Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-02-08
DEFERRED LOCAL ARTICLES.


REDUCTION OF SALARIEs-Editor Star: 1t has
been intimated that Congress, during Its present
session, will make q reduction Of IS per cent. in
the salaries Of Government officers. There 10 not,
will venture to say, loyal clerk in the U. 3.
service who would not willingly acquiesce In
suy pecuniary sacrifice II in doing he could aid
the Administration in their expensive task Of
Suppressing the present rebellion. Ii would be
well, however, for our Senators and Representa-
tives to inquire, first Of all, whether not per-
sons In Government employment are overpaid;
for TO reduce their salaries presupposes that they
receive more than their services are worth Is
that really the fact? Are they indeed overpaidl
peonie ~ ,ynnid he h,,t mons, th,t some reasrS
should be had to the cost Of living in the locali-
ties where they reside. In the adjustment Of
Government salaries that consideration has hith-
erto had Its influence. and especially so in fixing
the compensation Of officers performing duty in
California, which was made In some degree pro-
portionae TO the heavy expenses Of living in that
section.
Now, IL the paw of officials is to be reduced, I
submit that Congress should carefully take into
account the comparative cost Of living In the va
rious localities where persons in the service of
the Government reside. IL would be manifestly
unjust 10 make great reduction In the salaries
OF clerks In Washington as in those Of officers re-
siding In Philadelphia, New York, Cincinnati or
Chicago. In Washington house rents, boarding
and provisions Of every kind, in ordinary times,
are higher BY IS per cent. than In the cities have
named; and they have increased here very mate
rally since the advent hitber Of a large army
with Its attendant train Of spectators and con-
tractors, who have rented every vacant house in
the city at fabulous prices, and have converted
into stores all the private dwellings in the most
populous business thoroughfares, and thereby
creating a greater demand for houses as well as
Tor all the elements Of living, and conseq uently
an augmentation in the current price of each. In
point of fact, Ii is, I think no exaggeration to
say that housekeeping and boarding expenses In
tnls city to-day are great they were in Cali
foTnia during the Flush times in the land of
gold. Where Is there city in the Union, except
Washington, where wood costs from ten 10 twelve
dollars cord, coal eig BIT to ten dollars ton beef
- cents u pound, and the plainest houses 1T for
The res teDces Of the paines people three or four
hundred dollars year Is il not notorious fact
That while in every other city rents and the price
Of provisions have decreased since the breaking
cut Of the rebellion, in Washington they have in
creased ard is Ii not the experience Of every clerk
here that the salary which formerly only paid his
expenses, is now inadequate for that purpose
If Congress could reduce house rents and the
price Of provisions in proportion TO the proposed
reduction Of the salaries Of Government officials
IN Washington, then there would be some justice
in the contemplated Tetrenchments and no clerk
would seriously suffer in the excelsior Of part Of
his yearly income.
These considerations are respectfully submitted
through the medium Of your valuable Journal to
the attention Of our Senators and Representa-
tiveS. CLERK
SroRTs OF OUR TROOPS snow ball foht
took place on the morning Of the 4th, between
The Jlst and I'D N, Y. regiments, on fat, open
plain lying between the regiments The 3lst
was commanded by 1t. Col. Brown, the 32d by
Col; Mathewson. The fght opened with Skin
mishing, and a hand to hand struggle took place
10 hold possession Of the bridge. The reserves
from both forces were called into the action. Ma
neuvering on the TANKS Of the ed was attemp
but speedily repulsed by the I'D. grand dem.
Onstration was then made by the right and center
Of the 3lst 10 capture the bridge The 3Ist came
TO the scratch gallantY led by the intrepid Brown
hNuf lllue Nwvw IL.
Capt. Rowe's company Of sharpshooters, and Ii
Col Brown, OF the 3lst, made prisoner A flank
movement was then made by the entire force of
the 3lst to recover the L. Colonel, but in this
they were checkmated by Major Lemon, Of the
sd Another cheer from the 3Ist, and on they
came, with thoughts Of certain victory. A gen
eral engagement then took place, in which the
sd drove the 3lst into their own camp, where
the gay Major of the 32d was made prisoner but
was rescued by his own regiment in hand to
hand struggle. flag Of truce was then sent
rom the 3ist, and recall sounded. Cheers
from the 32d and rice rsTSa followed, and thus
ended one Of the most brilliant and terrible snow
ball battles that ever took place. The field and
stan officers Of both forces were mounted, sur
seons with stretchers and ambulances were in
attendance, ammunition was brought up from
the rear BY army wagons, and two large fields Of
snow were scraped clean.
DEATHS OF SoLpIERs.-The following death.
among the soldiers have occurred since our last
report:
d. Fl. Chamberlain, company X, 5th United
states cavalry, at Eruptiye spital.
Lemuel White, company I, 10th New jersey
volunteers, at Eruptive Hospital
Prvate Sawyer, company F, I'd Maine volun-
teers, at camp.
Alden CLARK, company E. 10th New Jersey vol
unteev, at Warren Hospital.
airy, at camp.
vJ John P Smith, company G, Sad Pennsylvania
Adam Shields, company A, LIST United States
cavalry, at Columbian Hospital.
sergeant McMennamen,. company !, ith L. s.
James U. Russell, company I, 18th Pennsylvania
cavalry, at Columbian College
James b: McComb, company -, J6th New
ork volunteers, at camp.
Alonzo Wilson, company - J6th New York
volunteers, at camp.
Edward Muller, company C, s7ih New York
volunteers, al camp.
II; Jsftey, company ], 6th New York cavalry at
Columbian College.
John Ball, company C, LIST Michigan cavalry, at
camp. " -
DEATH FROM SuFFocATIoS-The Virginia
Chronicle OF yesterday saws:
An unfortunate accident occurred last mig ht in
Col. wards SSH New York regiment, by which
one soloier lost his life. Two members Of company
WHO nad been acting as cooks in the regiment,
were In the habit Of taking pan Of hot Goals over
night lnto the tent where they slept Last night
the tent being closed zig ht the snow having Allied
up all the chinks there was no opportnnity Tor the
Sas 70 escape. The consequence was that one OF
me men, John Scott, was found suffocated to
Heath, and the other John Mcneil, almost in.
sensible, scott had enlisted In New York This
atsfnoon, al O'Clock, his remains were buried
win military honors on a suitable SPOT near the
IegImehL This Is the frs death that has oc.
0ui'eo IN me regiment since July last.
FoTRIH WARD STATION CAsEs-Bsfoys jas.
zee WaLsTs-John Flaherty, drunk; sent home
Mrs. MulqIlnn, aghtngi Aned 1884. sarah A.
D1ail, colored, drunk; 81 so. Patrick Kelly.
disordeflyi 81. Patrick Tousey, do; 80 Henyry,
Clark do dismissed. Chas Foster, deseyte;.
turned over to the Provost Guard Patrick f3r,n.
nan, drunk; dismissed. John Campbell, arrested
ca bench warrant; Jail
HI Russia Is drawing supplies Of cotton from
khlya aud bokhara, and the cultivation of the
staple In those countries has been very largely
extended The value Of that sold recently Al
The fair OF Novgorod was estimated al $50 900
VTheed, the sculptor, took cast Of the face
OF the Prince Consort afler his death. The Queen
wanted oniy cast Of the hand TO be taken, and
j was some time before she would consent 10
have the cast Of the face made.
,0A man IL now lying at the Bremen county
all