Evening star., 1927-11-02

the Government and it's work, and
(3) the Receipts and Expenditures OF
the Government" which is an AUDIT
balance sheet.
Owned Model Farm.
He had a model farm near Vienna.
fitted up with all modern conven-
fences, where he frequently enter
tanned his friends in Congress. Two
years ago his home burned down ana
he had a new modern and modei nome
erected. In his private lunchroom at
the Capitol he served veteran mem.
bers with products from his modei
farm. This Iunchroom was set up
because Mr.. Grayson couldn't be
spared from his job long enough at
midday to go to luncheon.
During his more than half a CEN
tury with Congress Mr.. Grayson COL
lected a library which the best judges
said was one Of the best in the State
of Virginia. 1t contains about 1900
volumes. He was considered as well
read as most of the members of Con-
gress.
He had charge Of bills, laws and
documents dating from the Nineteenth
C0ngress-those previous to that date
were destroyed by the British. The
House document room receives 3S5
copies of each public bill of the House
and $50 of the Senate; there has been
no increase in this number since the
size of the House grew from 356 to 435
members. Besides the current bills
and documents packed away in filing
cases in the document room, Mr.. Gray
son also had charge of II large rooms
in the basement, which spread under
the terrace on the South side of the
Capitol, and are filled with bills and
documents. He also had custody of
great stacks of shelves closely packed
with documents in bundles up under
the roof, which was originally the
space occupied by the Library of Con-
gress.
Knew Leading Politicians.
Joel Grayson knew almost every
politician of any prominence in this
country. and many of the great cap
tains of industry wrote to him reg.
ularly regarding the status of legis.
lation in which they were particularly
interested. He enjoyed the personal
acquaintance of every President since
Grant, and has been called friend"
by most of them.
Away back in 1877, when Joel Gray
son made application to the Presi-
dent for appointment as messenger
in the Treasury Department, it was
signed by more than so members of
Congress, including such men as
James A. Garfield; James Wilson, for
long afterward Secretary of Agricul-
ture; William p. Fry of Maine; Will
liam Lawrence, the first Controller
of the Currency; Eugene Hale,
George Frisbie Hoar, Omar D. Con-
ger. Gen. A. E. Burnside and Thomas
J. Henderson. Mr.. Wilson wrote
This is the best boy we have had
in the House." Representative James
w. McDill of Iowa, later a Senator,
subscribed, II never knew kinder,
better young gentleman, and ! concur
heartily" The late Senator Hoar Of
Massachusetts, wrote, II believe him
to be an excellent boy" This origi-
nal petition signed by these noted
men is now one of Mr.. GraySOn's
treasured souvenirs.
Given a Gold Watch.
During the Spanish-American War
the members Of Congress presented
Mr.. Grayson with a gold watch and
chain on completion Of rs years of
service and IN appreciation OF MS
faithful and efficient work.
Scores of such testimonials and let
ters have been preserved as heirlooms
by Mrs. Grayson, but these are
briefly noted to show that for so years
he enjoyed the confidence and friend
ship of the greatest men in this coun-
try, who have publicly testified over
their signature that his work was of
an indiSDensab1e character
Mr.. Grayson had been in failing
health for about year. He is sur
vived by his widow and eight chill
dren, Joel Grayson jr.; Mrs. G. G.
Jones. Mrs. Gladys Reisinger, Ralph
and Raymond, both in Atlanta, Ga;
Lawrence, in Tampa, Fla: Mrs. III. F.
Curtis, in Fairfax, and DIR. Stewart
M. Grayson Washington physician.
The funeral is to be conducted from
his late home, in Vienna, Sunday
afternoon.