Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-29
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE,.
A Reply to ssClerk.o

Edifor Star:-Some person who displays
more venom than intelligence, and more impu-
dence than ether" signing himself "Clerk," IN
cept!ons to certain proceedings of the Nationl ii
W0rklhgmen'S assembly, wherein the s'chair''
ca.!ed the attention OF the assembly to the fact
that the Treasury department was compiling
statistical report showing the price paid for
skilled labor for the past ten years and the cost
OF me neeessaries Of life each year embraced in
0ecade, and to show how much cheaper the
workman could live now than ten years ago.
The ''chair" did SO from the fact that the In
tent and the object OF this report was the fore
argument and justification for it. "Clerk' says
that the 'chair' in "few feeble remarks" d.
manded reduction In the salaries OF clerks,
snould one be made In that Of mechanics, and
used this as an argument In maintaining the
pay OF skilled art1zans. Now, sir, the "chair"
made use OF no such argument, nor is 1t the
or OF tine assembly to DO any
the broad principle OF "live aud let live" the
education and elevation OF Its members to
higher and nopler ends, and Capitalization Of
our feelings, interests and intentions, in rep
resentative body, wherein these ends may be
accomplished.
"Clerk' goes on to say that the wages of me-
the war. congressman, &C.. also had an In
crease, and they (the clerks) complained not.
so lar as the pay of mechanics Is concerned,
hneae Is no instance In the mind OF the Oldest
celved 81 or IS per diem In this city during the
war, or any other time. His assertion goes to
snow bis ignorance, as We'll as many others,
VINO attempt to talk or write upon the subject OF
labor. But the "Chair" did say, and reasserts
1t now: that it is singular fact that 1t takes so
much TOT the !" poor oVerWorked clerks" to live
No lead of department was ever known to
give his time and attention to looking up sta.
tlst1cS wherein he could show to Congress that
ne could reduce the salary OF the clerks en-
mn 10
Oorer or Waterman employed under him who
scarcely got enough salary to keep soul and body
COgetner, all the figures that could be scraped
up from the four winds would be thrown into
the faces of congressman to show how extrava-
gantly these poor fellows were living, and how
much their salaries could be reduced. Clerks
oorers live extravagantly on $500 to 5000 per
annum in the eye of the 1mperious clerk, who
(the clerk) would literally starve If thrown upon
the hardships OF the world, for many of them
President National workingmens Assembly.
July Is, 1879.
What Has Become of the Receiver
Editor Of The Erening Star:-Please inquire for
me what has become OF the receiver OF the
Washington City Savings Bank? II we are
never to have another dividend let him say SO,
and that Will be the end OF the matter. l think
five years is time enough to wind up the affairs
Of small bank. DEPosIroR
Needing the Attention of the Health
Officer.
Editor Star:-It is respectfully suggested that
the health officer personally inspect the truth
fully called "pesLilence breeding" district OF
Hell'S Bottom that he may acquaint himself
with this possible magazine OF disease which
only awaits the appearance OF an epidemic to
blow up the health OF large section OF Wash
tngton.
That it is possible for physician Of the intel
igence OF the health officer OF this city to Shut
his eyes to the district In question is truly as
ton1sn1ng. Take street from 9th to 18th; 11th
from p outward; 18th from Rhode Island ave-
nue., the squares bounded by Q street; Vermont
sons living In shanties the size of farm
wagon, and generally built OF Old, rotten
boards, and then say it is not tempting PrOvi-
dence longer to permit human beings TO be
thus huddled together with not, per person,
twentieth part Of the cubic space considered
essential to health. That there must be a con-
siderable amount OF open excrement and filth
in SO large district unconnected with either
the sewerage or water mains, no sane person
will deny.
many OF those forced to live In these tenement
huts to be removed to better quarters; and
would 1t not pay in the long run (perhaps not
so long run as may be imagined) to have the
city authorities condemn at least portion OF
these shanties, even at the expense OF having
to pay something for injury to personal prop
erty? Do, Mr.. Editor, urge these gentlemen,
and at once, to act on some other than the
'pennywise and pound foolish plan, espe-
cially when dreaded disease is already on the
wing, and perhaps within striking distance of
the national capital.
Respectfully, OLD SUBSCRIBER.