Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-01-28
Overhauling Signal Service Accounts.
ITEMS DIsALLOWED BY TREASURY OFFICIALS


Overhauling Signal Service Accounts.
ITEMS DIsALLOWED BY TREASURY OFFICIALS
ON VARIOUS GROUNDS.
Second Controller Maynard has made a re-
port upon the accounts and expenditures of the
signal service bureau to show irregular and un.
authorized disbursements. He says that from
September FL, 1880, to March 10, 1884, the ex.
penditures for telegraphing were nearly
S50O,OOO, for which no sufficient vouchers are
presented. Vouchers for 81 900 per annum
are presented for rent of leased lines for several
years without authority. Since 1878 $75O,OOO
have been appropriated for military telegraph
lines. There was no advertisement for propo-
sals nor is there anything to show what lines
were constructed. All credits not authorized
by law In this connection the controller disal-
lows. He dfsallows So, 500 taken from the an
preparation for the observation and report of
storms and used for representation of the b,1-
reau at the Paris electrical congress OF 1881. He
disailows various items on account Of civilian
employees es N pahi not by
were many improper expenditures, the con-
troller says, such as S262.5O for forty-five
gallons gallo Of W whisky sSs5 for sportsmen's
The controller says many items appear In the
accounts which are in violation Of law; also
many eases where items are charged to the
appropriations for one fiscal year which mani
testify belonged to another. Rent 70 buildings
in Washington has been improperly paid out
report of storms. Ten thousand dollars was
improperly expended between July, 1882, and
January, 1854, in the erection of permanent
were maintained without authority of law.
Money was paid without authority for print
ing, DETECTIVE services, supplies and transpor-
and men, and unauthorized details of enlisted
men; $4,000 improperly spent for the Mt.
Whitney expedition; $1,000 for laborers and
mechanics at Fort Myer; also unauthorized ex-
penditures for rent of stables in Washington
and forage. The controller proposes to disaIlow
all these expenditures, and concludes with
the concurrence of the third auditor, that ali
the accounts relating to the signal service since
1880 must be examined or re-examined and
adjusted upon the basis which he has laid
down.
WHAT GENERAL BAZEN SAYS.
Gen. Hazen said to STAR reporter today:
ain the matter of the signal service accounts
alleged in the newspapers to have been reported
upon by the second controller and of which this
of any nature or kind but what Is always found
In an ordinary statement Of differences Of an
officers public accounts or calling for more full
or clear explanations or statements. I have
been told for the past two months that the case
was being prepared by clerks who have been
discharged from the signal service, and it has
been made purposely hostile and sensational
There is not shadow of wrong-doing in any OF
these matters, and the framing and publishing
just now Is purposely hostile, and intended to
affect the investigation going on in Congress-
In regard to the halt million dollars expended
Tor Geographic service between 1880 and 1854,
Tor which no vouchers were filed, Gen. Hazen
said that 1t was not customary to file them on &C.
count Of the great number, but that all the
accounts are in the telegraph offices. The rental
Of the telegraph line between Washington and
Cape May for Sic, 900 per year was going on
when he became chief signal officer, and was
provided for by the general appropriation for
observations and report Of the approach Of
storms.
The statement that there is nothing shown
for the expenditure of $3.50, 600 since 1873 for
the construction, repair and maintenance Of
telegraph lines, Gen. Hazen pronounced as ut
terly false. as all the papers are on file IN the
Treasury department.. The responsibility for
the purchase of telegraph poles which Is object
ed 10 Gen. Hazen said rested entirely on Capt.
Howgate, who had been prosecuted and con-
victed. All the other Irregularities alleged
In the controllers report, he said,
were legally covered by the appropriation for
carrying on the signal service work. Until
1882 this appropriation was made In lump
sum tor the expenses which were always ac-
counted for satisfactorily.
"In that year." Gen. He zen said, specific APP
preparations were made at my REQUEST, In order
were provided for. thought then that some
second controller might take exception to the
expenditure of lump appropriation with no
specific provisions"