The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-11-06
Several Federal Employees
Hold Peculiar Positions
Two Women Finger Over Waste Paper Man Signs His Name
An Day, While Another Destroys Money All Year.

Warrington. Nov. 6.--A few weeks
ago Secretary Macveagh was going
over the payroll Of the treasury de-,
partmsnt. He was looking for places
TO economize. His eye caught the
names Of two women listed 40 waste
basket examiners"
Whats that?" demanded the Sec
Rotary.
They are the women who inspect
the waste baskets" was the reply.
They are paid $3.50 year each. and
~ we received $1,000 from the sales
Of the. waste papers which passed
through their hands there would be
no economy In dropping them"
Secretary Macveagh was interested.
He learned that the two women &C.
cupy q room In the basement of the
great grauitet building and that they
spend the entire day pulling over
scraps Of paper. red tape and other
articles that find their way into the
departmental waste baskets. They
are experts in their humble calling
The paper IL assorted according to its
quality. and all bits Of twine and rub
Der bands are thrown to one side 1t
takes the two women the greater part
Of the day to scrutinize the output Of
the baskets for the day previous.
Specialist Are Required.
On the top floor of the same build
Ing 10 chemist who tolls all day long
amid samples Of oleomargarine. near
butter, and fake WHISTLES. The sam
pies are sent to him by suspicious
government agents who think the but
ter manufacturers and distillers are
evading the law against adulteration
In addition to being high class chem
lot, this man 10 an expert witness. His
skill In both lines recently won the
government suit against q certain
packing company in which the latter
was fined $3.50 for selling oleomar.
garine colored to initiate butter.
Another man enjoys q sinecure in
the bureau Of engraving and printing.
He II paid $4,000 year simply to
watch over the plates and. dies from
which the governments paper monew
and bonds are printed. The law
makes the secretary Of the treasury
personally responsible for the valua-
BILE property. The secretary in turn
entrusts Il, to . man In whom he has
complete confidence and who IL re-
sponsible to the secretary and no one
else. At the close Of each day the
man gathers up the dies and the
plates. puts them in the safe and next
morning hands them out again.
John Kiley has q unique job In the
tvsG'sury department. He writets his
Signature from morning till night.
Secretary Macveagh was appalled, by
the mass Of treasury warrants. vouch-
ers and other routine papers which
the law required that he should sign.
OtAer secsstarisS had. beeny4he slave
" the same custom. Secretary Man
ming came nearest to freeing himself
from the irksome requirement. His
name. save for the final letter ''g'' was
written on all routine documents by
= clerk. Mr.. Manning supplied the
missing letter and the controller said
II was all right.
Down at the department of agricul-
ture three scientists are engaged In
the Interesting occupation OF examin-
Ing the contents of the stomachs of
birds. They have done nothing else
Tor the last two years. They are try
Ing to and out whether certain birds
are the friends or enemies OF farmers.
Special agents in the field slay the
birds by the hundreds and ship their
stomachs to Washington in alcohol
These are microscopically examined
by three scientists, who tabulate
everything they fnd.
Highest Salarisd Woman.
Miss Shortridge Is said to be the
highest paid woman In the government
service. her salary being $4,000 year.
She IL a lawyer and an authority on
international legal points. She was
formerly employed In the department
Of justice. where her remarkable tai.
ents attracted the personal attention
Of Mr.. Knox when he was the attorney
general. He frequently detailed her
TO, prepare government briefs In i'm.
lportant cases. -. Is. :. 5.
When Mr.. Knox entered the state
department the first thing he did was
to ask for the transfer Of Miss Short
ridge from the department OF justice.
Later Secretary Knox informed the
senate committee on foreign affairs
that Miss Shortridge was . splendid
lawyer and that he would not hesitate
to intrust to her the preparation OF the