Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-12-18
Electoral Messengers and Their Pa

WHAT THEY EFFECTED TO GET AND WHAT THEY
GOT
There has been some fun and no little trouble
In paying the messengers who brought the elec-
toral votes to the capital. They are paid at the
Treasury. Since the establishment OF the elec.
toral college until this year messengers were
paid 25 cents mileage both ways In last years
appropriation bill 1t was very quietly prescribed
that they should be given a mileage OF 25 cents.
but only for one way. Not messenger knew
OF this change. They all expected the fat little
mileage OF 20 cents both ways, which would
enable those from distance TO see the capital
and carry home nice little Christmas fund
over and above expenses There was great
T1Vally before the electoral colleges OF each
state for the Office OF messenger. When these
gentlemen were brought up with round turn
at the Treasury, and mileage only one way ten
dered 10 them there was
DEEP DISAPPOINTMENT.
In many cases there was not only dIsappoint
ment but dispute. They claimed that the
Treasury was defrauding them, and were loud
In tEelr protests This was almost invariably
the case when the free American citizen from
the wild west OF the lively southwest came to
get bis money. Another point of disagreement
was the length OF the messengers Journey. He
claimed TO have travelled In nearly every case q
greater distance than the carefully made up
Treasury tables showed but he Invariably mad
to submit to the Treasury schedule.
ONE OF THE MESSENGERS
w LIZ StcoQ 0OOut IL. lOuS ia SlOuCn
hat and big, rough boots, came TO get his pay
one afternoon just before the cash room
closed. AS no one could Identify him he had 10
wait till the next day. He didn't like Ii at all
and swore some. The next day he got bis
money, and also got Wild because he received
mileage but one way and his distance was cur
down. That night he was full OF all kinds OF
spirituous and intoxicating drinks. and went
around the hotels denouncing the Treasury as
fraud and its officers as SW1ndlerS. He had
good spree, but as he has not yet left the city
the suppositiOn is that the walking is not 10
that condition which suits him best. 1t was
noticed about all the men who brought
On the votes that their section OF the
country could be guessed at before II
was shown by their papers and told by
themselves from where they came. Their
uresS, manner and accent often told unmistak-
ably where they hailed from. There was no
trouble In picking out the messenger from
Jarvis section. The votes from all the states
except oregon, have been received; and ali
the messengers. except three, have been paid.
THREE UNPAID MESSENGERS.
One of the unpaid is the oregon man, who Is
yet to come. Another is the Georgia messen-
ger. who did not come. A messenger from
Georgia was elected by the college. The GER
tif1cate was sent In by mail. The messenger
was told that owing to GeoTgia'S tardinesS In
voting and the doubt Of her vote being allowed
be would get no pay. He therefore stayed
at home. MIR. John Jacob AStOr is the other
messenger. He brought the vote OF New York
here. He was looked for at the Treasury, but
never came. Mileage is evidently not an object
with him