New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-12
MYSTERIES OF THE BLUE BOOK.

THE DUAL ORGANIZATION OF THE LIGHTHOUSE
BOARD.
lFRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBUNe
WASHINGTON, April 10.-The Blue Book !"
contains In some instances exceedingly graphic and
instructive story OF the working of entire branches of the
public service. Such instance will be found IN the
for 1875 in the pages devoted TO the Lighthouse
Establishment of the United States. The story is told ON
pages 223 to 227 inclusive and pages 20S and 2O9
Beginning with the First District Engineers Office find
in it ten employees followed in ore. by Inspectors Office
with six employees. The second column gives the Office
the third the station and the fourth tells that the
roll in the Engineers Office is 81 O29 20 per month, ana
in the Inspectors Office, $500 50.
1t will perceived that each Office" has its separate
corps of clerks its special tenders or yachts ana II one
were not informed page 900 that the First District
has certain geographical limits within which the charge
OF the aids to navigation is delegated to an officer styled
Inspector" and TO another styled Engineer" one
might infer that the officers and appraisers thereof are
created for separate. distinct and entirely dissimar
governmental purposes Passing over the following
pages find the double sets of employees and OF
steamers throughout the list of districts am little
puzzled to learn that in the With District "keeper of
buoy depot is employed In both the Engineers and
Inspectors Offices. The Engineers Keeper mas inc pes
OF 1t by S. per month.
The pay-rolls of the Engineers and Inspectors OFFICES
amount to respectively $1l,s2l 81 and Ss,GlI 10
monthly or grand total for both OF S2i5592 ~ ann-
| ally which amount does not Include the pay proper
OF Engineers or Inspectors in the u districts. There
were B vessels the control of the Engineers ana
II under that of the Inspectors, and twohs OF them
were steamers what the pay OF the officers and men
not enumerated the BueBooki What ia tine cost OF
coal and the thousand other expenses which make up
the outlay for such heel Let those who own steamers
figure on these points. have carefully o'er the re-
port Of the Lighthouse Board for 1870 in the vain nope
OF finding some reference To the large payroll repre-
eented by this s'2f5592 ~. one faithful Bue-BcoE
.faftf tho iiy
be embraced in the i;cnsOn page OF Tie Boards re-
mort say In for "Tcpairs and incidental expenses
To Eight -hOuses supplies 10 lght-hOuscs or expenses
Of buOyagc" OF the aggregate set down Tor these tieo
basis OF total expenditures for tho establishment OF
| $1,000 900 10 is over per cent. -
In the lighthouse establishment there Is President or
the Board and Chairman, two civil members, two sets
and navy officers, two secretaries, ana IN Tue
districts two Of officers, managers employees ana
appliances. The number two las fatal Significance IN
all the departing Of this service Mr. Sargent has III
trOduced In the Senate q BIZ when seems 10
afford remedy for this abnormal method
OF conducting governmental AFFAIRS IL appears
simple in its provisions, ana lS INTENDED
10 place the lighthouse establishment on plan o mar
agcuent similar to that Of the Coast Survey, where, III
der civil superintendent army and navy officers arc
employed with the hest results This bill provides Tor
superintendent lights who shall be invested with adc-
Administrative body reGstabshes 1t as advisory
Secretary of the Treasury under whose gen
era sIperY sCr the establishment Is 10 De conducted
The functions of the Board are TO consist IN ADVISING the
secretary number location, and character Ol hghts
and fogsguas and changes IN o. adoption OF y stems Oi
lights &C., &c. An officer appointed superintendent
sbnud be regarded fixture, and as IN position 70
become yearly OF value To the country because OF
branch o. the Government service, on the ehlcccy OF
which depend 50 many interests.