Concerning Off-cycle capital expenditures

Jim:

When I was much younger (1950's maybe?) there was a famous boss of Scott (name?) who always did just what you recommend. With great success, I might add.

George Mead
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin, USA

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Jim

In response to your quiz, like many others will do, I googled Hilda Schrader Whitcher. Here is one summary--

The most misused SSN of all time was (078-05-1120). In 1938, wallet manufacturer the E. H. Ferree company in Lockport, New York decided to promote its product by showing how a Social Security card would fit into its wallets. A sample card, used for display purposes, was inserted in each wallet. Company Vice President and Treasurer Douglas Patterson thought it would be a clever idea to use the actual SSN of his secretary, Mrs. Hilda Schrader Whitcher.

The wallet was sold by Woolworth stores and other department stores all over the country. Even though the card was only half the size of a real card, was printed all in red, and had the word "specimen" written across the face, many purchasers of the wallet adopted the SSN as their own. In the peak year of 1943, 5,755 people were using Hilda's number. SSA acted to eliminate the problem by voiding the number and publicizing that it was incorrect to use it. (Mrs. Whitcher was given a new number.) However, the number continued to be used for many years. In all, over 40,000 people reported this as their SSN. As late as 1977, 12 people were found to still be using the SSN "issued by Woolworth."

Mrs. Whitcher recalled coming back from lunch one day to find her fellow workers teasing her about her new-found fame. They were singing the refrain from a popular song of the day: "Here comes the million-dollar baby from the five and ten cent store."

Although the snafu gave her a measure of fame, it was mostly a nuisance. The FBI even showed up at her door to ask her about the widespread use of her number. In later years she observed: "They started using the number. They thought it was their own. I can't understand how people can be so stupid. I can't understand that."

Today, something very similar is happening for a different reason: Illegal immigrants are using stolen SS numbers to appear "legal" to their employers. While this can have negative impact on the actual owner of the SSN, it also could mean larger payouts when that person retires.

Gary A. Baum
Appleton, Wisconsin, USA

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With the advent of Google, these riddles are too easy.

John Yolton
Eureka, California, USA

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John, I have passed your comment on to our chief riddle churner.

Jim

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