The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1886-08-13
UNCLE SANS SONS.


How zhose In Congreso Draw - ~ ono
Man for Their salaries.
II Is interesting to watch the way in
which Uncle Sans sons draw on the
old man at the Capitol. Take the
lower House. The bank for the mem
bers is conveniently situated alongside
the Speakers room at the west side Of
the wing, and is conducted as any
other banking house Checks on i
are good commercial paper anywhere
in the country. There are seven men
connected with the management Of the
bank. including the scrgeant-at-arms-
The deputy sergeant-at-arms gets
-, 900 per annum. the cashier, $4,000.
the book-keeper 81. 800. the paying tel
Ter $1,000. the messenger $1,000. the
page $40 and laborcr - day dur
ing the session. There Is an average
II $3.50. 900 in the safe while the House
Is in session When money i needed
the messenger goes to the treasury
with the proper papers. accompanied
by Capitol policeman, and returns In
| q street-car. usually with about $40.-
| 900. II there Is a call for larger sum
\ tile sergeant alarms jumps into a car
riage and goes after il himself. The
pay Of the members begins the 4th OF
March after their election. and q check
Is sent them every month, unless they
| otherwise direct Their accounts are
certified BY the Clerk Of the House, -
there is then no Speaker. The pay Of
: member is $il6. IS per month, but to
avoid fractions they are paid $4l6 for
four months and S4l7 for eight months.
| The Treasurer only recognizes and
makes payments. Many an old
member 4 under the impress
sion that his per diem & always
placed to his credit. and could be drawn
out before every sunset, but he Is mis-
taken. The 5000 per annum Is d.
vided into twelve installments at Mr..
Manning's end Of the line. When .
member dies his pay ceases on the day
Of his death. The salary Of the success
sor commences the day after the de-
cease or thu former member. though
the election may not occur Tor several
months. The new member, in Other
words. draws pay for time ne never
serves.
/ The members draw their money in
different ways. There are probably
twenty Of the present House who LEI
their salaries run into ncst-eggs-
Among these are Scott and Everhardt,
Of Pennsylvania: Powell. Of Illinois
BoutelIe. of Maine; Healy. Of Cali
fornia: Jones, Stewart and Reagan, 81
Texas; Ellsbury. Of Ohio; Stone, o.
Massachusetts,. and Wakefield. q
Minnesota. Scott has over year
salary owing him about $1,000. Iht
other members mentioned have from
1000 70 $4,000 to their credit Their
are couple Of dozen Of members whit
ALWAYS 0verdraw. or rather borrow
from the head Of the bank. They Dor
row. or get in advance. sums rangln;
from go 10 $500, and nj the end Q
the month they have nothing. Tn
great majority Of the members draw
AL that Is coming 70 them ut the end Q
each month. particularly those who
have their families with them Some
Of them never see an outside bank. bu
let their monthly salary remain. ant
draw II out in small sums Other
take out their salaries and place then
in other banks. But this not done .
mnch as formerly. A number Of then
. got caught in the Middleton Bank tina
. broke some time ago.
II Most Of the members do All thei
I financial business over the counter Q
| the Congressional Bank. and some Q
,, them pile cheeks up as high As 90. 00'
IN q single session. The employees Q
"A xI 4.H =
this bank rs a matter Of accommoda
|. ton. During the long sessions &6O'
900, 600 pass through the wirc wicke
of the House bank. - Wastingto