The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-07-16
UNCLE SANS NIEcES.

WASHINGTON, juno 1.-The government clerks
employed in the departments at Washington
number $4,000, marking an army half again as
large as that of Xenophon in the retreat which
he writes Of in his "Anabasis" A curious
army it is-old and young men and won en-, Of
al" types strong aud weak, crippled, and act.
Ve-its variety is rs broad rs that of human
hfe! fifty-eght hundred of its number recci ve
salaries which range from 5000 to 81 800 q
year. and OIL from chief to privates, are allotted
vacation of one whole month at almost any
time of the year they choose to take it.
This army Of clerks never strikes. It is con.
tent with its wages, and it has no reason to com.
plain Of its hours Of work. These hours are
practically only six daily. The departments
open at Clock and the clerks are expected
to be at their desks at that hour. They work
steadily until noon, and then take usually an
hour for luncheon. AT O'Clock they are back
ut their desks, aud ut 4 their days work is
done.
Tho treasury contains between $500 aud
1000 clerks. 1t is tho largest department Of
the Government. At ?. m. four human
streams pour forth from its various exits, and
the streets are crowded in o moment. Here
goes dashing young lady with lunch basket
In her hand, dressed in the latest fashion, and
with new spring bonnet resting jauntily
above her banged ourls. Beside her is q pay
young man in Derby, who chats with her
almost lovingly as they pass out togeth er In
front is plainly dressed old woman, who prob
ably keeps family out of the $72O q year which
sho makes nv copvino nopor, oil Ia.
back of her is long, thin dude, with q collar
rs big as shirt cuff and enormous cars. Fur
ther back there is widow in mourning, and
as you look at her you wonder whether her hus.
band was o soldier.
There are 1000 women in the Government
departments at Washington and among the best.
looking and most intelligent ladies of the capi.
tai arc so employel. They come, rs rule,
from good families. Many of them are the
widows Of noted Generals, the daughters of
ex-Governors and ex-Congressmen, and now
nnd then you will find the relative OF Presi-
dent or Cabinet minister. Many of them
have travelled widely, and the great majority
are educated and refined ladies' They do all
kinds Of work, and receive salaries ranging
from $72O to 81 500 year. As money count.
ers they are much moro expert than the men,
and the rapidity with which they count thous-
ands upon thousands Of dollars without making
mistake makes Your brain whirl as You watch
: them These money oouo(srs get about $5S 4
month, and they count millions Of dollars every,
month. At one aide Of each one. on the table
lie great piles Of grcenbaOks, doue into paok ages
as they come from the press. 1 am speaking
now Of the redemption bureau of the treasury.
These bills are old and dirty. The strip of
paper around each package Of 100 bills states
where they came from, and who counted them in
the country. The young lady takes this off, and
moistening her fingers with the wet sponge in
front of her, she counts the bills like lightning,
and, If the package is not right, she reports so
to the chief and the banks from which the bills
come must stand the loss. The girls seldom
make mistake, and if they do SO or pass a
counterfeit without noting it they mus. make
the mistake good, and the amount Is taken out
Of their salary. They can tell, however, a bad
bill simply by feeling it. and o bank cashier
will make n hundred mistakes where thew
mako one.
Not long ago one Of the young lady CO unters
was engaged upon n lot of 500 notes. She
had been dropping the scraps on the floor be-
side her in pile. after verifying tho count.
While she was counting package she would
lay this scrap, marked with the name of the
bank which sent il, on the table beside bcr
AT last she came to package that contain ed
only ninety.nine notes, aud on looking for the
scrap was terrified to fud that it had fallen
among the others. She was sure she knew the
name Of the bank, but could not prove IL. The
bank was notified end refused to ACKNOWLEDGE
the mistake, and the poor girl WAS forced to
pay the 500.
Both sexes of clerks at Washington work in
the same department., end it is often the case
that young men and young women have desks
side by side. There is no restriction No N
their social intercourse, aud it is q matter Of
surprise to outsiders that so few marriages.
occur among the clerks. It is not that the
girls are not good looking, nor that they are
not good, neat and intelligent And il is NOT
that the men arc not noble and attractive
Washington living, however, is expensive, and
II is contrary to the rules Of the department
that two members of the same family sbou,d
hold positions under the Government. Tho
ladies in the department earn enough to keen
them respectfully, and they do not care to
marry man who has no larger income than
themselves, and have in the end not as much
pocket money as before. Many of the
marriages which do take place are with men
outside Of the departments, and IL is not m nm
common thing here for good-looking clerk to
marry Congressman, o Senator, or . news
paper correspondent. Mrs. Theakcr, who is
to be Stanley Matthew's wife, was Govern
ment clerk when she met and married Judge
Theaker, former commissioner Of patents.