Evening star., 1908-12-20
1920
f2s9.745

Totals ............ f7 657 900 f289, 745
While there has been a continuous gain
in the earnings Of the Manchester ship
canal since 1t was opened to traffic. and
been nearly 200 per cent, the year 1907
was the first In which the net revenues
exceeded the interest charges on the con-
struction bonds. and then the balance on
the right side of the ledger was only
about $4,000. Therefore 1t has not been
possible to pay dividends to either the
ordinary or preference shareholders. It
should be said, however. that dividends
were not expected for many years. hence
no one has been disappointed.
Oldest Government Clerk 4 Model.
According to the census OF the United
States civil service taken last summer,
the oldest clerk in the employ of the
government is Samuel D. Slocum OF the
customhouse at Boston. who was born
in Rhode Island eiohty-eight years ago.
and has been working ffty-five years
for his Uncle Samuel.
According to the same authority, the
second Oldest public servant in years is
Joseph A. Deeble. clerk In the general
land Office In Washington, who was born
in the District Of Columbia elghty-six
years ago, and has been f1fty-six years
n the employ Of the government
In some way or another the enumerators
overlooked Augustus Smith Of the internal
revenue bureau Of the Treasury Depart
nent, who will be ninety-three years
I'D In January next. having been born In
Washington. Conn. in January. 1916.
Therefore Mr.. Smith is four years older
.han Mr.. Slocum and six years older
han Mr.. Deeble. Mr.. Smith graduated
1T Yale College in the class of 1872 sixty
alton became teacher and an instructor
n vocal music. In 1853. through an in
reduction of one of his former pupils.
re came to Washington to become a lead
Of the choir In the First Presbyterian
church. of which DR.. Byron Sunderland
vas the pastor. January Is. 1862 he
vas appointed a clerk in the internal rev.
enue bureau Of the Treasury Department
and assigned to the duty of computing
the surveys of distilleries.-that is de-
termining the capacity Of apparatus used
IN the manufacture Of liquors. upon which
the assessment of taxes is based.
Mr. Smith has been at the same work
for forty years. lacking a few weeks
He has never done anything else. and his
chief Of division tells me that his COM
putationS are just as accurate and that
he performs his duties as punctually as
ne did when he came into the department
notwithstanding his great age, he Is al
ways at his desk, rain or shine, Is never
tardy. and has seldom applied for sick
leave. He spends his annual vacation
lew months ago he submitted to a painful
surgical operation without taking anes-
thetics and his health is now perfect.
Mr.. Smith is bachelor and comes from
a longlived family. His father died at
The age of eightyfour and three uncles
lived to be eighty-fve, eighty-six and
9inety-three. One OF his brothers lived
to be eightyfour and two others to be
over eighty. He has a sister now living
who is above that age.
Another Who Served Long and Well.
August F. Rodgers, who died in San
Francisco the other day. had been In the
service of the government longer than
any other man. He was born in Wash
ington January !. 1929. and was appoint
ed as clerk In the coast survey January
1. 1S47. If he had lived out the month
he would lave been siXty-one years con-
tinuously in that branch Of the govern
ment. He was ordered to the branch office
of the coast survey on the Pacific In May
1SJ1 and if he had lived a few months
longer he would have been fifty-seven
years in the same office. performing the
same duties, faithfully and we'll. He was
promoted from time to time until 1895
when he was made chief Of the San
Francisco branch. He has seldom been
absent from his desk for any reason. He
usually waived his annual vacation, and
no one can remember when he was ill
until the last few years. when he became
quite feeble and intirm from age and
sometimes remained at his home for sew
eral days without coming Ia the Office.
The government has never had a more
faithful and efficient servant.
Mr. Rodgers was a member Of one of
the most distinguished families in the
United States. Both his father and an
uncle were commodores of the navy. His
brother was Rear Admiral Raymond p.
Rodgers, and his two sisters were the
wives of Gen. Montgomery Meigs. quar-
termaster general of the army during