Evening star., 1915-07-04
WINGS TO PATENT OFFICE
AUTHORIZED MARCH 3, 184e
Pension Office for Long Period Quar-.
tered in Winder Building-0ther
Structures Rented.
BY JAMES cRoaaoN.
No. B.

appeals on the new secretary over tne
general land. patent, Indian affairs and
pension Offices, and also over the CEN
sus accounts, etc. These bureaus were
somewhat scattered, the land office in
the third story of the Treasury. the
patent Office in it's own building. the
Indian affairs in the War Department
and the pension bureau in the Winder
building. The last named building was
erected on the site of the old yellow
printing office of Alexander & Ber-
nard, by Charles H. Winder. about the
time the bill was passed. He first
rented it to the government for the
accommodation of such offices as could
not find accommodations in the depart
ment buildings. After paying nearly
sec. in rent, the government pur-
chased the building in 1855 for $780,
900. 1t is still in possession OF the
government, and has been enlarged.
The patent office having less than
half dozen employees prior to 1895,
when it was burned. had increased to
about thirty clerks, and II then includ-
ed the germ of the Department OF
Agriculture. the museums. etc. The In
fifteen clerks. The pension bureau,
located first In the War Department
basement, with four or Ave clerks. had
occupied rooms in a building opposite
the department, before taking rooms In
winder's building, with about twenty
clerks.
Eighty Employees IN Land Once.
The land office had about eighty em-
ployes. among them some who had en-
tered the service as messengers and
worked themselves up through all the
clerical grades to the heads Of bureaus.
Some who entered the service at small
salaries, not only reached prominent
places In the departments, but after
leaving the government employ were
numbered among Washington's most
wealthy citizens. In one case. w. J.
Sibley, messenger at $3.50 per year,
became known to the general public as
a philanthropist, a hospital endowed
by him bearing his name: Others rose
in political life, one, William H. Eng
lish, serving in Congress from 1853 to
1851, and in 1880 becoming a candidate
for Vice President. Some Of the lame
ducks" Of the House found places as
government clerks.
The government had no building for
the new. department.. but at the time
the crowded condition Of the Treasury
having made rental necessary, a build
ing on tho southwest corner OF 18th
and r streets. occupied by some Of the
tions. The new Secretary found a chief
chuck was provided for. but the other
clerks were detailed from the several
bureaus named and the Secretary en-
ployed half a dozen others on his own
responsibility. looking to the approval
of Congress. D. C. Goddard was the
chief clerk. and a young man from Ohio
was placed In charge of the appoint
ment desk. It was customary for him
to file letters asking for places. and
letters Of Endorsement, in the pigeon
holes.
Abraham lincoln an Applicant.
Among the applicants for the posi-
tion of commissioner of the general
land ONCE was Abraham Lincoln. whose
term as a representative in Congress
had just expired. One Of the clerks
many years ago told the writer that In
q little time Mr. Lincoln had hled so
many letters with his application as to
make It necessary to provide special
desk; that Mr.. Lincoln called daily
with a number Of letters and cheertly
greeted them with Good morn
ing, gentlemen; here are some more to
his long arm over and drop them into
After a few weeks, when Gen. Ewing
was attending a cabinet meeting, a
messenger called for the papers on ME
for this appointment. The clerk hastily
did the papers of each applicant up into
bundles, and, whether intentionally or
by carelesseness, he bundled up only a
small portion from Mr.. Lincoln's box:
These were sent to the President and
the result was unfavorable to Mr..
Lincoln.
Learning of this. he went to the Pres
fdent and asked IL he had seen certain
letters and received the reply that he
had not He thereupon called on the
Secretary who at once inquired into
the matter and found many letters that
had not been sent to the President. The
Secretary, who at once inquired into
once transferred the young clerk to a
land once out west. He wanted MI
Lincoln to accept some other position,
but the offer was declined
'I have often thought" said the old
clerk, that the young man did a good
deed for the American people. accident
ally or otherwise. for had Mr.. Lincoln
become commissioner of the land oftlce
he most likely would never have been
President. But few occupants OF that
once can serve their full terms with
out making enemies.
Secretary Ewing Resigns.
Mr.. Ewing continued as Secretary
until after the death of President Tay-
Tor, when he resigned. Ex-senator
Pearce of Maryland declined the posi-
tion and Chief Clerk Goddard acted for
4 few weeks until Mr.. McKennan OF
Pennsylvania was confirmed The lat.
ter, however. served but a few days ir
August, and Mr.. Goddard again became
the ad interim Secretary TIL September
10, 1850, when A. II. Stuart of Virgins
became Secretary and served 10 the enc
of the administration.
On the same date, March 3, 1s49, the
organization of the department was
authorized. and appropriation was
made toward the erection OF the winKl
TO the patent ONCE and but little was
expended during the year. This appro.
priation of $4,000 was followed by
others. and In the following year mors
than 100000 was expended on the con.
structfon.
While the east wing was being erect.
ed the once of Secretary Of the interior
vas separated from the bureaus, bu,
the Secretary proposed that the de.
partment should establish its head ir
this building as soon as there wsr<
Accommodations therefor. This use wal
sanctioned by the act of September 30
1850. The patent once. however, wal
growing at q rapid rate, and the Law
at that time calling for models with
applications for patents. made II neces.
sary to secure room for them. The
further claim was made ..At the patent
office was not only self-supporting, bu
was accumulating q large surplus. and
that IL the department moved in there
would be no room for that ONCE. Con
sress, however, thought otherwise ant
made appropriations for the depart
erection Of the west wing. The de
partment moved into the east wing
which had been completed about 1853