The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-10-18
AFTER THE CONVENTION
The Washingtonian Counts His Pile
Examination for an Inspec-
tor of Tombstones.

Bui1ding, Vashingsoa. .r|i f. <'.-
Washington, Oct. 1S.-During Grand
Army week the Washingtonian swung out
his bunting and it was a signal to
charge" Under it's fluttering folds he
charged right vaiiantly. The serried
ranks of hotel men, boarding house keep
ers hack drivers and purveyors of amuse-
ment closed in upon the boys In blue, and
what they did to their pocketbooks made
Cold Harbor and the Wilderness seem
kind. Everybody had good time-if he
didn't mind the expense. The natives
had the time Of their lives. Not even
new congressman, or politicians in search
of foreign missions, are so easy. The vet
Grams were out to spend their money. and
the natives We're present to help them
do 1t.
Washington is a great and beautiful
city; but If the spirit Of the resident popu-
| lation always excepting the nice people,
We're to be typified by anything symbolic, IT
should be a leech rampant, with the Latin
for Il graft inscribed all over 1t.
Visits to Mount Vernon.
Wednesday, Oct s. broke all previous
records In the number of people who WIS.,
| tied Mount Vernon. Between In the
morning and 5 p. m, 14,30O visitors en-
| tered the gates. The single electric road
which renders such Inadequate service,
carried 5000, while the steamers on the
Potomac carried 1O700. Incidentally it
will be noted that the single days receipts
of the two transportation companies We're
| $715O The weeks receipts Of the Wash
| ington, Alexandria & Mount Vernon Rail-
road company would reproduce the line
and add a few trimmings.
Inspector Of Tombstones.
Anybody who would like to inspect
| tOmbstOneS at 81, 900 year can have the
job by passing examination In that line
to be held Nov IL by the United States
civil service commission. The vacancy
is in the quartermaster's department OF
the army, and the duties will be mostly at
Boston. To pass the examination 1t Is
requisite that the candidates know about
tombstones, the material of which they
are made, and what to put on and under
them He or she should be able to read
and figure inscriptions, and little eXpe-
rience in tombstone factory would be OF
inestimable advantage. 1t may be stated
| that cemetery experience is not required.
But in the examination experience counts
so per cent while all the rest Of the things
! count the other 50. No night work is re-
quired Of the tombstone inspector. Most
| of the work will be clerical in its charac-
| ter. and half Of the examination is In the
branches usually given for clerks; the
other half is exclusively tombstones. Some
stone, and Inscriptions will be needed. In
fact. the duties will be something similar
to those Of q shipping clerk, the only diff
ference being that the shipping will have
| to do exclusively with mOrtuary land
| marks.
Some Afterthoughts
The haphazard way in which the tearing
down ard rebuilding Of the White House
has been conducted is Well illustrated by
the matter of the conservatory. 1t ap'
pears that no one had thought about sucl
, a small matter as the conservatory unit
Mrs Roosev cit returned and began to lool
into the matter. Then it was discovered
that there were no arrangements fo
plants or any sort Of a greenhouse. Blu
the merry architect promised to fl!
, that SO he will stick in a place for thu
, plants over on the eastern side where i
, WAS expected to locate series of pillars
and q porte cochere. Is it any wonder
the architect refuses to make public thu
W. W. Jerrnane r.