davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1909-02-21

with apoplexy while debating in Congress
In February, 1S4S.
Here" ne said, impressvely, sis the
spot where Guiteau shot James A. Gar
field
The ladies drew back in Mortified awe
at finding themselves suddenly on such 4
gruesome spot. The young man regarded
their CONSERVATION with Self-complacency
for some moments and then led them
away toward the House wing. Just out
side of the north door stood Representa-
tive Serene Payne talking with a group
of men. The young man halted his pro-
teges and confided in a low tone:
See that big man there? That's Joe
Cannon, the Speaker of the House.
Up in the galleries of both the House
and Senate all sorts of ridiculous ques-
tions are asked and variegated array OF
queer answers are vOuchsafed in return.
A short time ago two girls were seated
in the front row of seats in the members
card gallery, vainly endeavoring to To-
cate Richmond P. Eobson of the Merri-
mac and osculatory fame. who was lately
elected to Congress from Alabama. \
kindly disposed youth sitting just back of
them leaned forward and, pointing TO
Representative Ollie James OF Kentucky,
said:
THAT big. bald-headed man is Hobson"
"Oh!' exclaimed the blond. Isn't he
nice and tall
He certainly is" agreed the brunette
The diminutive Mr.. Mckinley of ILL.,
nois. who in his short career in the House
has proven himself remarkably able leg
fslator, is often pointed out as brother
of our late President.
The "Sh-h-h-h-h" and "Step softly.
please" atmosphere OF the Senate acts
a quietus upon talkative persons. For this
reason the Senate wing does not prove
particularly interesting to the investiga-
tor.
If you want to have a little fun take a
day off and go up to the Capitol. Listen
hard, real hard. and the laughs will come.
Evening star., 1909-02-21

such country as ours. And yet it is a
great sacrifice in a way. Place yourself
in our position, Mr.. Blank, with one SON
an only son. He might be killed" And
here she bites her lip as If the thought
were almost overwhelming.
Yes, he might be killed. But, as 1
said before, We must be self-sacrificing,
as other parents have been. 1t were igno-
bic to be otherwise While Bobbie is none
too strong. after consulting our doctor
we are certain he will be able to bear
up under the West Point training. West
Point. in my estimation, Is the ideal
school for such a boy as Bobbie. When
do you make your next appointment. Mr..
Mr.. Blank. endeavoring to restore his
scattered faculties: Il think some time
next year.
Il thought so. How fortunate! Bobbie
will be just the right age"
The Smiths smother him with their ef-
fusive thanks and then say goodbye.
He shakes their hands Imply and asks
to be remembered to the dear ''peepul"
out home, and retires to curse his fate
and ponder upon the nerve Of his pilgrim
aging constituency.
1t Is good fun sometimes to tag at the
heels of a person who Is escorting out-of-
town friends around and who labors un-
der the impression that he is familiar
with every nook and Granny of the Capt.
tol building as we'll as with the promi-
nent senators and representatives.
The other day a blithe young chap ap-
peared in the rotunda escorting two elder
ly ladies who appeared to be his aunts.
He scorned the proffered services of
guide with a Been up here hundreds OF
times. Guess / won't get lost"
They moved about the rotunda, gazing
at the pictures. then passed over TO stat
uary hail. where the writer took up their
trail. They viewed each statue with great
interest. Presently the young man led
them to the spot. marked by a brass star,
where John Quincy Adams was stricken
Evening star., 1909-02-21

MIR. WileN at first took to be his old
friend, Mr.. Josiah Snodgrass, the alfalfa
king of Bird Center, Iowa. 1t was a
case of mistaken identity, for later it
over from Alexandria. He halted directly
in front of the door, pointed his scotch
beard due east. and then inclined his head
slightly to the south as If listening in
tently.
Want to so in?' asked Mr.. Wiley.
The man eyed his uuestioner warily and
shook his head doubtfully. Presently he
asked:
What kind of a show is that 'er, any
way?'
Fine show"' replied Mr.. Wiley.
The old fellow stroked his chin for
several moments and then queried "Well
-er-how much does it-er-cost?''
He was Immediately Informed that it
was a free show and directed to the
gallery.
Apropos of this, now and then persons
come up to the attendants at the door
and ask where they can go to view the
proceedings OF the House. They are told
TO go to the gallery. Again and again
they have been known to inquire, up
or down."
Not even the dignified Capitol is free
iioiii Coiiioeuce iIleH. LII comparison Win
the monumental nerve they display in
operating in the building their requests
are manifestly incongruous and queer.
They usually familiariZe themselves with
the principal names in a certain state
directory and come to the House. call for
a member from that state and reel off
list of friends that makes .the representa-
tive wonder how this chap ever escaped on
the annual "hand-shake.' After reciting
the names of his friends the confidence
man Immediately adopts the tone Of a
campmeeting revivalist pleading for lost
souls and launches forth into a hard luck
story, usually ending up by making a
touch for a dollar, the price of drink or
a quarter to buy car tickets.
Every visitor from out of town who
Evening star., 1909-02-21

men wounded in the fight. He was serv-
ing a the time as gunners mate On board
the Baltimore, which the Spanlards took
for battleship and at which they direct
ed almost all their fire, though they did
not succeed in hitting her often.
When Dick Covert, as he is Familiarity
known, returned from the wars he went
into business in Milwaukee and prospered.
Later he was given a position IN the
Office of the post Office inspector in Chi
cago. This was his entering wedge into
the department. When the post office
Investigations which resulted in the rout-
ing out of Machen and Beavers We're be-
gun, Covert took dispositions throughout
the country. Then he was called TO
Washington and transcribed the report of
Fourth Assistant Postmaster General
Bristow. Mr. Covert accomplished the
feat of writing out on a typewriter the
the President, containing more than 100. :
coo words within thirty-six hours and
without leaving his desk. His rise in the
department has been rapid and he has
high among the athletes of the depart
ment and is recognized as the present
day champion with the gloves. He was
one of the three post office officials who
Washington to Havre de Grace; the others
who went with him were DR.. John A.
Holmes. at the time private secretary to
Postmaster General Meyer and Assistant
Postmaster Allan of Richmond Va.
George G. Thompson native Of Michi-
gan. is superintendent Of the division OF
supplies which is located in the Post
Office Department annex, near the Union
station. He has charge Of sending out
the supplies used by the department in
all parts of the country. 1t is a big job,
for he has some 10000 Gust omers, and has
to see that all their wants are cared for
as expeditiousy as possible. He is a
thorough believer in outdoor exercise and
gives considerable spare time to tennis
in the warm months. Mr.. Thompson was
appointed chief clerk Of the republican
headquarters at Chicago by Frank Hitch
cock last summer.
ant postmasters general always act in
postmasters general, and consequently
their positions are of considerable respon-
Sibility. The CHIEF clerks of the assistant
pOStmaSterS general are L. r. Bushnell,
John w Hollyday, Arthur NJ. Travers
and Robert II. Prender. All of them have
been in the service for some time and
have shown ability.
The men who have been called 1.-THE
eyes and ears of the Postmaster General
are the post office inspectors, $50 strong.
They are under the command of Frank f.
Washington with him from Boston. These
men are intrusted with the investigations
Of all alleged frauds against the govern
ment in the postal service. They are
sent throughout the country on such
errands. and in the last year have been
very effective in bringing to justice the
infringers of the law. They are also en-
ployed to assist the auditor of the depart
ment in collecting balances due on postal
Evening star., 1909-02-21

merly deputy auditor for the department
His work of investigation in Cuba and
the Philippines was of great service in
Strengthening out irregularities. Under
the third assistant comes the VeXatious
duty of classifying domestic mail matter.
The other duties Of this office are many
and varied. including keeping an eye on
the ranking privilege, the financial sys-
tenn OF the department. the supervision
and manufacture of postage stamps, the
money order system and the registry sys-
tenn
The great rural free delivery system.
which is growing all the time, comes un-
der the office of the fourth assistant post
master general, which is occupied by F.
V. De Graw. This system has been in ex-
lStence only twelve years and has grown
from matter Of $4,000, the first an
nual appropriation, and SO carriers, to
S34. 100000 and 1918 carriers. During
last year 1927 routes were operated
and over 1900 new routes were estab-
lished. The applications received from all
parts of the country for new routes
amounted to some 1900 Besides bring
ing the mails to millions of homes. the
rural free delivery system has done much
to improve the roads throughout the
country. for the roads must be kept up IL
the mails are to be delivered properly. In
addition to the rural free delivery Mr.. De
Graw Is charged with supervision and
control Of the divisions of supplies. of
dead letters and of topography, each one
Before Mr.. De Graw entered the Post
Office Department he was a newspaper
man. 1t was he who made one Of the big
Sest scoops that have ever been made
in the field of American journalism. At
the time that President Garfield was dy-
Ing at Elberon, n. j., Mr.. De Graw, with
many other newspaper men, was detailed
to watch the course of events and to re-
port upon the Presidents condition imme-
diately. When the fact that the President
was dead was announced to the neWSpa-
per men a wild rush was made for the
telegraph office. the newspaper men were
met with the statement that the govern
ment of the United States had taken pos
session of all the wires and that they
would have to wait some time before they
could wire their respective papers. 1t
happened that De Graw was himself a
first class telegram operator. He had en-
tered the telegraph Office at the opposite
end of the room from the rest of the
newspaper men and while the others were
eXpostulating with the operators De
Graw quietly laid his hand on a wire
and gave the New York call. He was
answered Immediately, for by lucky
chance he had touched direct wire to
New York. In less time than it takes to
tell 1t he had sent his message.
partment is one bureau which. i'm fact,
does not belong to the Post Office De-
partment at all, but to the Treasury De-
partment That is the bureau of the
auditor for the Post Office Department.
But so closely connected with the work
of the Post Office Department is this
bureau that ii is almost impossible TO
separate it from that department. Mer-
rit Q. Chance is the man charged with
Evening star., 1909-02-21

be recognized and rewarded, all of which
tends 10 better that service.
OF the four assistant postmaster gen.
erals three of them have been in the EN-
ploy of the Post Office Department for
many years and have risen to their present
positions after hard and faithful service.
The fourth, who is the fourth assistant
postmaster general p. V. De Graw, has
been in office for only a few years. He
was formerly a newspaper man.
The first assistant postmaster general is
Charles F. Grandfield. He entered the
service some eighteen or twenty years
ago clerk i'll the appointment di-
vision and has worked his way up
through successive stages to his present
Office. Under the direct supervision of
the first assistant postmaster general
comes the appointment of all the post
masters throughout the country, the sal
aries TO be paid these postmasters and
the responsibility for the proper fulfill
ment of their duties. OF course, the ap-
pointments to the higher offices are made
bv the President of the United States
upon recommendations made TO him by
members of Congress and other influential
citizens. but the first assistant postmaster
general has to handle all the detail OF the
appointments. The total number Of post
Offices in operation throughout the coun-
try June /. 1908, was Gl.l5S, of which
GS46 were so-called presidential post Of
fees and the rest fourth-class post offices.
II is recorded that in the last year 1l-34o
fourth-class postmasters were appointed
The appointments are made by Df.
Grandiield. All the work of determining
whether a community is sufficiently large
to warrant the appointment or a post
ma ster whether community should con-
time to have post office or whether a
post office should be raised from one class
IN another or vice versa. is loaded upon
the office of the first assistant postmaster
general.
DR.. Grandfield was at one time an all
round athlete and can now stand fiat-foot-
ed and do a back flip without spilling any
change out of his pockets. he was once
q long-distance bicycle rider of note.
The second assistant postmaster gen
eral Joseph Stewart. has been In the
service also for twenty years or so. and
he too, rose from clerkship MIR. Stew
art is charged with the authorization and
management of the domestic and foreign
mails, and his bureau is divided into six
divisionS-the division of railway ADJUST
ments division of contracts, division OF
foreign malls, division of railway mail
service division of inspection and division
of equipment
For this service to all parts of The world
Uncle Sam pays many millions of dollars
each year. Last year II amounted to
So, 1o96 91J OF course, Mr.. Stewart has
the responsibility Of determining what
shall be routes, what the contracts. and it
is possible for him to save the govern
ment many thousands of dollars upon the
contracts which are let for the transpor-
tatiOn of the mails
A. L. I.aWShe, third assistant pos stma ST er
general has made Il record for himself in
the Post Office Department aud has served
in various capacities about the big build
ing on Pennsylvania avenue. He was for
Evening star., 1909-02-21

town and hamlet throughout the country
and with its rural free delivery service
reaching millions OF persons in the sparse
" populated sections of the country, the
service has become perhaps the greatest
benefit to the citizens OF the country that
is extended by the government.
The service is ever on the increase, new
improvements in the delivery of the mail
are constantly being made. with the result
that vast as are the receipts of the Post
Office Department its expenditures are
found AT the end of each year 10 be in
excess of its receipts. The expenditures
In 1908 were SOS. .3Jl .ss6.l5. the receipts
Sla1. .47s 6ts3 A. showing a deficit of S16.-
s,S..221i Yet the increase in receipts
over those of the previous year was
81 SD. .6JI.s4.
1t has been the dream OF each Post
master General that one day the postal
service would be made self supporting
that the annual deficit would shrink into
insienificance and cease to exist. But
this dream has Yet TO be realized. and as
long as the service must he still further
developed there is not much chance of
this dream coming true. But all the
time the business methods OF the depart
ment are being bettered and money saved
here and there.
Over this huge business for the last two
Years George Won I.engerke Meyer has pre-
sided Mr. Meyer is man of wide ex-
prrience and we'll qualified for the posi-
ton i'm which he was placed by President
Roosevelt. He has been-and still is-a
man OF business, Il banker and manu-
Evening star., 1909-02-21

atOr to Albany. tie state capital of New
York. He regarded me with a blank stare
and then sideed away. He hadn't gone
more than a few feet from me when he
turned on me and exclaimed. wrathfully:
- I'm goin ter find Tom here. An
youSell get yours. Why don't youse get
on ter your job And with that he walk
ed scornfuly away.
People come up here and ask me to
point out that section of the building
occupied by the President and his fam
lily. and often before have time to reply
the women in the party are catechising
me about Mrs. Roosevelt. Two ladies did
this the other day. and before I could
open my mouth one of them asked:
''Where does Mrs. Roosevelt hang her
washin :? 1t must make an awful showin
if she puts it out in the back yard
Sometimes let them ramble on for
while before I tell them that the Presi-
dent lives in the White House. They ask
me what time the President gets up
and what time he goes to bed; whether
he eats breakfast foods or not: how much
his grocery bill is a week; they want to
know whether he believes in corporal
punishment and If SO, who applies the
rod when his youngsters need it. Some
make inquiries as to the amount of cur
rency they imagine Uncle Sam has stored
in the basement. Others are forever ask
ing us how CraWford's Liberty was placed
in position on the dome. When I'm pretty
certain they will stand for it | call them
aside and in a sort of half-WhiSper eX-
plain:
1t amt generally known. but I'll tell
YOU. Two gigantic balloons were used to
raise that statue to the place it now
occupies.
Once in while I get called for that
and then the laughs on me.
Occasionally some one comes along
and wants to be shown the exact spot
where Lincoln was assassinated. Time
and again people ask to be directed to
the Secretary of States office or to some
other executive Office. So lacking are a
great many people in knowledge of Amer
lean history that we often called
upon to explain in detail the meaning
of the various pictures hung about the
rotunda. You would be surprised to know
how little the majority know of some of
Evening star., 1909-02-21

facturer; he has been a politician and
served In the Massachusetts house of
one year as it's speaker,
and has served as republican national
committeeman; he has been the ambas-
sador of the United States to Italy and to
Russia. and it has been whispered that
Mr.. Meyer is TO occupy the position of
Secretary of the Treasury or Secretary of
the Navy in the Taft cabinet Be that
as it may. Mr. Meyer has brought TO the
office of Postmaster General many quail
ties and much wisdom which have tended
to improve the service. He has stood
for extending the service wherever il
could be extended. lie has advised the
esta tablishment of postal savings banks of
a parcels post. and has strongly advocat-
ed the establishment of the office of
deputy postmaster general. or director of
the posts, at d salary of $4,000 a year.
This director OF the posts, Mr.. Meyer says,
should be man of wide business expert
ence, who would hold office during good
behavior in order that the Post Office
Department, with its rapidly growing
business, might have continuity of poll
ctes for the benefit of the postal service
and the people of the United States. In
every way he could possibly do so the
Postmaster General has impressed it upon
the officials of the department that
economy in the expenditure Of appropria- 4
tlons was necessary, and the savings ac-
complished in this way have amounted
to millions of dollars.
Mr. Meyer is Il Yankee of the best type
of Yankee. He halls straight from the
hub of the universe Boston, where lie
was born and went to school. Later he
attended Harvard University and was in
the class of 1879, just one year ahead OF
President Roosevelt, who was at college
at the same time. He has been one OF
the members of the 'tennis cabinet"
The Post Office Department has for
some time been considered the stepping
stone from which Postmaster Genera Is
have attained higher things. George
Bruce Gorteylou was Postmaster General
in President Roosevelts cabinet before he
one of the ablest secretaries of the Treas
ury we have ever had. Mr. Never. as
has been said. is already slated for higher
things, and ii is to be expected that Frank
Hitchcock. who is scheduled to succeed
Mr.. Meyer when Mr.. Taft becomes Pres
ldent. Will go higher after he has placed
his foot upon this stepping stone
But il the highest Office in the Post
Office Department has been considered
merely resting place for its Occupants
to gather strength for higher flights this
cannot be said with truth about the lesser
offices. The most important of these are
held by men who have been in the Posi-
Office Department for many years. mer
who have grown up with the service, who
have made their mark in that very serv.
ice and for the most part they are young
men still. Promotions in the Post Office
Department have been given to men al
ready in the postal service more Otter
than TO the employees of any other de-
partment of the government The con
sequence Is that the men who occupy the
important positions know their business
from the ground up and there is a feeling
in the depart rtment that good service vii
Evening star., 1909-02-21

supervision OF the audit work of this
huge business of the Post Office Depart
ment, and the amount OF work connected
with it would stagger any man except
one OF exceptional ability. But MI.
Chance finds time to take an interest III
things outside the regular work of his
office, for he has been president of the
Departmental Base Ball League for
the last three years and has instilled
no end of enthusiasm into teams of the
various departments. Mr.. Chance has
long been base ball fan and has PLAYED
the great American game himself. He is
very hopeful that the coming season of
the Departmental League will be the
best in its history.
Mr. Chances career Is good evidence
that a man may rise by efficient work
from small place in the government
service to one of great Importance. He
partment at $500 year some eighteen
years ago. Since then he has occupied
nearly every position in the department,
including superint endent of the supply
division and chief clerk of the depart
met. But MI Chance has not served all
of the years in the Post Office alone, but
has also served In the War Depar tment
as private secretary of Taft and of Root,
both of whom are warm friends of his.
There are two deputy auditors for the
and c. A. McGonagle, who help IN super
Vlslng the work of the bureau. These
men sign upward of d half million war
rants each year for contracts for carry
ing the mails. Mr.. Heating was in
charge of the speakers bureau for the
republican forces during the campaign
last fall. Mr.. McGonagle has also been
in politics, for he was a member of tie
Indiana legislature before he was ap-
pointed deputy auditor.
The work of the auditors Office has
reached tremendous proportions An in
stance of what the work has become is
the handling of 500 pounds of money or
ders by the auditors force each day in
the year.
Two other officials of the auditors Office
are David w. Duncan, chief clerk, and
Charles A. kram, law clerk. Mr. Dun
can has been in the service since 1889
and has risen to his present position by
good work. Mr.. Kram entered the de-
partmental service eighteen years ago
at a salary Of $500 a year. He found
time to study law at Georgetown College
and became a bachelor OF law in 1893.
His services in the Office OF the auditor
were especially recognized last year by
Congress when his salary was raised 1t
is Mr.. kram's duties to institute all suits
Office Department growing out of con-
tracts entered into by the department
About fifty suits were begun last year
and the collections resulting from the
suits during the year amounted to about
half a million dollars. Mr.. kram halls
from the Keystone state.
Richard Perry Covert. chief clerk Of
the Post Office Department. is an all
around man. He was with Admiral
Dewey when the latter steamed into
Manila bay and was one of the seven