1880
Mr. Burlingame was appointed to
81. 200 clerkshp in the Office of the third
assistant postmaster general February 1,
1880. His application at the time was In
dorsed by Senator Plumb, Representative
Thomas Ryan. D. c. Haskell and John A.
Anderson. He was promoted to l,4OO
MAY /, 1880: to 81 800 August I. 1882; TO
81. 800 July Is. 1884; reapponted to S1.sO0
upon the transfer of the dead letter office
to the Office of the fourth assistant post
master general. Because of political
changes he was reduced to 81 400 by Post
master General Bssell; but upon the ad-
vent of Postmaster General James A.
Gary was promoted to be chief clerk
of the dead letter Office April %, 1897, and
remained as such until his voluntary res
ignation. July 20, 1907, to take effect Sep
TENDER 8 following.
Upon his retirement from the postal
service Chief Clerk Chance on behalf OF
ton addressed to Mr.. Burlingame, wrote:
Il am directed by the Postmaster Cen
eral to extend the thanks and commeTda-
ton of the Post Office Department for
your long and faithful service therein. 1t
is to men of your characteristics that the
department owes it's present efficiency
Mr.. De Graw, fourth assistant postmas-
ter general. also wrote Mr.. Burlingame a
letter expressing personal and official re-
greet at his departure and highly COM
mending his twenty eight years of I'm.
telligent and faithful labor in the Post
Office Department. The officials and
employees of the dead letter Office united
in presenting him with handsome silver
service and set of highly commentators
resolutions.