The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1913-06-26
10 YEARS IN THE TREASURY.
Miss Emma r. Graves, Eighty-One
Years Old.

Eighty-one years old and rounding
out so years as government en-
ploye in the treasury department is
the record of Miss Emma R. Graves.
Forty-nine years of this service,
which was up April 2 last, was spent
in the redemption division of the
treasury, and despite the fact that
Miss Graves pleaded to be left in
that division for one more year so
as to celebrate her golden anniver-
sary in one division she was trans
ferred to the registers office. She
still occupies the position of an expert
counter, counting notes which have
been turned into the government and
which are cut in half before being
destroyed.
Miss Graves was among the first
woman employees of the government,
a number having been placed in SER
vice in 1854 by Frank E. Spinner,
then treasurer of the United States.
When she was called upon in her
work room by a reporter she was
very much opposed to being inter-
viewed.
Cant you use what I tell you
without using my name? I don't like
to be interviewed, she said.
After much persuasion Miss Graves
finally consented to have her name
used, and, believing he had gained
point, the reporter then asked for
her photograph. Up flew Miss
Gravess hands.
Goodness" she smilingly ex-
claimed. Il couldn't think of having
my picture printed. Besides, have
not had one taken for the last 20
years.
Il came from Bloomville, n. Y,
So years ago, on a visit to relatives,
said Miss Graves. 1T was right at
the beginning of the War Between
the Sections. And 1 tell you l saw
some exciting times right here in the
city of Washington. The people
were always watching for an inva-
sion of the city by the Confederate
forces.
Il was persuaded to stay here by
my relatives and take position in
the treasury department. At that
time the north wing had not been
built. The state, war and navy de-
partments were located in a small
brick building in the northeast corner
of the ground on which the treasury
is now located.
In what is now the old cash room
in the treasury a large stock of arms
were kept These were for the use
of the clerks in the treasury in case
of an invasion. However, the war
was over when assumed my posi-
ton in the treasury department.
"You know Secretary Chase of the
treasury department was very much
opposed to woman employees in the
government service. Francis E. Spin
ner, then treasurer of the United
States, after much persuasion on his
part, finally secured the permission of
Secretary Chase to give the women
trial as government clerks. 1t had
practically become necessity for
the government to employ women.
All of the men and boys had gone to
war, and the work had to be done, so
the only course open seemed to be to
give the women a chance. Mr.. Spin
ner told Secretary Chase, that if, after
trial, the women proved satisfac-
tory, he would employ more. Then,
of course, there wasn't much gold and
silver, and they had to have more of
the fractional currency. and they
used to have to cut the money by
hand. Mr.. Spinner also pointed out
that women were more skillful with
scissors than men, and this was an
other argument why they should be
given a chance. The redemption di-
vision was established at that time,
on account of the paper money.
Finally, after years trial, Treas
urer Spinner went to Secretary Chase
and told him how satisfactory the
work of the women had been, and
said that he hadn't lost cent, and
that was more than he could say for
the men.
I'VE never forgot Treasurer Spin
ner. After his death we felt that we
owed the appointment of women to
him, so the women contributed to a
fund. and a monument costing S10,-
900 was bought. 1t is now located in
Myers park, Herkimer, n. Y. We
made several attempts to get permis-