Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-06
PEOPLE Who Ask Curious Questions
at the Station.
THE BUREAU OF INFORMATION
It is Visited by Some Peculiar
Specimens Of Humanity.
so is THE GATE NJ A n


Washington presents such an extended field
for the pursuance of this study as does
Washington railroad station Here. where
hundreds, aye thousands. daily arrive ana
depart on the numerous trains 10 anu iioih
Washington, may be seen representatives.
of every nationality. class and caste FROM
the lowliest Monaghan to the diplomat. and
from tn. plough hand to the President OF
the United States
Probably the most interesting portion OF
such a study may be found by visit to
the bureau of Information. Here in a little
box all to himself sits a man who is popu-
larry supposed to be posted on all current
subjects. and to give Information gratis to
all who may apply. Thousands of queries
are daily put to him. and Notwithstanding
his supposed superior knowledge, he Is
oftentimes at a loss for an answer to the
riddles propounded by his customers.
"A representative Of The Star visited him
some days since by invitation, and spent
several hours in the box an interested lis
tener to the varied lnterrogations which
were submitted to the attendant for an
sver.
Seeking for Information.
The first seeker after knowledge came in
the shape of an aged colored man, who in
ali good faith asked. Can you tell me
whether any train left New York yester-
day." He was politely informed that few
had.
We'll. did anybody come on any Of them
who wanted to see his brothers remains
before they were buried?" was asked by
him The attendant was forced to admit
his ignorance and the old man left num-
bling himself. That's funny. shuah."
The next visitant. an old lady. desired to
know. Where does Samuel Hilton liver?
What Is his occupation?' asked the at
tendant as he reached for the directory. It
don't know. replied the questioner. He
lives near the Capitol" No such individual
could be found in the directory. and the old
lady was politely Informed that she would
have to seek elsewhere for her Information
She was not at all nonplussed by this fall
nre- She stated that she was also in search
OF a man named Smith; she did not know
his initials. but she was sure that he lived
IN washington This also proved a stumper
for the man of much knowledge and he re-
ierred his Cuest;oner to the police telling
her that they could probably assist her in
her search Another lady rather younger
than her predecessor. wished to know IL
che deposited letter in the mail box. II IL
would be delivered in Atlanta IF you d.
rect IL properly. the chances are that II
WILL. was the reply.
These questions were OF course inter-
spersed with numerous others of less inter-
est. and In a more business like manner
by people who knew exactly what they
wanted to ask. and asked It, The next
propounded by well-dressed young man.
apparently wen educated. What time +"
asked he. does that New York train get
IN What train?'' he was asked. Why.
the train from New York. of course"
About every hour" was the information
given him. together with a schedule show
ing the arrival and departure of all the
New York trains. Another Individual de-
sired to know II he could go to Ithaca. N.
y. from Washington. Another wished to
KNOW What time does the train leave this
evening Can you sell me q postage
stamp? was the query asked by a young
lady When given a negative reply she in
hocently asked IL such an article could he
purchased in Washington. She was d.
rectef 20 the nearest branch post office
Another Of the gentler sex desired 10 Lnou-
where she could get some money Changed
are you a judge of wood?' was asked nv
man VINO had evidently come in from the
country. as he poked a piece of Mortified
WOOD IN through the window The at
tendant after a critical examination nro
houhced II as either petrified or ossified
and advised the individual to can a. ~,
Smithsonian Institute '''e
After Congressman Meredith
lhese are only very few questions So
lected from multitude of others which are
continually being fired at the patient and
all knowing attendant. "virginians." said
he. give us more trouble than all the rest
or our customers" He was interrupted lust
here by the advent of another inquisitor
VINO asked What time does Mr. Meredith $
trair, get IMP After the Information bad
os<n given him and he had left the repor-
ter asked. What did he mean by thai p.
why. he was one of those same Virginians
was alluding to-, replied the attendant
am accustomed to those queries now
or course you have heard of Congressman
Meredith of Virginia Well, he has the
misfortune to represent a section imme-
diately adjacent to Washington, and his
constituents actually worry him so that he
mas no peace from the time that he lands
IN washington until he leaves He lives at
ms nome IN virginia, and during the ses-
sions OF Congress comes to Washington
every morning. He Is invariably met at the
t.aln by an army of office seekers from his
district. who gather around him the mo-
ment he arrives. and worry him to death.
He mas lately adopted a ruse whereby he
avoids them He has obtained permission
IRON the master of trains for his train to
slow up just outside of the depot and he de-
barks there and makes d short cut for the
Capitol through the Botanical Gardens.
Several OF his torturers have gotten on to
this ruse and they make complaint to me-
appearing to think that L am responsibie -
Inc questions asked at the bureau of in
formation are not the only amusing Incl
usnts Mhch occur In the depot. by long
odds TO close observer amusing Incl
dents present themselves on all sides
While standing in one of the doo-ways talk
ing general survey of the crowd assem-
bled within the building the reporters at
tention was attracted to a handsomely
dressed lady. leading poodle BY a chain.
She paused just inside of the ladies' room
and after taking careful glance around 70
see that her actions We're unobserved by
any Of the officials. she hurriedly opened a
small satchel which she carried. and the
poodle, apparently having been there be-
fore, ensconced himself therein. The
satchel was hurriedly closed. and the lady
and poodle hurried off to the tain shed
The womans action was explained later by
an official who stated that dogs were not
allowed to be taken the trains. The
scheme IL is claimed, is an old one
Are the New York sleepers open YETI
was asked by an elderly lady of the usher
"Yes'm." was the reply; they left with the
train at 1O15. just eight minutes ago.
My SOULS" calculated the belated traveller
they told me that il left at 1879. Well
Ill just go home and wait until to NOR
row. she said resignedly. as she walket
out Of the depot.
Puzzled by the Indicators.
The large clock like Indicators hung or
the wallis to show the time of departure OF
the next trains the cause of MANY
amusing occurrences. The reporter was re.
called with one of these on his visit Tive
men evidently In their cups entered tn.
depot, and after gazing in an aiInIess fash
hon around the room one of them esuieC
the Indicators, each of which indicated :
different hour. He glanced first at one ther
at the other. then pulling out his watci
he called the atten ton of his companion t,
the disparity betwe en them. and in a stag,
whisper said: Il say. Tom. which one o
n -.