The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-05

One Of the men who saw wood and
say nothing in the District service is
M Charles ". Collins. deputy collector
Of taxes Mr.. Collins is a capable and
cancellations helper of his chief He
keeps the affairs of the office wei in
hand and can at any time step into the /
shoes Of the Collector and keep things
running as If he were tbere.-Mr. Col
Inns is charged each year with the duty
OF locking after the annual tax sale Cr-
der his personal supervision the lists Of
delinquent taxes are made out and pre-
pared fer publication After that during
the hfst days Of April Mr.. Collins con
ducts the tax sale and patiently sits day
aIlef Gay cheering the several parcels for
sale and receiving bids therefor After
the sale he superyises the making out
or the lax certificates. and the matter
or the tax deeds after two years is left
10 him for decision These duties occupv
MS time and attention during "a great part /
OF the year and he relieves his chief Of
The responsibility Of this branch of Inc
work Of the Collectors ONCE II is not
necessary 10 say that thousands Of dol
lars are added to the District revenues
each yearIhrough the devotion to duty Of
me deputy collector OF taxes.
Mr. Thomas J. Fisher. the Inspector Of
Electric Lighting. is one OF the men con
nected with the Electrical Department
who is depended upon By the District
Commissioners TO inform them at the
proper time of the needs OF The street
lighting service. Mr. Fisher is CHARGED
with the duty OF invcstigatlug The re-
quests for the establishment OF electric
lights and the complaints which may
reach the authorities OF the bad work Of
me street lamps or the lack of them in
various parts OF he city. Upon his iudg-
ment depends much Of the efficiency OF
the street lighting as well as the rarrf-
lculng OF the annual appropriation amCng
me several sections OF the city and sub
urDs. Although Mr. Fisher is limited IN
his gCod Offices by the amount Of money
named in the annual aDpr0pria ton. he
managessO TO steer between the public de-
nland and official ability 10 satisfy the
same as TO remain popular and On good
terms with all concerned.
Mr. Fred V. Graf. Of the War Depart
ment. is an old Indian fighter. Nr. Graf
enlisted when yet but a lad. tie mas ex-
perienced every bit Of excitement that
comes TO the soldiers Of the Western
frontier He had been a general service
clerk for a number OF years. when the
order was issued for the merging Of this
corps Of l25 regular army clerks into the
CLASSIFIED civil service At that time he
had but two years to complete thirty
years as an enlisted man. which entitled
MIN 10 retirement on three-Quarters pay.
Rather than lose this privilege 10 which
he had been looking forward so long Mr..
Graf gave up his clerkship at the head
quarters Of the army and put on the uni
form for two years trick with a regi-
ment. at the end Of which he was duly
retired.
One OF the most popular men in the
Library Of Congress is Mr.. David Hutche-
son, the superintendent OF the reading
room. He is daily at his post and never
lacks for work TO do. It is he who makes
up the report as 10 the books called for
and the classes TO which they belong: and
his reports show that the tastes OF the
people for good reading are improving
Every day there are dozens Of people who
20 into the reading room with letters OF
Introduction and want TO be shown
through the wonderland Of books. Mr..
Hutchinson generally details one Of his as
sistants 20 show them through. And when
they leave the Library it is with very
warm feeling for the superintendent Of
the reading room, who has placed every
thing within his power al their disposal
to see the workings OF the great literary
shop Mr.. Hutchinson came from scotland
years ago and settled In Queens county.
New York. For MANY years h. was en-
gagged in library work there. and the wise
manage mcnt or the reading room in the
Congressional Library justifes the wis
dom of those who appointed him 90 his
present responsible position.
Among the uniformed officials Df the
Capitol there is none more popular than
Sergt. d. r. Nichols. Of the Capitol po-
lice. lie watches the eveT-changing crowd
beneath the big dome and d wonderful
panorama Of human nature does he see.
OF course. the most interesting sight Of
all is the ever present bride and groom.
4 bride is always interesting though
some Of them have lost little Of their
beauty when they get as far away from
the altar as Washington. Some %. tdes
want 10 hide the fact that they al
brides while others delight to parade tie
fact Sergeant Nichols has seen ths m
both. and sometimes he has had a good
laugh at their expense. OF course. that
was when they couldn't see him There
IS a rule the Capitol police have to
tell a bride, which. they say. they have
never known 10 fail If they see a woman
with a shoe her face says is two sizes
TOO small. and IN spite OF the fact. she
tries TO force a smile al her companion.
she Is a bride. Some Of them who have
tight shoes are not brides but they never
force the smile. Sergeant Nichols has
seen them all He comes from Michigan
and has proven himself a faithful officer.
lie is popular with the men above him
and the men under him
No employee in the Congressional Ii
Drary comes ia contact with so much OF
the pathetic 10 life in the discharge Of
duty as does Miss Eta j. GifHn. who
has charge Of the reading room for the
blind She meets all classes and con
ditions Of the blind. as they coue TO
avail themselves OF The treasures Of the
Library. Some Of them never knew the
light OF day. and 10 them light is only
a meaningless word. Others have lost
their sight and are sensible Of that loss.
They are usually a sad-hearted class.
beauties Of nature. And then come the
partially blind-they who are losing By
degrees the greatest boon Of all the
senses. They. too, are objects Of pity
They are unable 10 appreciate the beau
ties OF the Library Itself as We see them
Yet, through il ali they seem as happy
as the average mortal. When the IN
iOrtunates go into the reading room they
md a large, sympathetic heart there TO
aid them in their search for knowledge.
for Miss Gifhn Is careful to add what
brightness she can 10 the lives OF those
for whom nature IS wrapped IN darkness.
Miss Gihin was born Ina the Buckeye State
and afteFward moved to California. from
which State she was appointed 10 her