Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-06

lkN hard to get men to ao-
cept. Some of them involve great danger,
while others are too poorly paid to be desir-
able.
For example, just now the treasury finds it
almost impossible to secure available men for
revenue agents in the mountains of Tennessee.
number of those officers have been MUIR
dered recently in that region by moonshiners
Three of them were shot from an ambush and
killed only the other day. The occupation in
which they met their death is the most
hazardous known. During three consec-
utive years twenty-five Of these seekers after
illicit stills were slain and forty-nine wounded.
No wonder that it is difficult to fill their places
at 90 day and expenses. To do the duty well
requires sense and discretion as well as cour-
age. One fool agent in five minutes can get the
internal revenue bureau into embar-
rassment that will take year to get out Of, be-
sides entaiing great expenses.
ON LIGHT-sHIP.
The treasury finds it hard to get and retain
officers on board Of the New South Shoal light
ship, which is stationed twenty-eight miles
south Of Nantucket. Here, in a region of
almost eternal storms. the vessel rides at
anchor. Like the storied phantom ship, she is
perpetually buffeted by the waves, though
never destined to get anywhere. From time to
time she breaks adrift and is blown out into
the ocean. During three consecutive months
of last year she was absent on two such invol-
untary cruises-once for thirteen DAYS and
the other time for eight days. Usually on such
occasions she is towed back by a steamer that
is sent to look for her; sometimes she manages
to get back under sail. Besides rations and
clothing. the captain or keeper gets S83 a
month, the engineer $50, the assistant engineer
?65 and the assistant keeper $50. In spite OF
such good pay, it is rarely that man can be
persuaded to spend a second winter on this
lightship, which is the last landmark. so to
speak, seen by transatlantic voyagers on their
way to Europe.
The marine hospital service, which belongs
to the treasury, is having trouble in finding
physicians to send abroad for service as in
spectors Of vessels at European ports during
the approaching summer. These officers, who
will examine all ships bound for the United
States, are required to have had experience Of
cholera. Furthermore, they must know the
language spoken in the place to which they are
dispatched and must possess some acquaintance
with the country. For example, the medical
agent at Liverpool ought to be familiar with
the slums Of London in order that he may be
on his guard against persons coming from dan
ger spots.
Few available persons are willing to accept
commissions from the treasury to represent the
United States government on the seal islands
in Bering sea. Those isles are 800 miles from
Sitka and 5000 miles from San Francisco.
shut off from communication with the rest Of
the world until the following June.
ON MOUNT WASHINGTON OR PIXIES PEAK.
For like reasons few men care to serve as
observers for the weather bureau on top Of
Mount Washington. Officers at this station
plust live through the winter in an iceberg,
chained and anchored to rocks amid the
clouds-for into such shape is their cabin
shelter transformed by frost and the accumula-
ton OF snow. For months together they are
cut of from all the rest of mankind. The con-
ditions on Pixies Peak are quite similar. Prof.
Harrington recently excused himself for having
kept a disreputable person in charge there on
the ground that he could not get any more de-
sirable individual to accept the Job. When the
weather bureau was absorbed by the Depart
ment of Agriculture its observers were classi-
fled under the civil service law. Thus their
pay became from e. 200 to $1,000 a year,
Previously they received only the remunera-
ton Of sergeants in the army-S34 month,
with rations and clothing.
During the recent pleuro-pneumonia excite
ment the agents sent out by the Department Of
Agriculture to inspect cattle and slaughter dis
eased animals, whether the owners were willing
or not. found their occupation very hazardous
one. They were frequently received with.pitch-
forks, brickbats and bulldogs. Some of them
were badly hurt. Consequently it was hard to
procure veterinary physicians to do this work
for salaries of $1,000 to $1,000 per annum.
For the small wages paid the Navy Depart-
ment has difficulty in retaining the experts
employed to handle high explosives at the New
port torpedo station. These men manufacture
dynamite by mixing nitro-glycerine with in
fusorial earth. They turn in ordinary lathes
chunks of nitro-glycerine, which is the most
dangerous of all known explosives into shapes
for loading shells. Also thev chop it up with
chisels. While undergoing these operations the
stuff is kept saturated with water. If by an ac-
cident it got little dry it would blow the
factory to pieces.
SMALL POST OFFICES.
1t is in the Post Office Department that Of
fees go begging by wholesale. There are
thousands Of fourthclass post Offices which it is
hard to get ANYBODY to accept People are
constantly sending in requests to the effect
that postmaster shall be appointed at this or
that out-of-the-way spot, but no one will take
the place. There are ninety-seven resigna-
lions OF postmasters now on file from the state
Of Washington alone, and there are applicants
for only few of these positions. Hundreds Of
post offices have to be discontinued every year,
| because nobody will take charge Of them There
| are 10000 post offices which pay to the ncum-
bents less than S20a year. Whenever there is a
change OF administration at Washington resig-
nations of postmasters pour in. Many of them
| notify the Postmaster General that they
| have sold out to somebody else. Most
| small post offices are in country
stores, and the proprietors dispose
of the mail privileges, together with the good
| will and fixtures or course, such a bargain is
not recognized by the department. but the pur-
chaser is likely to be appointed if the neighbors
| indorse his application. fourth-class post
master gets no salary. but receives percentage
| on his sales of stamps. He is entitled to 100
| per cent on the first $50 worth of stamps per
annum, GO per cent on the the next 800 worth,
| 80 per cent on the next 5000 worth and an per
| cent on all stamps sold over and above.
| Even the Department Of State has paid offices
| in its gift which nobody actually can be iu-
| duced to take. Among these are consular
| agencies in such out-of- the-way parts of the
world as Algiers, the Barbary States and Tur-
key in Asia The incumbents are remunerated
| by fees. Because Americans will not accept
| these places they are held by natives of those
countries. They are usually merchants who
| are willing to occupy the positions for the sake
of the prestige which gives them influence and
protection. 1t often happens that one man
will thus act as representative Of half dozen
nations. Over his store are flung
| to the breezes perhaps the flags of
Russia, France, Germany, England and
the United States, while as many national
coats-of-arms are displayed above his door.
Thus sheltered, he isnot likely to be inter
| fered with, and visitors from abroad naturally
! go TO his shop to buy, The consular agency al
Esfneralda in Ecuador is at present vacant,
because there is, nobody who, wants it, 1t is
difficult to get persons to serve as vice consuls,
because they get no pay except when the con-
| r11l 4. ahpHt,