The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-21
THE DEPARTMENT WORKERS
Interesting Gossip Cleaned Among Employees
of Government Bureaus.
FEDERAL CLERK TELLS STORY ON LAWYER
Heads of Two Hawks Cause Lots of Trouble for Mary
land Attorney--Novel CoIoquy Between Treasury,
Capitol, and Library Guides--PersonaI Notes.


ODilf3OuS 10 me existence OF IneSe Ot46E
shaeks- His argument was that money IS
the greatest thing in the world; that all
the people wanted to see where their pay
was put into shape for spending. It was
on the way 20 the White House and
therefore he had to show more people the
true grandeur of nations than the others
combined
The alarmed spectators settled the mat
ter by taking a hand and proving that
more people worshiped at the Monument
and the National Museum than anywhere
else and that all the rural delegations
went to the White House first a wise
man from the Northeast said they were all
wrong. that the visitors from nearly ali
States, especially Maine, Kentucky, South
Carolina and Kansas went to the nearest
saloon. 1t is still unsettled.
Nr. Fred L FishbaCk. private secre-
taFy to the new Secretary of the Navy.
has been in his present position less than
a month, but those who have had bust
ness at the department are satisfied there
has never been a better man for the bust
ness and are enthusiastic over the ability
and ease he displays Mr. Moody has
had Mr. Fishback for secretary since he
first came to Congress and few months
ago he paid the young man & distin-
guished compliment.
Mr.. Moody said that he felt that his
success in political life was largely due
to the devotion to business and the
intelligent interest taken IN his affairs
by Mr. Fishbaek- He felt that his private
secretary had more TO do with his coming
to the front than any other person.
Mr. F. Lamson ScTivener, AgrostoIogist
OF the Department Of Agriculture. is in
the Philippines directing experiments and
surveys. establishing stations. and pro-
viding for a general extension of the
work Of the department to all the prov
inces it Is possible to reach His reports
on the condition Of the country are
awaited with interest, and the depart
ment viii then be able to make thorough
experiments With a view to the speedy
elevation of the agricultural standard.
which is now believed to be quite low
II is expected that all lines Of the work
Of the department viii soon be under
taken in the new possessions Mr.
SeriFencr has been with the department
for several years and is a practical and
energetic man and is fully competent to
tell Of the status OF the Philippines.
Superintendent Smith, CT the Botanic
Gardens. is having number Of beds made
for the various plants he intends to in
trcduee for the improvement Of the
grounds. The gardens are more than
usually popular this spring and the num-
Der Of visitors is said to be considerably
larger than last year at this time 4 Sci
entifc visitor to the gardens said the
other day that he was glad to know that
everything in the gardens was an Ameri-
can plant, meaning that the new posses
sicns furnish all the tropical plants.
Mr. Benjamin T.. Pond. chief examiner
allied branches Of the Patent once. IS
regarded as a most excellent public ser
want, and during his connection with the
Office the advance OF engineering had been
well-nigh marvelops. Mr.. Pond came 20
the Department Of the Interior in 1873
and has been chief Of the division Of en-
cheering since 1871. He is q native OF
Maine. II is current assertion that Mr.
Pond knows more than anybody and is
the hardest man il the service to get to
waste time on a foolish proposition.
Comparatively few people have noticed
the double-taiIed vane On the tower Of
the Smithsonian Institution. It has been
painted lately for The first time in many
years and is more readily to be seen.
This doub1e-taiI continuance was the in
vention Of Prof Joseph Henry, the first
head of the Institution. and was designed
to keep the vane steady in any gale. It
was in the tower under this vane that
Prof Henry commenced weather obser-
Vations and where the present extensive
system of observation had It's origin. Be
fore that the belief that the wind blow
eth where il listeth'' was generally ac-
csPted, but the great scientist believed
that the wind went about its business AZ
a welI-ordered way. and he proved it.
Chief Henry c. Potter. Of the division
Of mineral claims in the General Land
Office. has been in that department since
1870 This IS quiet and littIe-expIoited
section Of the Interior Department. but
through its good Offices the great metal
bearing bonanzas 81 the West have been
secured and the titles made in that office
cover more wealth than any known docu-
ments- Mr.. Potter was an Ohio soldier
in the war between the States. He is
popular and genial and is d fast friend
Of his fellowworke-s.
Mr.. William dec. RavenaI. chief clerk
Of the National Museum, is 4 new man in
that position but he Is Acknowledged to
be an unqualified success. He has served
the Government in other capacities and is
distinguished for his quick Judgment and
dispatch Of business. Mr.. RavenaI Is
South Carolinfan and is a member Of the
fine old RaYenal family Of that State. He
is Of Huguenot ancestry and the eminent
characteristics OF that splendid race are
easily distinguishabIe IL him. The names
and characteristics OF the Huguenots have
been perhaps better preserved than those
OF any other element Of The population OF
the country
The Civil Service Commission has not
issued any certiications for Government
employees who have been at work in C;lba
and has no way Of telling to what extent
the classified service is affected by the
change Of government in the island The
classified service employees were assigned
10 Cuban posts by the different depart
ments.
While the second floor section Of the
Indian section Of the National Museum Is