The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-09-23

lOIIudtAOA IMAM 1sOi- W IL sl''
maBer-up in the third division Colonel
Sweeney was born in Washington in ihe
year 1870. He served his apprenticeship
in 1850. when the Office was a private
Office owned by Mr.. Wendell In 1851 he
was issuing clerk in the commissaTy de
partment under General Beckwith-
When the Office was purchased by the
Government in 1853 Colonel Sweeney was
among its first employees M DeITees
was Public Printer at the time Colonel
Sweeney has worked under every Pubic
Primer the Government has ever had
He has seen the department grow rom
a ualtry office with q very limited num-
Der Of employees to an Office which today
has in all Of its branches nearly four
thousand persons He has seen the
Printing Office building grow from an
ir,sienffcapt shed surrounded by marsh
es and garden spots, equipped with very
inefficient machinery. 10 the glgaHtle
concern il Is today without an equal IN
The world. standing in the very heart OF
Washington.
The colonel was q delegate to the IN
ternationaI Typographical Union con
yention IN 1850 In 1881 he vas trustee
Of tbs. local union and in 1882 ne was us
president. His service has been as
faithful as it has been long he IS very
we'll liked IN the department
prof. Nathan Banks. assistant en-
tomoIogist in the Department OF AgrI-
culture is an expert on spiders IN fact
there is very little Information regard
ing spiders that the professor is unable
the collection IN the National Museum.
and has a private collection that is
about as large as any IN the country.
His own collection numbers 1,2ee differ
ent Sinds. These were collected from
the United States alone
IN regard TO SPIDERS says the pro
lessor. what the people at large are
most interested IN, I think. is their
poisonous qualities. The most poison
Gus Of all spiders in the United States i
The Iathrodectus. which IS found
tbroughout alI the Southern States, and
as far north as New Jersey L has a
black body. with red spot underneath
It weaves an irregular web il dark
places. II is not positively known that
it has ever killed anyone. but there are
q great number Of cases on record where
Il has caused very severe pain with great
swelling Of the part bitten. It's victims
are often very i'll for a week. There aTe
similar spiders IN tropical chimes. In
foreign parts these spiders have been
known 70 have caused the death OF their
victims.
zone often hears reports Of instances in
which the tarantuIa has killed people,
but I know of no authenticated case in
which this has been the fact. The spider
that IS found in bananas Is very sell
dom the taranta'a, although such is
the popular belief There are about six
different kinds OF taTantuia in this coun-
try.
AS rule the spider IS very beneficial.
II kills many insects; and as insects are
ordinarily harmful 10 vegetation, there
fore the spider is q friend rather than
foe to man"
Prof. Banks is also an authority on
scorpions. He has about half dozen
varieties in his Office IN the Agricultural
Department. There are In all about thir-
u different kinds Of scorpions.
Prof. Banks has been connected with
the chronological department for about
six years He is a graduate and post
graduate of Cornell
Mr.. ". T. Hastings. foreman of the
war branch Of the Government Printing
Office. is woTshipfuI master Of the Ma
tional Lodge. F A A NJ This lodge is
one Of the most prosperous and pro-
gressive lodges in the city, which is say
ing good deal. Mr Hastings IS very
afable and pleasant gentleman and en-
joys a vide popularity He is very
competent presiding officer and is with
out q peer in the city in his capacity Of
Ecrshipful master.
At the time when the late Governor
Shepherd was conducting large plumb
ing business IN this city Col. John C.
New was Treasurer Of the United States
The colonel tells little story OF the
time.
- number OF Us, said the colonel,
had been invited to q dinner at
fine new residence here in Washington.
we had q thoroughly enjoyable time.
The host, after dinner. responding 10
some ones curiosity. showed rs over
the house Everyone was loud in praise
Of its convenience, and the elegant and
elaborate appointments. What struck
me particularly was the sumptuousness
OF The plumbing
4 could not refrain from making what
l thought vas a humorous remark.
SO / said, one things certain-no man
but q plumber could put in such fixtures
and escape without bankruptcy.
"One Of my friends was trying to step
on my cOrns, and the remainder Of the
party including the host. looked a lit
tie queer The host was Boss Shepherd.
the plumber"
Dr.. George n. French. assistant chief
OF the loans division of the Treasures
once. is at present spending his vaca-