One Thousand Ways to Make a Living; or, An Encyclopædia of Plans to Make Money

by Harold Morse Dunphy

U. S. GOVERNMENT

If you are out of employment it is well for you to examine carefully the activities of the Government in your city or county, or any place in the state where it may have general offices.

Any man who is out of work cannot say he has done his best to obtain employment when he has neglected looking up Government work.

Because the Civil Service applies to certain positions, do not let this stand in the way. Go to the head of the department in whatever locality it is and ascertain whether there are any possibilities of taking a Civil Service examination in the different departments; or find out whether there is not a temporary position that you can fill. This condition often exists and many times employment is obtained in this way and Civil Service Examination is given later.

Read Our Plan No. 217 in Connection with the Following Plans

In Spokane, Spokane County, State of Washington, a town of about 125,000 population, the Government employs more than 600 men. I will take up the various departments of the Government in Spokane County and give you a statement concerning these different departments, which might assist you if you are desirous of obtaining employment which are also represented in your State.

PLAN No. 885. POSTAL DEPARTMENT

This department is headed by the postmaster, who receives a salary of $6,000 per year, and an assistant postmaster who receives $3,150. About two hundred employees work in this department. The rural route employs about ten men. The mail men in the city receive from $1,350 to $1,668 per annum. The Civil Service governs this department. The rural mail carriers receive from $1,100 to $1,600 per annum. They are also under Civil Service.

PLAN No. 886. SECRET SERVICE DEPARTMENT

There are two employed in this department. Their salaries range from $1,500 to $2,200 per year. These employees are appointed by the chief of the Secret Service, Washington, D. C., and confirmed by the Secretary of the Treasury. The title of this department is self-explanatory.

PLAN No. 887. U. S. MARSHAL IS APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT AND CONFIRMED BY THE SENATE

This officer has four deputies. U. S. Marshal receives a salary of $4,000 per annum, while the deputies receive from $120 to $170 per month. This department names bailiffs for the Federal Judge.

PLAN No. 888. FEDERAL ATTORNEY’S OFFICE

The attorney in charge is appointed by the President and confirmed by the senate and holds office for four years. He receives $4,500 per annum. He has one assistant, appointed by the Attorney General under advice of the District Court, who receives $1,800 per year.

PLAN No. 889. CUSTOM HOUSE INSPECTOR

There are two employed in this department—the man in charge and his assistant. The appointment is made by the Secretary of the Treasury at Washington, D. C. The salary received is $800.00 per annum. The office is subject to the Civil Service.

PLAN No. 890. IMMIGRATION OFFICER

This department is subject to the Civil Service, the salary received being $1,380. The man in charge attends to all immigration matters and also co-operates at different times with the Secret Service office.

PLAN No. 891. INTERNAL REVENUE AGENT

This department has four in its employ, who receive about $1,800 to $3,600 per year, and are called inspectors.

The business of this department is to investigate all income tax return. Civil Service applies.

PLAN No. 892. INTERNAL REVENUE COLLECTOR

There are four employed in this office. The Civil Service does not apply. The duties of the employees of this office are to collect about six-sevenths of all government tax in a certain territory. A pamphlet put out by this department deals with the law governing collection by the government. Salaries, $1,200 to $3,000.

PLAN No. 893. THE WEATHER BUREAU

This department is under Civil Service, there being three employed. People who know of the activities of this office and the information it furnishes concerning weather conditions realize its value to the farmers.

PLAN No. 894. CUSTODIAN OF THE FEDERAL BUILDING

This department is under Civil Service. The number of employees engaged is fifteen. Their duty is to look after the Federal Building in the city. There are six laborers who receive a salary of $800 or $840 per year. Charwomen, who work five hours a day, are paid at the same rate as the laborers. There are two watchmen at $840 per annum; one elevator conductor, salary approximately $840; one engineer at $1,320, and one assistant at $1,320.

PLAN No. 895. INSPECTOR OF LOCOMOTIVES

There are two inspectors in this department of the same rank; they receive $3,000 per year each. The appointment is made by the Interstate Commerce Commission at Washington, D. C. They employ together one office woman, who does all the clerical work, and their duties call them out of the office a great deal of the time. Their purpose is to see that all of the rules of the Interstate Commerce Commission are lived up to. A pamphlet or booklet is put out by this department giving all of the rules and regulations of the Interstate Commerce Commission as to locomotives. These inspectors investigate all accidents and keep in close touch with all of the locomotives, safety appliances, etc., and in case of defects in locomotives, the matter is taken up at once with this department.

PLAN No. 896. BUREAU OF ANIMAL INDUSTRY

This is governed by the Civil Service Department. The salaries in this department run from $100 to $125 per month. There is one veterinary in charge, and three who act as inspectors. There are also five lay inspectors, grade number two, and four lay inspectors, grade number one.

It is the business of this department to examine all stock and meat. They make certain examinations prior to the death of the animal and post mortem subsequent to the death. The five lay inspectors, grade number two, look after and inspect the curing and shipping of all meats. The four lay inspectors, grade number one, assist veterinaries. One clerk is employed.

PLAN No. 897. BUREAU OF CROP ESTIMATES

There are two persons employed in this department under the Civil Service, one being the field agent and the other the stenographer and clerk. All information concerning crops in a certain territory is gathered together by the field agent and stenographer and forwarded to the Government to supply information for the Crop Reporter, which is sent out from Washington, D. C. The salaries in this department range from $100 to $125 per month.

PLAN No. 898. BUREAU OF MARKETS

This is a very interesting department. It has in its employ two telegraphers, receiving $1,400 per annum; three stencil cutters and persons who can run the mimeograph, who receive about $1,200 per year each. The person in charge must be able to decipher codes. One stenographer, one office boy and two general office workers are also employed. The General Chief Clerk, and his immediate subordinate receive $2,200 and $1,800 per annum respectively. There is also a special man sent out from Washington, D. C., who is on the road most of the time. This department issues a market report giving the price for farm produce at certain points where the farmer sells. It also gives the cost of handling the produce at other points and the price retailers ask. This shows the farmer the difference between his selling price and that of the retailer. A pamphlet called the Confidential Apple is also published and sent to all apple growers twice a week. This shows the price that apples are being sold for; also what the various farmers receive for the apples they dispose of. Since the Confidential Apple has been established, there has been only a few cents difference in the sale price of apples. Prior to that time there was frequently a difference as high as 50 or 60 cents which shows the great advantage of this service to the farmer.

This department also sends out a Post Card Reporting Service for Washington, Oregon and Montana. All carload shipments are recorded, showing the point from which cars are shipped. If a carload of apples was shipped last week from a certain town, it is indicated by a certain red pin on a map, and one can from this pin, find the entire history concerning that shipment of apples. Or if it is potatoes that have been shipped from a certain district, the clerk has that information at hand. All of this information is furnished to the farmer by the department and is of great assistance to him. It is also helpful to those buyers to whom it is important to know just where the crops are produced.

The man in charge of this department must make inspections when any question occurs as to the produce received by the wholesale houses or other persons who purchase from the farmer. This service is of great value to the farmer, because if he has sent in a load of good potatoes and the market has changed in the meantime, the inspector has to examine the potatoes, and if they are as good as represented by the farmer when they arrive, he will recover for any loss. Or, if a bad quantity of apples or other farm produce is shipped to the wholesale houses, they can call upon the government inspector and show what was forwarded to them, and this inspector’s opinion is a basis for settlement.

PLAN No. 899. HAY AND GRAIN INSPECTORS

There are two employees in this department—one clerk and one manager, both being subject to the Civil Service and receiving from $100 to $150 per month. A letter, called a Market Letter, is issued. The inspectors see to it that the rules governing hay and grain are lived up to by the farmer.

PLAN No. 900. SEED INSPECTOR

There are two employees in this department—the man in charge and the clerk or stenographer. A letter is also issued by this department, which will also furnish all desired information as to seeds and their value.

PLAN No. 901. CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT

This appointment is made by the Federal Judge. Four officials are also employed besides the clerk, serving out of the city. Salaries run from $2,500 to $5,000 per annum fixed by the United States Attorney General.

PLAN No. 902. FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT OFFICE

This department employs one person. It has not existed long enough to come under the Civil Service, so work in the office may be obtained by appointment from Federal Director and confirmed by the Department of Labor. In 1918 this office filled more than 197,000 positions in the State of Washington. The salary is $130 per month.

PLAN No. 903. FEDERAL LAND OFFICE

There are four employees in this office: one registrar and one receiver, who receive their appointment by the President and are confirmed by the senate. Each has an appointment of one clerk. The department is established on the fee basis, the registrar and the receiver getting not more than $3,000 in fees per annum and not less than $500.

This department issues a circular relative to the law covering government lands. It will furnish you information about the area of the government land in various counties of the United States and will give you such information as the department has on file. To this department come matters relative to homesteads, minerals, desert claims, timber claims and oil matters. Final proof to the land you locate is made in this office. Salaries received by the clerks range from $125 to $135 per month.

PLAN No. 904. CLERKS OF THE RAILWAY MAIL SERVICE

This department is under the Civil Service. Seven persons are employed in the city and more than 170 men report to the office in the city of Spokane, Washington.