Imperial Valley press., 1914-07-09
A Birthstone Sleuth.

A Birthstone Sleuth.
The question whether the offic,
seeks the man or the man the of
lfice has been definitely decided in re
gard to one office in New York City
This enc sought widely aud for long
time lefore it found man who would
take il. Chronic officc-seekcrs, who
had pestered the officials for Years
for Something SOFT" turned sadly
away when offered this position. Good
lray and light work were not enough
of an inducement And the fact that
it was ''life job" only made it worse,
for the position is that of inspector
of internal machines, and the inspec-
tor. consequently, is always liable 70
find | is quest of explosives too sue
lcessful for his health. The thought of
waiting in uneasy dread for that last
moment was too much for the job
hunters nerves. But that is what the
bomb inspector in New York must
face rearly every day. No wonder
that Owen Eagan was the only ap-
plicant, and that he holds his place
unenv;ed by all men. Charles F. Per-
son tells of this solitary official in
the American Magazine. How the Of
flee Of bomb inspector originated is
narrated:
nineteen years ago, an Italian girl
found weird-looking package on the
/ sidewalk and innoeently handed it to
patrolman, who carried it home that
right and offered it to an official at
headquarters the following day. This
official fingered the package rather
suspiciously and returned it to the pa
trolmsn.
'Get out of here with that bomb!"
he roared, whereupon the officer took
a ferry across the East river and sur
reptitiously dropped the package en-
route.
"'If we only had man who could
open bombs,' unused the official after
he had regained his composure. Call
ing up fire headquarters, he learned
that such man could fill most
Urgent need. If the fire and police
officials wanted bomb wizard, who
could object? Consequently the fol-
lowing job was ready for applicants:
"Wanted-A man with nerve enough
to open bombs. To work for three
| tosses-the city, the fire department
and tie police department, besides the
three million inhabitants between Stat
en- Island and the Bronx, and get
paid by one, the city. No pension,
no advancement, no doctors bill paid,
no dcy, night or Sunday off duty.
Salary. $1,500.
9 "a 4aaeeiiassth aaeeisthh ifss.gssgGed-ne applicants.
Fully 5000 policemen getting $1,000
a year heard of the $500 job, but
passed it up.
"'You don't want bomb inspector,
announced one applicant in a deprc-
oatory manner; "you need an under
taker"
Finally Owen Eagan was secured.
Just Why he wants to bet $500 year
with the city that he can open all in
fernai machines successfully does not
appear. Fifteen hundred is good mon
ey, and if one only has enough con-
fdence to believe oneself infallible, it
must seem like very easy money as
well. Possibly there is for some ma
lures delightful thrill in the con-
stans thought of such risk--other-
wise how would the Mississippi river
steamboats, of olden days have Sc
cured an adequate supply of little ne
groe5 to sit on safety valves? But
it is lot a common experience. Owen
Eagan's work is that of detective,
as we'll as geographer of the shorter
routes to eternity. By analysis of
the machines he takes apart he Sc
cures much evidence that is of value
TO the law. He has supreme conf
dence in his deductions, and we read
chs experience in digging out of
helldre and birthstone such tangible
evidence as might assist the police
IN the apprehension of the bomb-mak
ing gentry has enabled him to come
to tae daring conclusion that there
are characteristics in the making Of
bombs which prove almost to GER
tainty that they are constructed BY
an individual or group of individuals
employing the same method. The dc.
! tectives laughed at Eagan when he