The New York herald., 1874-09-19
WASHINGTON.

Comptrolier-Money for Military Ser
vice Only To BE Drawn by Bonded
Omcers-Recruiting Service Brought 20
n Standstill.
WASHINGTON, Sept. IS, 1874.
The War Department officials are in nutter
over recent ruling made oy the Acting Second
Comptroller OF the Treasury, that money for the
military service can only be drawn oy bonded
oficer Of the army This ruling of course. Affects
oil officers who are detailed as Acting Conmis-
saries and Acting Quartermasters at detached
posts and commands. But the principal objection
TO she ruling Is that the recruiting service Is
wholly At . standstlL II has long been che
custom for the Aujutant General to direct war
TO Issue To the superntendents OF the recruit
ing service who checked TO the recruiting officers
as IL was required. Another law, however, prevents
the War Department from acting upon the sug-
gestion made by the Acting Second Comptroller
that paymas ters or quartermasters should draw
the money and turn 1t over to the recruiting ON.
GERS The laws forbid bonded offlcer to turn over
moneys except TO an oflicer relieving him OF his
duties. In consequence OF the provision Of law
adopted at the last SESSION restricting the army to
$4,000 men, the number OF the rank and die has
fallen by the ordinary casualties OF death, dts
charge and deserton TO $4,000, and the eject Of
the recent ruling in preventing recruiting Is rap
Idly reducing the number still farther. 1t is esti-
mated that the army to-day can produce no more
than IL. 900 effective men.
Bids for Furnishing Stamped Envelopes
and Newspaper Wrnppers-The Official
Award To he Made To-Day.
Bids for furnishing stamped envelopes and news
paper wrappers for the Post once Department for
four years from October prox. were opened at
noon to-day by Postmaster General Jewell. There
were seven bidders, as follows s-W oolworth i Gra-
ham, George r. Nesbit & Co. and George II. Reay,
OF New York. Gill Hayes and the Morgan En-.
velope Company, OF Springfield. Mass W. r. Ladd,
of Holyoke. Mass, and the Plimpton Manufactur.
ing Company. OF Hartford. Conn. There were
twenty kinds OF envelopes enumerated In the
schedule, and 1t VIII require some time and
close CALCULATION to ascertain who Is actually the
lowest bidder, although appearances indicate that
Ladd's figures are the lowest. Before opening the
bids she Postmaster General announced that he
had received q note from MIR. Reay, contractor for
the past four years, offering In case he was not
successful as bidder, to turn over TO the party
10 whom the contract was awarded all his machin-
cry, tools and fixtures pertaining to the manu-.
facture OF stamped envelopes, together with the
unexpired leases OF the buildings used In such
manufactures, and as far as he can the entire
organized force OF skilled wOrkmen and mployes,
80 that there should be no delay IN supplying the
regular demand OF the Department He would
dispose OF the whole at q reasonable price-viz
$780, 900. Mr.. Martin. representing Nesblt Co.,
said for his firm that they were, II awarded the
contract, ready to 60 on without assistance from
Mr. Reay
The Postmaster General said he thought It
proper to make this unonicial announcement, as
there had been criticism upon the short time
allowed him to prepare machinery, owing to the
rejection OF former bids. When the bid Of the
Morgan Envelope Company was reached 1t was
found 70 be not signed. General Jeffries, on be-
half OF MIR. Reay and Mr.. Marun Tor his 1rm, OBJ
jected to its being received bid, bu: the Post
master General de clded to have 1t read ana leave
che question Of in1ormaltty for future consdera-
tion. against which the people above named en-
tered protest. MIR. Morgan offered to sign now,
but was not allowed to do so, the time for fling
having passed. The onlcial award Will probably
be made tomorrow.
Death OF an Old Public Servant.
John d. Wilson, clerk in the land division Of the
Pension once, who has served iorty-three years
consecutlvely IN the Pension Bureau died yester-
day, agec sixty-seven years. He was originally
appoin ted from Maryland In the year 1881 He was
q faithful and efficient CLERK and was highly re-
epected,