The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-03
Curious Occupations as
Revealed by the Census

ais in the printing business who al
ways try to get the easiest part of
the work connected with their trade.
Breaking hind legs" is given as the
occupation of an individual who
breaks the hind legs of animals kill
ed in packing houses.
Such occupations as 'pouncer," in
a hat factory; tobies," a maker Of
stoges; whittier" in a straw works;
"dock walloper," a longshoreman;
vibrator" in a clock factory; tong
err" in connection with oysters;
"teaser," in a glass factory ;"scab-
bier" in quarrying; "hosser," in a
set factory, and "dubber," in ship
building, are all unusual occupations
that must be listed
In the National Capital especially
are there a large number of people
who earn their living by performing
unusual tasks. The majority of them
are employed by Uncle Sam in his
various departments of government.
There is a young man in the Ma
tional Musem-Henrv Hendley-whO
is known as the official portrait-bust
maker Of Indian features for a
unique portrait gallery Of the North
American redskin.
I. B. Millner is an expert modeler
in papier mache of things past, pres
ent and future for the National Mus
cum. In moving the exhibits of cur
los and specimens from the old TO
the new building, the authorities of
the museum are hard pressed for
space They are solving the prob
lem by combining the exhibits wher-
ever feasible. Instead of a separ-
ate model of an Indian meeting
house, tepee or papoose board, for
example, all are being combined in
to one model of an Indian village.
1t is in such work that Mr. Millner
is engaged.
Along similar lines is the work of
Edwin Howell, a maker of maps ex-
traordinary to the world in general
and the United States government
in particular. In his workshop he
evolves relief maps of certain sec.
tions of the country which not only
indicate rivers and mountains and
towns, but all the minerals, rocks,
flowers, trees and varying soils to he
found there. He makes maps that
enable the weather bureau to more
easily ascertain climatic changes and
atmospheric conditions in different
portions of the land; maps for the
exploitation of real estate and min
ing schemes; maps for residents of
certain sections of the country who
wish to make a fine showing" at
some state or national fair, and
maps for biologists and scientific ex-
cavators of ancient cities.
Upon Mrs. Willis A. Leonard of the
Treasury Department falls the bulk
Of the work of detecting counterfeit
money AS the original Sherlock
Holmes of the queer she has
brought destruction to clever coun-
terfeiters to the extent of thousands
of dollars. For over forty years she
has been considered an expert in her
unusual occupation. While special
izing on the detection of counter
feits, she has counted more money
than would pay off several national
debts. In a single day she has count
ed over $12,OOO,OOO; 10000 notes is
regarded as a good days work, but
Mrs. Leonard has handled as high as
$4,000. The imitation is detected
from the real by it's feel" its col
oring, size, engraving work and es-
pecially the vignette portrait. Mrs.
Leonard believes that a perfectly
engraved counterfeit note has never
been produced.
Another remarkable woman doing
an unusual work for Uncle Sam is
Mrs. Patti Lyle Collins of the dead
letter division of the Post Office De
partment. For many years she has
deciphered almost illegible address
es on mail matter that has defied the
postmasters. Though not blind her
self, she is known as the "blind read
err" because Of her remarkable abili-
ty in deciphering illegible addresses
in English and other languages.
In the Agricultural Department is
a woman, Mrs. Mica Zesta Heide-
mann, who makes models of the var
ious bugs that prey upon grain, trees
and farm produce in order that stu
dents Of agriculture may receive
practical demonstration in fighting
them. The models, greatly enlarg-
ed of course are of insects with ok