The evening times., 1899-07-06
REST FOR THE BLUBCOA7S
How the Rank and File Spend Their
Vacations.

Each Man Allowed Twenty Days
Leave AnnualIy-Major SyIvester's
Place of Respite Is the Trout
BrOOk-Other SpOrtsmen and Some
Seasiders on Washington's Force.
Now that the Fourth OF July has passed
and the city has resumed it's accustomed
quiet, the members of the police force be-
gin to think about the days that are COM
ing to them for recreation and rest.
The law allows every policeman in the
District Of Columbia twenty days leave
each year. He can take this as he pleases,
all at one time or at intervals. This does
not include his sick leave. When a man is
sick he is attended by one OF the police
surgeons and his condition is reported to
the officer in charge of the precinct to
which he belongs from time to time until
he recovers. There is really no such thing
as sick leave in the police department, the
men being required to be on duty every
day except the twenty days allowed them
for rest and such times as they may be
physically unable to attend to their duties.
The men generally take their leaves
few days at time until the entire twenty
days are used up. In some cases they
wait until winter when the weather is cold
and the streets anything but comfortable.
Then two OF three days of rest are greatly
appreciated, and the bluecoat escapes the
cold for little while at least. Among the
higher officers of the department the mat
ter of taking few days leave is not so
common. They generally use all their
leave days at once and when they get tired
of working during the year they also take
a few days off.
Probably the hardest worked man in the
Police Department is Major Sylvester. He
is at his desk from early in the morning
until late at night, often doing work that
in the ordinary course OF events would fall
TO the lot of a subordinate. The major is
very thorough, however, and will not allow
anything in the department TO escape his
notice, consequently he is the hardest
worked Superintendent of Police the city
ever had, as he tries 10 keep up with the
detail of business in the department. When
he wants recreation he generally seizes his
fishing tackle, and with a party of con-
genial spirits, betakes himself to some
quiet pool in the mountains and attempts
to lure the wary trout from his cool re-
treat.
The major is very we'll known on the
upper Potomac and in the Valley OF the
Shenandoah where he has hshed every
trout stream known TO the mountaineer
and found few that they did not know of
before. In the fall the major delights in
taking a gun and roaming the fields in
search of game of some kind. He is not
very particular SO long as he can get
something real gamey. He is an ardent
sportsman and deyotes most OF his leisure
time TO such pursuits.
Robert Rpardman Chief of
Detectives, greatly resembles his superior
in the matter of sports. The inspector is
an ardent fisherman and likes nothing bet
ter than to sit ell day in quiet place and
angle. He knows all about fishing, too,
and when he and the major go out togeth-
er there is a great deal of friendly rivalry
as to who shall make the greatest casts
and catch the biggest fish. The inspector
knows several places that are yet un-
discovered by less sportsmanlike fisher
men, and it is here that he spends the lit
tie time he can take away from his duties
at the Detective Bureau.
The policemen on the street declare that
Inspectors Pearson and Cross never take
leave of absence or sleep, as ordinary
mortals feel compelled TO do. They are
always on hand, and the idea of their ever
taking leave OF absence seems prepos-
ferrous to the patrolmen. But they do go
away for little while at times, and enjoy
themselves in basking in the sunshine in
the COOL broad veranda of country farm
house, or spend the time at the seaside,
where morning reports cease to be trou-
blesome and the matter of distributing
warrants among the stations does not enter
into their dreams. Captain Austin also
likes to get away from the hustle OF the
city and spend a few days in quiet at some
country place.
When Chief Clerk Kemp is asked where
he is going TO spend his leave he only
winks and crooks his elbow toward the
northeast To the uninitiated this means
absolutely nothing, but those acquainted
with the habits of the industrious chief
clerk know that he spends most Of his
leisure time on his farm near Rockville,
Nd, where he has several fat calves,
threshing machine some canned corn, end
other livestock. Mr.. Kemp is very proud
of his farm, and it is said has reason to be,
as it is considered one of the most perfect
ly equipped in Montgomery county.
Secretary Fred Alvey takes a train for
Hagerstown, Md, as soon as he can get
away from his work at the office Mr.. AL
vey lived in Hagerstown before coming TO
Washington and consequently has many
home ties that bind him to the Maryland
town.
OF the other officers in the department
many OF them go to the Grani Army eh-
campments annually. Most of the li+uten-
ants and a number of the sergeants are
members of the Grand Army of the Re-
public and they journey to the annual
meetings of this body to see their old COM
rades and swap stories. There is quite a
large fraternity of sporting men in the
police department also who love to get out
with the rod and fly. There are number
OF others who like to go to seaside and
watch the surf. Atlantic City and Har-
per's Ferry are two main objective points
of policemen of this when off duty and the
time put in there is always of great benefit
to them mentally and physiclly.
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