Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-06-12
BY IRA L. SMITH.

~ ROME generals and stone admirals
poStu-ing amid tree tops in Washing
* tons parks have good reason to be a
proud lot of fellows at this season of
IL the year. These immobile campaigners
who peer perpetually at distant hori-
IONS have just had their whskers busted and
their uniforms washed in accordance with
annual procedure
The appearance they hold is not the
product of happenstance Rather it is the
result CT earnest work done by crew of men
who reached the climax of their efforts just
before Decoration day SO craven images of the
Nations military and naval heroes might ap-
pear without blemish at that time.
These men, who orderlies to statues of
great fighters and Wallets to commemorative
licensees CT famed civilians, have tasks which
are among the strangest to be found in the
National Capital. Armed with tall ladders,
lengths of hose and secret formulas for cleans
ing. they brush the brms of almost inaccessible
hats and scour ponderous jowls.
Each wrinkle in the vsage that was Lin
coins is a familiarity with them requiring fine,
dust-removing abilities. Likewise they know
the condition of Edmund Burkes eloquent
mouth full well. considering it solely as the
possible resting place of CRIME, however
Versatility abounds among this crew.
Whether the day calls for shining Gen. Sher-
mans boots or demands a manicure for Jeanne
d'Arc. the statue cleaners olatter forth with
full confidence from their headquarters which
are located In small building Just south Of
thu Washington Monument
More than so statues monuments and me-
MORALS under the care of this unusual
corps, members of which employed by the
Office of Public Buildings and Public Parks of
the National Capital
The casual person may think few people
take these masses of stone and metal seriously
But the men who heap tdiness upon the eff
gies know better than that. Each figure to
which they cater, so they have come to learn,
has its own public" which passes high judg-
ment upon the work of the cleaners Fine
proof of this fact rests in an incident which
remains fresh in the memories of veterans
of the staff. although several years have passed
since it occurred.
ZEN. WINFIELD SCOTT HANCOCK
~ astrde his steed in the small park at
seventh street and Pennsylvania avenue north
west was due for sccubbing on fine Spring
day The JOB was assigned to one of the
younger members of the force which operated
under private contractor at that time The
appolntee anticipated the task with eagerness
He wanted to do good job, and his idea of
good job was to make the general and the
generals horse as respondent as possible
Before he left his house to assume the task
50 the story nov goes. his wife told him about
ner cucceSSful use Of bacon rind in polishing
metals He knew. of course, the idea would
not work on a monument. First of ALL too
followed up the thought Saying naught to
his fellow workmen. he bought some linseed OIL
figuring it would be something of a substitute
Tor the greasy bacon his wife had suggested
Then he went to work. Soon the metallic
nero and the equally metallic steed had a
high polish, the like of which no monument
In washington ever before had enjoyed. Salts
Ned, the polisher went his way to another
park.
Just about that time telephone bells began
TO Jangle at park HEADQUARTERS tba
whole town was trying to protest. The gen.
eral and his horse, host of voices asserted
were cleaning in most unnatural manner
With all haste. way was made to the scene
Oh the trouble In one manner or another the
polish was removed. Gen. Hancocks public
never again had cause for complaint
Since that time special formula has been
developed under the direction Of j. E. S.
kinsella. sanitary inspector in charge of the
stan. which makes it possible to clean the
bronze with thoroushness and without remov-
ing the dull finish SO dear to the eye of the
individual who is critical of appearances.
water, OF course, plays important part
in the cleansing operations, whether the monu-
ment be of metal stone Therein is found
an explanation of the conspiciously dirty con-
dtion in which Ben Franklin stood alongside
Pennsylvania Avenue during several years It
remained for ingenious person to rig a
special device on fire plug before Ben finally
received a much-needed bath
All the ingenuity of chemists and all the
exercising of workmen's elbows have bowed in
defeat before the problem presented by Gen.
Meades eyeballs. The marble of which they
are made has assumed a dark color probably
caused by the chemical action of rain water
which drains across it. So far, no way of
taking the strange look from the generals
eyes has been found
When it comes right down to hard and
dangerous work, the business Of cleaning Gen.
Grants beard and ears has little competition