Evening star., 1927-11-02
JOEL GRAYSON DIES IN VIRGINIA:
CAPITOL MOURNS GREAT LOSS
Custodian of Document Room
Won Highest Tribute During
So Years of Service.
Country's Greatest Men Paid
Homage to Former Page.
Funeral Service Sunday.

Joel Grayson, aged 60, died just be-
fore midnight last night in his home
in Vienna, Va.
This simple announcement brought
general grief at the Capitol today,
where Mr.. Grayson has been one of
the wheel horses" of Congress, in
continuous service for So years, with
Congress officially on record attesting
that he was one of the most valuable
employees the United States Govern
ment ever had. In fact, as presiding
genius in the House document room.
J Mr.. Grayson was human index, with
a clear knowledge of more than 500,-
900 documents in his head, and is the
only man alive who knew exactly
| where any old document or famous
speech stored away in the Capitol
catacombs or attic could be promptly
found.
There is only one employe at the
Capitol whose service antedates that
of Mr.. Grayson, ANDY" Smith, in
charge of the Congressional Record at
the Capitol, who went to work there
just about a month before Mr.. Gray
son. They have been close personal
friends for more than half a GEN.
tury and Mr.. Smith will be one of
the most sincere mourners at his
funeral.
Friend of "Uncle joe"
Mr.. Grayson was a warm personal
friend of the late Speaker Joe Cannon,
and they used to eat lunch together
in cubbyhole lunchroom that Mr..
Grayson had fitted up in an alcove
lined with tiers Of old documents. He
was affectionately called FRIEND
and assistant secretary-by every
member Of Congress during the last
so years. His funeral, arrangements
for which have not yet been made,
will be attended by many members Of
Congress and by some of the most
noted business leaders in the country.
Congress many years ago wrote into
tie statutes that Mr.. Grayson should
continue to hold his position in the
job that was created for him, and
could be removed only by special act
of Congress signed by the President
For 40 years he had the distinction of
being the only person in the whole
Government service whose pay was
appropriated from the Treasury to his
own name.
Mr.. Gray-~n was born at Luray,
Va, March %. 1858. He came to
work for Congress in 1875, as page,
w:.h John T. Harris. Representative
from the seventh Virginia district.
passed an act that reads: For
the employment of Joel Grayson
in the House document ROOM" This
was put through by Judge Say.
ers Of Texas, then chairman of the
appropriations committee, because in
coming majorities of either party had
been shunting Mr.. Grayson from post
to pillar, giving his job other titles
while he always did the same work.
AS the law now reads the job dies
with him.
Served Both Houses.
He was supposed to serve the
House, but just as frequently was
called upon by members of the Senate.
For example, a Southern Senator re-
Gently called upon Mr.. Grayson to get
together for him all the bills and docu-
ments referring to tombstones for
Confederate veterans in United States
cemeteries.
He knew all the current bills, resolu.
tions, reports and other present-tense
papers, as well as all the old ones.
Years ago public law was designated
"G., N" and the private measures
IN. G. N."-meaning general ma
ture" and mot general nature" re-
spectively. He was the only man who
could find these old papers as required,
because the title has been changed to
public and private laws.
Mr.. Grayson conceived the idea of
getting together three books which
he said constitute a library for mem
bers of Congress, in which they can
find pretty nearly everything they
need to know to do business efficiently.
These are ~ the Book Of Estimates"
which carries all the expenses of the
Government; (2) the Statistical Abb
stract," which carries all sorts of
authoritative information. regarding