The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1907-12-05
HAVE QUEER JOBS
ODD OCCUPATIONS OF GOVERN
'MENT EMPLOYEES.
schief Poisoner" Has important Work
In the National Museum-MiI.
lions Of Dollars Worth Of
Old Money Destroyed.

While the ordinary work of a gov.
ernment clerk at Washington is that
of Showing the pen," yet there are,
nevertheless, many peculiar occupa-
tons carried on there under the direc
ton of Uncle Sam.
Thus, for instance, how many have
ever heard that the government has in
its employ "chief poisoner." Start
ling as it may seem, such, however, is
the fact. And what does this poisoner
poison? Persons guilty of lese mai
este? Not yet. This genial poisoner is
attached to the staff of the National
museum. In this building there are
valuable exhibits. Because of their
character it is necessary that they
should be preserved from vermin, rust
and decay. For every class Of exhibit
the chief poisoner has different
preparation of poison. The books, the
stuffed birds and animals, the histori.
cal exhibits, and, in fact, everything
is deadly poisoned. Even the show
cases are treated with some sort of
preparation, and woe be it to the bold
cockroach or fnquisitive ant or mouse
that should wander into the National
museum. If they should happen to run
over the cases they would certainly
mink they were crossing the hot
sands. Besides being preventive the
poison is SO adapted that it also acts
as preservative for the articles poi
soned.
One would hardly think that money
would be willfully destroyed. Yet such
is the case in Washington, and the
government even pays to have it done.
They may have money to burn in
many of the cities Of the United
States, but at the national capital they
do not believe in this crematory fad
and SO simply tear it UP. Thus, more
fully, there are several men in the
treasury department whose exclusive
duty it is to see that all old, cancelled
and condemned money is destroyed in
the immense mascerator, which is 10.
Gated in the cellar of the building.
Thousands and even millions of dol.
lars are thus destroyed by these men
who make it their duty to deliberately
destroy money and get paid for it, too.
The pulp Of the destroyed money is
sold and from it is made. souvenirs Of
Washington. Many of these souvenirs
contain thousands and thousands Of
destroyed money. How would you like
to be the money smasher?
Have you any idea what the "Imi.
tator" does? His name really tells
the story. It is his duty to make an
exact imitation Of anything the Ma.
tional museum may need. Thus fruit
of every description, fishes, models
of Indians, etc., are made to order in
such manner as to deceive experts
after the closest examination. A story
is told of the marvellous skill of an
old imitator connected with the mu.
scum. but now dead. 1t appears that
this artist invited all OF the museum
officials to his birthday party. There
bountiful repast awaited them.
There was the finest beefsteak, vege-
tables Of all kinds, delicious fruits,
wine, cigars, etc. But what was, the
dismay and establishment of the
guests when they discovered that this
entire repast throughout was all arti.
ficial-imitated. They were made out
of clay, plaster, wax, ETC., but copied
SO lifelike that even the museum Of.
ficials. accustomed as they were to
such limitations, were themselves fool.
ed. Although a real repast was after.
wards served, they nevertheless felt
chary about eating, not knowing
whether this modern wizard might not
have played pranles even with the food
they ate.