r.
The elder brother I heard little of from him, but I know he was very
proud of his younger brother.

The late collector was in early life in the British civil service,
and subsequently joined the navy, and served on the China station. I
shall always have a kindly feeling for my late chief, as he was a
good friend to me, and felt kindly disposed to me, by the many
conversations we had together. He was a just man in all his dealings
with the public, and treated all alike without fear or favor, and his
decisions were, as a rule, always upheld at Ottawa. There also
could not have been a more popular man with his staff.

So one by one the good old stock of the early pioneers passes away,
and their places will be hard to fill, so I say "_Requiescat in pace_."

Hon. G. A. Walkem.

As a friend of over forty years, I should like to add a few lines to
what has been said of the late Mr. Walkem. Some forty-two years ago I
was going up Yates Street, past Wells Fargo's bank and express, which
then occupied the brick building on the south side just above the
American Hotel and next Pierson's tinware store. It was steamer day,
and Yates Street was full of life, as it always was when the San
Francisco steamer had just arrived with passengers, freight, mails
and express.

The latter was the more important in those days. The chief business
was done with San Francisco, and the most of the letters came by
express, costing twenty-five cents each, from San Francisco. As I
said before, I was passing Wells Fargo's. The large front office was
open to the street and was full of business men and others. The staff
of the express consisted of Colonel Pendergast, Major Gillingham (who
introduced quail from California), and a colored man named Miller, as
messenger.

What attracted my attention was "George Anthony Walkem," called in a
loud voice. I stopped and squeezed inside, where there was a scene
that never will be enacted again in this city, I think, in the way of
business. Major Gillingham was unlocking express bags and cutting
open bundles of letters, which he handed to Colonel Pendergast,
who was mounted on a chair and calling out the addresses on the
letters. If the addressee was there he called out "Here," and the
letter was handed across the room to where he stood, or if not there,
was taken by a friend. After all the letters had been called, the
audience trooped out and went to their offices to peruse their
correspondence.

"Ge