The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-07-23
PercivoI, A Melancholy Seo-Monster
BY FREDERICK c. OTHMAN United Press Staff Correspondent


 Washington, July g = (UP) - Worldwide excitement over sea- monsters struck the governments only sea-monster expert today as silly; there's been 3o-foot sea- monster loose in the Potomac for the last two years.
 A gentle, melancholy sea-monster, fortunately.
 'Nobody's been excited about him. said Fred G. Orsinger, director of the federal .quarium. 'Nobody's even gone out to see him. except me. go out once in while and scratch his back, because he has no hands like that Boston sea-monSter and can't scratch it, himself.
 Monster Named Percival
 "He appreciates this and we have become what you might say, friend ly. As soon as the war is over, our improvements in the aquarium will include a 120-foot tank. This, will be about right for Percival. That's what I call him.
 What mean is that Percival, the Potomac sea-monster will be on public view here in the commerce department and then maybe all this hullabaloo about sea monsters in Norway and Sweden and Scotland will die down.
 "As for Percival, he's about 30 feet long, I should say, and has benign expression. He wears his hair pompadour-fashion and"
 Before we consider the monster of the Potomac further I must re- port that l am cold-sober, and that it's not me whats talking about sea-monster practically at the front door of the White House. It's the distinguished director of federal fish and, while we're about 1t, his wife Mrs. Orsinger is sore.
 Ever since that sea-monster showed up in the river" she said, Fred has been going down there to make friends with 1t. I have no doubt that it takes some effort to get friendly with a sea-monster, but I feel that my husband should spend more time at home, making friends with me"
 Dentistry on a Pickerel
 If you have any further doubts about the Orsinger sea-monster saga I can only repeat the fact that + frpy.a5 ,,aA pavnixya1N ia flzap ay, Ia, man ever to do dental work on a rickerel. He once gained fame by discovering a fur-bearing catfish in the river near Salida, Colo. La- ter he trained six alligators of vary ing circumferences to function as drain pipe cleaners, an alligator can't walk backwards and OrSinger has one to fit any pipe.
 Orsinger obviously is a man whose word is not to be taken lightly. Let us return to his account of Percival:
 T mentioned about his hair" Or singer continued, "and though l only SC ehim late at night when the light is dim, I should say that his face vaguely resembles that of William Howard Taft. I mean no disrespect to the memory of MT. Taft. This is an unusually hand some and dignified sea-monster.
 T say that out of an experience of 50 years with fish. Anybody who works with fish for half a century can't help but run up against a sea monster now and again. That's why am surprised at all the news paper stories about sea monsters turning up in odd places. Nothing unusual about it after all. Take
 Orsinger said the Potomac sea- minister came up the river about two years ago, and having risen from the depths. his air bladders were ex- randed and he was having difficulty sinking again. Or at least sink ing very deep. So he's been stick ing around the capital, where he has taken an interest in music as played by the symphony at the water gate.
 "He seems to like Tschaikowsky best" Orsinger said. "Of course he stays submerged. He IS Kind ly sea-monster and he wouldn't want fo scare the musicians. He has phosphorescent knobs on either side of him, but he never turns them on except for me. when drop oy to scratch his back.
 So much for Percival until get to see him. Orsinger promised to introduce me.