Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1912-01-19

other one Of dozen tasks common to every com
munity in this busy age. On the other hand
however, Uncle Sam has on his payroll number
Of women who have odd duties. Some of the
tasks, indeed, are so novel, that Uncle Sam had
to train his own workers for their performance
and there are, scattered here and there in the
ranks of the army of feminine workers, women
experts or specialists who have absolutely unique
vocations- mistresses of their crafts who have
rivals anywhere in the world
For instance, there is woman in the employ
Of the department of state who stands pre-emi
nent as a manuscript doctor" manuscript
surgeon" Never heard of such thing, did you?
Well, it is very important line of work for all
that there is not a wide market for her services
and it is form of endeavor that is almost inval-
liable to Uncle Sam, who likes to preserve intact
all the historical manuscripts and documents
which have had bearing upon the history of
our nation. Before the government had recourse
to the services of this "restorer' many of the
most valuable documents Creates, presidential
proclamations, etc., fast going to ruin. Age.
handling, and frequent foldings that broke the
paper had. indeed already played havoc with
many precious relic After this ingenious WON
an took hold she accomplished wonders In mend
ing the ravages of time. She patched and pasted
and smoothed out wrinkles and the result is that
many of these treasured mementoes are, to all
appearances. literally as good as new.
very interesting line of work in which Uncle
sam has recruited corps of especially adept
women workers is fine book binding In ordi-
nary practice most bookbnding nowadays is done
oy machinery That is the way 1t is done at
he government printing Office where there is
maintained one of the biggest bookbinding plants
IN the country However, the government has
some books that 1t desires to have bound with
Inc costliest materials and with greater care
than can be bestowed upon the macbine-made
product. This hand-work is performed for the
most part by women and of the morocco
pound volumes which they have turned out in
recent years would arouse all sorts of enthusiasm
were they to be exhibited at any of those expo
siuons of womens handicraft which are held
from time to time.
The whole process of making Uncle Sans pa
per money and postage stamps is full Of odd
ASKS and many of them are performed by wom-
gu The women-hundreds of them-assist in
pilnting the precious product and they have an
iueai field in which to develop their superior
eelIness of lingering in the counting and recount
ing OF the money in the making. The newly
printed currency is counted no less than half a
hundred times ere Uncle Sam sends it out to the
people, and women do most of this enumeration
lucy also examine the sheets of money and
stamps for the tiny defects of printing and this
,equires keenness of vision almost unbelievable
IL Its accuracy.
when the soiled currency, tattered and torn
sent back to Uncle Sam unfit for further
sSeIulness, it is other women at the treasury
apartment who have to count 1t and check up
Ae returns. Connected with this ofice-the re-
y, senpton division, are a few women whose work
- perhaps the most miraculous of all the won
ter-tasks performed by the women at Washing
WI Their forte is to identify the denomination
a partially destroyed bills which no ordinary
lulndual would regard as anything more than
sssse paper Currency that has been chewed
- uogs, notes that have been torn into bits and
ven eharred paper money that has been all but
so =, by the flames is taken in hand by these
s1-ards and In ninety-nine cases out of a hun
:. go they manage to ascertain the denomination
. . ne damaged bit of pulp or paper and Uncle
'an reimburses the unfortunate owner
:, % line with the detective work Of these money
eui1s is tie intuition (you cannot call Il any