Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-07-31
OLD-TIME sALARIEs.
What Department Clerks were Paid
Half . Century Ago.

OLD-TIME SALARIES.
What Department Clerks were Paid
Half = Century Ago.
MR.. LAwRENsoN's REcoLLEcrIoNs ON THE
PAY oUEsTION-rHE DAYS WHEN DKPARr-
MENT CLERKS UsED TO 60 OUT TO FEED
THEIR HORsEs-HOw An EFFoRT 10 GET AN
INCREASE OF PAY WAS DEFEATED.
"The pay received by clerks when entered
the Post Office department." remarked Mr..
James Lawrenson to q STAR reporter was as
rule. $500 per year. Some received more and
some less, but that was the pay of the great
bulk of the clerks A salary OF 81, 400 was con-
sidered very large pay, aud but few received
that"
Mr.. Lawrenson, as is well known, is one of the
Oldest clerks in the service, he having entered
the department in 1884. He is now SO years
OF age, and when STAR reporter entered his
tleman at work at his desk, where he is a.
faithful to his duties and as efficient any
clerk in the department. He goes over to Batf-
the morning and IL at his desk promptly at the
hour. Mr.. Lawrenson ~ remarkably bright
memory goes back fty or sixty Years and r re
calls events and persons with astonishing
facility. In addition to his experience as
greater part of hia early lie correspondent for
various newspapers and in that way he came
In contact with many public men, about whom
he chats in a very entertaining way. His re-
mark about the pay Of clerks quoted above was
ELECTED by an inquiry from THE STAR man,
VINO was rather curious to know something
about the life Of department clerk in the early
years OF the government. Continuing, Mr. Law
renson said: 1.-THE appropriation for the pay OF
clerks not in specific sums as It is in these
days. There were no classes Of clerks recou-
nized by law then, and the amount estimated
by the head of q department to be necessary to
pay the clerks was appropriated in bulk, and
the department head determined what each
clerk should be paid. OF course $500 year
to-day, but most Of the clerks had families, and
they had pretty tight squeeze to make the
two ends meet. When one died we generally
funeral expenses. Many OF the clerks lived out
or the city limits, and they would drive into
their work every morning. l remember there
square where the Patent office building now
stands, and the horses would stand there all
day. AT noon the clerks would come out of the
department and give their horses q bag OF corn
or oats for their MONDAY meal.
Rather primitive, suppose you think" OBJ
naturally at his listener. "But everything was
primitive then. There were but few streets in
the city that were discernible to the eye at
been thought OF. The old building which stood
on the present site OF the Post Office depart
ment building was small, and had been built
ny MIR. BOdsett tor a hotel, and seems now,
When call 1t to mind, very miserable struc-
ture as compared with the noble pile OF marble,
MIL HO" Is tue building. The
Post Office department. had not then become
one of the executive departments of the gov
eminent, but it was merely the general post
was on u much smaller scale than what we are
accustomed to in these days, but l remember
that soon after l entered the department /
found that the clerks had the opinion that their
salaries were too small, and cut their cloth as
economically as they could, they found 1t diff.
came to he conclusion to try ii they could not
get an increase. OF course, Congress must
De appealed to, and a delegation called on
the Postmaster General, Mr.. Barry to know If
he would have any objections to their appear
Ing before a committee OF Congress-. He told
them that he had no objections, and said that
Accordingly delegation went up to the Capt.
tol and were given u hearing by tho commit
tee They We're listened to very attentively
and Treated with great cordially. The COM
mlttee after hearing their statement said that
they would give it their attention. and added,
that in order to act with Intelligence a sub,
committee would visit the department and
examine into the nature OF the work done by
The clerks. The delegati ton returned and made
glowing report OF their mission, and there
was much rejoicing among the clerks Sure
enough, some TWO or three days afterwards the
subcommittee made its appearance at the de-
partment. They asked to be shown to the
room where the clerks were at work, which at
Inat Time was large room on the upper floor.
1t was after ten o'clock in the morHiug but
when the congressional committee had climbed
the stairs and stood at the entrance OF the room
they were astOnished TO find no one there and
Vi
clerks hard ut work at their desks, there was
silence and vacancy Turning to messenger,
who was the only occupant OF the rOOm one OF
the congressman, who was q man OF strict
habits, asked Sternly:
Where are all the clerks?'
They have gone to the races, sir stammered
the messenger.
Gone TO the races echoed the disguised Con-
gressman Has MIR. B., mentioning the
name of one Of the clerks, gone TO the races? I
understand that he is u member oi Foundry
church.
No, sir replied the messenger more cheer
Iuly' ne mas not gone to the races; but he never
comes u the department on race day, because
he knows none OF the clerks will be there
w ell, resumed the legislator, who in COM
were beginning TO enjoy the righteousness of
the situation, i suppose that Parson -'
mentioning another clerk who was u Methodist
preacher, mas also gone to the races?'
'Oh! no sir, prOtest ted the messenger earnestly
ne never comes to the department on race
day..
1.-The committee went away" resumed Mr..
Lawrenson, land that was the last heard OF an
increase IN the salaries Tor some time at any
rate. ~ lew years later the department was re-
organized, and the Postmaster General from
the head OF u mere bureau, became u cabinet
oIhcer. Then the salaries were increased al.
thollsh tney did not reach the standard which
now prevails. believe that in the year 1853
The present casslied service with the various
srLues u saaiIts was established. During the
war, When the brice of every thing went up aud
wages Increased, IT was thought unjust that
the employees OF The department should be the
only exception. But the burden upon the gov
eminent was very great and while the justice
Vi the position taken by the clerks was recop-
nIZeu, yet nothing was done until the year
1860, when an addition OF 20 per cent of the
salaries Tor that Year OF all the government
employees WAS auprODriatad " ,,nUraSS