The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1881-12-03

An Interesting Paper Brought to Light.
On tho 5th OF Nay last J. F. Mcline, John
Walker and w. H. Hills were appointed
committee to examine the disbursements Ut
The contingent expenses account of the
Treasury Department. On June IA the Sec
rotary called for q report covering the inyes-
tigation up to and including that date. Tho
report was called for by resolution offered In
the Senate by Senator Sherman. which was
adopted on the slst Of October, and the report
was submitted to the Senate on the zAth. The
committee says that, sowing to statements
made to NJ by the Chief Clerk, we have not
made an examination of accounts for station
Org, but have confined our inquiries to ac-
counts and expenditures under approprfa-
tons for other contingent expenses" The
of the Secretary Is called to various
sections Of the Revised Statutes prescribing
Department in relation to accounts under ex-
animation, all Of which are quoted in detail.
The organization Of the Department, ofncers
and salaries are noted and the r Sas con
the Department quasi officer called Custo-
dian, who has, under the direction OF the
Chief Clerk, conducted most of the business
connected with tho contingent expenses OF
the Treasury Department and tue Gus
tody and disposition out OF appro-
priatious for contingent expenses , The
Hss appolnes by the Secretary u TIE
Treasury in June, 1876. with compensation at
the rate OF g. 400 per annum. Compensation
was increased to $50 per ann.m from Sny
. for the pay Of custodians and janitors for all
public buildings under control of the Treasury
Department Your COMMITTEES are OF opinion
that there il no authority of law for either the
appointment or the payment OF this Custodian
lhe requirements Of section 3.7O9 Of the he
vised Statutes seem to have been observed
only In the purchase OF fuel, Ice ana carpets.
In making purchases and mourning expenses
to be paid out of appropriations for other con-
tingent expenses of the Department, the 0rdf-
nary precautions adopted by bus ness men
generally have been neglected. and in many
cases ex0rbitant prices paid. The nrst step In
making the examination was 10 take an IN
ventory of all property in the sSoreroom pc
books showing the amount of stock on hand,
and were informed that no such books were
kept We were also informed that no 1nven-
The committee fnd that, during the fiscal year
1850, 1l8,s yards Of ilton carpet and border.
and the cost OF making and laying the same.
were twice paid for. once out OF the appropri-
alton for contingent expenses OF the Treas
ury Department. and once out of tho appio-
priations for public buildings. Hoor Bros.
repaid the amount Of the duplicate payment.
in the storeroom, which the storekeeper
claimed was in the hands Of w. b. Moses. Of
this CITY,. It was discovered that Noses had
been paid Tor sn yards 81 csrpes which nd al al
being notified of the fact, sent the Depart
ment 6s7h yards Of carpet OF inferior quality
70 make good the amount"
The committee donOunCe as Illegal the pay
ment of the cabfnet-makers department out
of the appropriation for fuel. lights and water
for public buildings. Continuing, the report
March. April. May and June. 1889. bills were
presented to this Department by j. Bradley
adams. OF this city, Tor tifty-two dozen Wood.
ru6 hleholders, which bills-<5Us--were paid
out Of the appropriation for ice, etc., but that
the fileholders have never been delivered.
Attention of the Custodian has been called TO
this matter, and he has refused to furnish any
ga stating 9 tns saa
in August and October, 1889. two bills amount
ing to Sl3s were presented by Breeds Sons,
Ct this city. for twenty-five boxes OF candles,
alton for gas, etc, 1881; but the candles
were not furnished We have been informed
by the Custodian that these bills cover lemon
tary, Assistant Secretary, and Chief Clerk. and
also acertain lunch furnished In this building
last summer about the time of the Ch cage
Both SPtSn re
der oath that they had no knowledge that the
lunch was paid for out of the public funds.
They contributed out OF their own means
towards the cost of the lunch, as reported ia
them. and believed 1t was all paid by private
contribution. Upton also stated that be at one
time gave the Custodian so to pay for lemon
ther md that in November, 1890, and January
1881, three bills, aggregatinR $l485y, for over
coats furnished drivers OF the Department
carriages and wagons, were presented to the
Department in blank, ard, by direction OF the
Custodian were made up as billiard cloth fol
covering desks, AMI were paid out OF the ap
preparation for furniture, etc, 1881; also
ordered of N. w. Burcnell. for the Treasury
Department one barrel containing 5t4 gal
Ions of bay rum ut 81. 50 per gallon. which wa,
.BurchelI, who appeared before the com
mitteo, stated that the matter, 30 Tar as ne wal
concerned. was an ordinary business transac
ton. and that the bay rum was sold at the low
| gallons OF this rum, and it was used only fo
toilet purposes. We believe the purchase Il
have been ill-ndvised and unnecessary.
was pursued s and were i1formed By the Gus
todian' that II was done 80 that the accountin,
officers would not question the bills
I'VE further find that from July !, lS's Z
May 4 1881, waste paper and pasteboard OF IN
Department were sold to the amount of s.,
Uo2.66; that during said period no deposit wa
made in the Treasury on account of said sales
the Custodian, who states that he paid the cos
OF asserting out of the proceeds and kept tn
| balance in his safe awaiting instructions as b
whss s;a should be made Of Nv
Committee the attention of the Chief Llcrl
was called to the matter, and it was suggeste'
| that the money in the hands of the Custodia
ought to be deposited in the Treasury withou
| further delay. This was not done, however
until after the assorters were paid for thei
services during the month of May, 1881, whel
the &2176.77 balance stated as on hand wa
deposited with the Treasurer of the Unite
| States"
Various other details of less importan
character are cited in the report, and in cor
| clusion the committee say:
We are not at present prepared to submit
any recommendations relative to changes "
think necessary in the system Of making puI
chases and dispoeing Of the same. We wi
Say, however, that we think the system at pres
emit in vogue very loose and liable to grea
abuse, Ind in our opinion it should be mate
rally changed
Appended TO the report are exhibits show
ing that the prices paid for ile-holders, dircs
tories, dictionaries. aliases and miscellaneou
books were In excess OF what they might hav
been bought for. All the foregoing article
were purchased of Bradley Adams, of thi
city, who seems to have received nearly q
the orders for goods Of this description Tn
Department has been paying at the rate {
q. 10 per day for horse. cart and drive
The usual price in the District is $L75. III
person TO whom payment Is made Is employe
In the Treasury Department. Thirty cent