The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-04-17
Life in Washington.

d'f tbCfc are oScT S,UcO uluitS VINO uTaV
their subsistence from federal pap. Most,
or many of this number have their families.
and grow up their children in these diggins.
Their salaries average 81 200 TO 81 600
Some reside in rented dwellings, which they
get nj $500 To S400 per annum. Others
live in boarding houses. Others hire rooms
which they can get at 50 per week, aud get
their grub for IS more, at private boarding
houses. What a rich chapter we will dish
up when we come 10 private boarding hons
es--much richer food than can be found at
those z. b. tables. Others keep private
rnis,resses in back streets, or over on the
lsland-up On Capitol Hill, or down to-
wards Georgetown. A strictly moral man
is nobody in the city of Washington, and
many find il out to their cost after they
have lived here some few weeks. \ man
who can't gamble, drink, or indulge, is fore
ed into the back ground. The Office hold
ers of all grades rise abont eight O'Clock,
get their breakfasts, and go to their respec-
tive Offices at half-past nine to ten, where
they meet their seniors. Ten is the aver
age fair time. From ten to twelve they
amuse themselves in The office, relieving the
monotOny of duty by an occasional put
ting OUT for drink, cigar, or, if it's fine
weather, by stroll on Pennsylvania Ave-
nue.. The places to which clerks resort are
generally six cent shops, and are in the i'm
mediate neighborhood. The employees at
the War and Navy Departments resort to
Bonlanger's or Joss's. The Treasury and
State take their tods at Buffers, Frank Sell
deB's, or Wizards. The Pos, and Patent
Offices lunch at De Fante's, or Efenback's.
At all these places their credit is good until
the first. Pay up is then the order of the
day, or the supplies are cut off, and a new
account has 10 he opened at another place
Some Of the clerks pay cash down for their
liquor, others do not; and the average
monthly score for day liquor, is about SS, IS.
Brandy foddies, whiskey and water, cold,
or draft beer are the most called for fluids.
From one TO quarter of three, ball time is
frequently spent by the clerks in their re-
spective offices. At the last named hour
there is rush for the outside and they get
their bitters and move on to dinner The
clerk never consumes but half an hour for
his grub. This is the only connexion by
time which a Washington employee has
with Office duty. At three O'Clock he is
done, and his own master. His private
pursuits must form material for another
chapter. The clerk rarely has loose change.
His pay comes but twelve times during the
year, and Is almost invariably mortgaged.
Very few clerks draw their salary for them
selves. They, nine times in ten, have to
pay it to an interesting class of men who
are constantly making fortunes by clerk
loans. One case will he fair sample for
the whole 800 clerkies; his name is Henry
Augustus Mason. Mr.. NJ. drew his salary
Of 500 on the first Of June, precisely one
month after he got appointed, and precisely
three after coming 20 town. He is green,
and finds that on the ST. Of June, after h on
estiy paying his boarding house lady, Mrs.
Snipins, for three months hope deferred, at
81 per week.-Mrs. washerw oman, to re-
deem some shirts left as security for sundry
washings, and few ones two's and three's
that he has borrowed to keep him up de-
Gently, that he has run out, and hasn't red
left. He is in quandary. The first day
of the month don't come along under twen-
ty-eight days in any circumstances, and how
to get on is beyond his comprehension. But
he has become intimate with Johny Jenkins,
who has a desk in the same room, and has
the advantage of being an old walker in
Washington, having clerked it through
three administrations, and knows the ropes.
Says Mason,
Jenkins, old fellow, how the devil do
you chaps work when you want tin in the
beginning of the month? can you draw sal
ary in advance!'
'H-ll! mop says jenkins, fyou can't do
anything of the sort. Make raise out of
broker. That is the way to do it. Don't
you know any:
No. How do you do it. don't know
any, and what is more, they don't know me-
That be damned--they will soon find
you out if you apply for any money.
There's lots of chaps here who make a
mint of money by advancing money. There
is old Pairo, Chubb s. Shenck, and Corco-
ran & Riggs, and
We'll, | want to raise $50 or $4O.'
oh, draw for a hundred
But | will have to pay it again On the
first
That he damned. You can renew il
again. Come along with me-
They adjourn to a banking looking Office
in the immediate vicinity.
MIR. Pairo, allow me to introduce you 10
my friend, Mr.. Mason. He is in the same
Office with me, at salary of $1,000 per
| annum.'
Happy TO see any friend Of yours, Mr.
Jenkins. Friend been long in Officer
'Only short tme-pernanent appoint
ment--wants you to do favor for him.
'Any thing in reason. Mr.. Mason, wall
round This way
Il want to raise a few dollars, Mr.. Pairo.
i presume it can be done. You will hs
entitled to 500 on the first Of the month
better draw an order for the whole amour
save trouble, and you will need it,
You are very kind. am very muel
obliged
Not at ali. Have to accommodate
There is pen. ink and paper.
MIR. Mason proceeds under the none.
drawers instructions, to draw an order 70
his pay. This done, the broker receives il
and coolIy takes out of his drawer, hill b.
biil 500. Mr.. Mason counts it, and OBJ
serves, very inodestly, 'here is but 800,
and looks with a pleasant, knowing eye q
the broker. as much rs to ask, 'havh't yo
made a slight mistaken
'Oh, no. Ihave deducted merely the dis
count
'Ah, 1 see.' And out walks Mr.. Maso
with his friend. = 3al aa5d
n Il say, Jenkins; what an ALFRED dscoun
a sOh! damn it. that is nothing-l pay tha
and sometimes FIVE. By the way, MasoI
lend me an x, and on the first | will r.
turv, its sft ."