Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-08-02
Pay of Government Employees on
National Holidays

National 1O11dayss
OPINION OF FIRST CONTROLLER LAWRENCE.
First Controller Lawrence has made an osin-
ion touching the pay of the employees OF the
Government Printing Office on national holt
days. He says: "If we adhere to the strict
letter OF the resolution, and applying 1t to the
subject Of you inquiries it only declares the 4th
day OF July holiday, and proceeds that certain
shall be paid for u,s holiday when the like en-
ployes of other government departments shall
be SO paid. The employees Of other departments
were not so paid for that day. The resolution
July shall fall on Sunday that another day may
te substituted instead OF it.
But there is maxim applicable to the con-
ructton Of statutes qtt hderet an lttera, haeret
in cO1,tice. The mere letter must yield to the
."te''t'o" OF the law making power. !,
In the construction OF statutes it is permitted
to look outside OF the statute to learn the pre-
vious state OF the law and the mischiefs which
the statute was passed to obviate. And where
place, doubtful words may be construed with
reference to the usage OF that place.
There had been usage in the Government
days were observed and the employees paid as ii
they had rendered service and II a holiday
fan on sunday the next day was observed and
Sunday in 1869 and 1915 and the 1st Of January
was Oh Sunday In 1865, 1871 and 1876. but In each
case the next day was observed and paid for.
the present management OF the Government
Printing Office. The other departments of the
government for many years observed and con-
tinue to observe the usage which had prevailed
in the Government Printing Office The dis
continuance OF the usage in the Government
Printing Office left the employees therein less
The object OF the statute was to place on the
same footing and give like advantages to all
rendering service In like manner The evident
design was that no distinction should be made
on account of the place of service. Without
this construction the equity of the resolution
In some measure fails. The employees of the
annual salaries, or salaries fixed upon the basis
OF annual salaries, are therefore entitled to pay
for the holiday observed as the 4th OF July in
the same manner as employees similarly S1t-
uated In other departments"
FRIGHTFUL COLLISION OF RAILROAD TRAINS.
The 9:O5 train on the Long Island railroad from
Long Beach last evening reached Jamaica at
9S5 ON time, ard four of the coaches were
other cars going to Hunters Point. The train
for Brooklyn started Immediately, and had just
passed Smythe's, near Norris Grove, about one
mile west of Jamaica, when 1t ran into the 9:05
train from Brooklyn going east. Both trains
were running at high rate Of speed, and the
shock was terrific. It's force was so great that
turned almost completely around and headed
west, and both engines were completely demol-
hed 9d say that they
exception OF the platforms, were only slightly
damaged. The eastern train engineer, John
Walc0tt, brother of the engineer of the western
train. was Injured so badly that he died shortly
after, being taken from under his engine. Con.
ductor Samuel Allen, of the eastern train. had
his ribs broken and is injured internally.
Brakeman VIM. McDonough received bad
scalp wound. Jas. Eagan and wife, OF 18th
street, New York, were injured, Mrs. Eagan re-
ceiving bad wound In the face. Mr. Eagan
had his shoulder dislocated. The train from
Brooklyn was local train and 1t started late
and bad no lights 1t should have remained at
reached there. Several OF the women passengers
On the Long Beach train were badly bruised
and cut.