The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-03-28
His Incidental Expenditures Said To Be Much
Larger than Those Of His Predecessors.
Reaching About $4,000 Year.
Ex-Speaker Randall and the Tricks He
Plays with the New House Rules.
A Peep at the Mid-Lenten Gayety at the White
House, as Noted at One of Miss Cleve-
lands Receptions-Capital Notes.
WHITE HOUSE GOSSIP.

The Presidents Personal Expenses-Drafts
on the Contingent Fund.
Special to the IndisnaDolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, March 27.-It is said by one of
the employees at the White House that President
Cleveland is making his living cost great deal
His incidental expenses. I am told, aggregate
more than those of any other President who has
occupied the executive mansion for many years.
1t has been customary for some Of the execu-
tiyes to draw largely upon the contingent fund
Tor certain current expenses, but it is said that
Mr.. Cleveland has goue to his private funds for
almost everything
Congress appropriates each year sum ranging
from 100000 to $75. 900, which is known as the
contingent fund for the White House. Out of
this the President pays the legitimate expenses
Of his Office. including employees stationery, tele
graphing. repairs. and such other sundries usu-
ally going with responsible public position
The sources of expenditure Of this fund are never
questioned No inquiry has ever been made about
how and for what the money was disbursed. 1t
has also been matter Of honor with the Presi-
dent that the contingent fund should be ex-
pended honestly. General Grant paid for nearly
everything out of his own salary, holding the
contingent fund, except for clerical work and
few other expenses, as sacred. Mr.. Lincoln sell
dom drew upon this fund, except for the most
common expenses of the Office. Il is said that
Mr.. Hayes liyed,almo entirely out Of the fund,
and retired ffol = Office with his $500, 900 sal
airy. -
To-day / asked an attendant at the White
House if be did not think Mr. Cevelands ex-
psnses cost him half OF his salary. The en-
ploye, who has long been at the executive man
sion. looked hard at the thing beneath him. and
replied
Some Of the boys were calculating upon just
what you ask the other day, and we figured that
Mr.. Cleveland's expenses were about $780, 900 per
year We know Of lots of things he pays for
out of the contingent fund which were bought
by General Grant out of his own pocket. good
many of the things Mr.. Cleveland uses in
his private Office come out of the rooms
of the clerks. General Grant always bought his
own supplies separately, and out of his own
money. DIR. Clevelands dinners, of course are
the most expensive things he has. They are
paid for out Of his own pocket, and the table is
maintained out of his own funds; the stables
too are kept up at his own expense It said
that Mr. Hayes used TO pay for the feed at the
stables out of the contingent fund, and the ice
he used in the kitchen, and many other little
s,ings used there, were paid out of this fund
1r. Cleveland's political contributions and dona-
Svns to charity must cost him heap"
docs Mr.. Cleveland respond to many of the
requests for contributions to public nstitutons2'
I asked
Eyes, SIR replied the attendant, "for over
heard Miss Cleveland talking to him about it not
long ago. and am sure he must give great
deal, because she was mentioning it to him in q
way intended to make him curtail his liberal
lty."
Now that the social festivities at the executive
mansion are at an end, practically until next No
vember or December, Mr.. Cleveland's expenses
will naturally be lessened very materially in
that direction. The campaigns, however, will
bring about new source OF expense which may
even eclipse that he has been maintaining for
some time