The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-12-22
Old Time Congressional Perquisites.

The Washington correspondent of the
Louisville Courier Journal, discussing
the preparations for contingent ex-
penses, writes that the first appropria-
tion was an item in the appropriation
act passed in September, 1889. The
accounts of contingent expenses OF the
Senate, commencing as early as 1889,
contain many items which show that
Senators in those days, as well as now,
liked their perquisites. In the early
days of the republic, Senators-the very
fathers of the country-subscribed for
many papers, and the subscription
prices thereof were paid out of the con-
tingent fund, Stationery they put their
hands upon without limit. They used
large quantities of English giltedged
paper at SO and $40 per ream. Not
only did they take stationery, but the
records show that our revered fore
fathers were as agile as their descend
ants in everything that was "contin-
gent" Penknives in those days were
bought by the dozen, and so were silver
pencil cases, seals, memorandums and
wafer boxes. When q committee of
Congress called upon the President of
the United States, its hack hire was
paid from the contingent fund. The
congressional funeral was nice little
iaunt-nobody can say that such is not
the case now. Hundreds of yards
of black Grape and of white sar-
Genet were used in making mourning
scarfs, and gloves were supplied. Some
preferred white kid. while others were
more practical, and with an eye to the
future utility of the funeral hand
covering, took beaver and buckskin
gloves. Francis Maloone, of Rhode
Island died in 1909. His remains were
inferred in the Congressional cemetery.
funeral were tho following: Sixteen
pound OF crackers, So; eleven and
quarter pounds of cheese, $2.81. The
committe to audit the expenses of the
Senate evidently thought that though
their brethren seemed to be on pleasure
bent, they should have the accompani-
ment of frugal meal. Therefore
they economically ordered that pay
ment be made for the crackers, but re-
jected the claim for the cheese. This
same committee also had presented to
it the following voucher:
Seven gallons best Madeira wine. $2S 90
Four gallons Cognac brandy. ............ 90
Twelve pounds almonds. ds................ 80
Ten pounds of raisins. ns.....,............ 50
IOtdl. EtO w
The committee after cogitatlng the
matter, came to the conclusion, per-
haps, that the partakers Of these lux
uries lad had almost too good time
of it, and so they only allowed "for
four gallons of wine and three quarts
of brandy, $22." At the same time,
however, they passed another voucher
g for fourteen pounds of cake, ST." and
twelve pounds of crackers at $1.50
The following is in the account OF the
Senate contingent expenses for 1909:
Thirty. four gallons syrup, $103; fif-
teen gallons syrup, SAG; fifteen gallons
syrup SAC; fifteen gallons syrup, $46,
thirty-ive gallons syrup, $40; fifteen
gallons syrup, $40; total, 1888. What
this syrup was does not appear, There
is tradition among the older officers of
the Senate that it was used in the con-
coction of beverage known as "switch-
ell" This is corroborated by voucher
passed for two-quart decanters, evi-
IDENTIFY to hold the syrup. The items
for beverages of different kinds scat
tered over the books of accounts for
contingent expenses are curious, and in
the nineteenth Congress here is enc of
$l23.37 for "soda water and syrup"
Umbrellas, congress water, engraved
seals, pearl nail knives and toilet sets
were then secured by Senators
out of the contingent expenses.