Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-08-26
UNCLE SANS SONS.
How Those in Congress Draw ON tho Old
Man for Their Salaries.

now lnObe III SOuSress DRAW oh tho OAu
Man for Their Salaries.
1t 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 men,
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 it
are good commercial paper anywhere
in the country. There are seven men
connected with the management OF the
bank, including the sergeant-at-arms.
The deputy rgeant-at-arms gets
50, 900 per annum, the cashier, 81, 900,
the book-keeper 81, 800, the paying tel
Ter So, 900, the messenger 81, 300, the
page 1920 and a laborer s. day dur
ing the session. There is an average
of $150,000 in the safe while the House
is in session. When money is needed
the messenger goes to the treasury
with the proper papers, accompanied
by Capitol policeman, and returns in
a street-car, usually with about $40,-
600. If there is a call for larger sum
the sergeant-at-arms jumps into car
riage and goes after it himself. The
pay of the members begins the 4th of
March after their election, and a check
is sent them every month, unless they
otherwise direct Their accounts are
certified by the Clerk of the House, as
there is then no Speaker. The pay of
a member is $416.66 per month, but to
avoid fractions they are paid S416 for
four months and $4l7 for eight months.
The Treasurer only recognizes and
makes payments. Many an old
member is under the impress
sion that his per diem is always
! placed to his credit, and could be drawn
out before every sunset, but he is mis-
taken. The $1,000 per annum is di-
vided into twelve installments at Mr..
Manning's end of the line. When a
member dies his pay ceases on the day
of his death. The salary Of the success
sor commences the day after the de-
cease of the former member, though
| the election may not occur for several
months. The new member, in other
words, draws pay for time he never
| serves.
The members draw their money in
different ways. There are probably
twenty of the present House who let
their salaries run into nest-eggs.
Among these are Scott and Everhardt,
of Pennsylvania; Powell, of Illinois;
Boutelle, of Maine; Healy, of Cali
fornia; Jones, Stewart and Reagan, of
Texas; Ellsbury, of Ohio; Stone, of
Massachusetts, and Wakefield, of
Minnesota. Scott has over a years
salary owing him-about $4,000. The
other members mentioned have from
81, 600 to SO, 900 to their credit. There
are couple of dozen of members who
always Overdraw, or rather borrow
from the head of the bank. They bor-
row, or get in advance, sums ranging
from $40 to $500, and at the end OF
the month they have nothing. The
great majority OF the members draw
all that is coming to them at the end OF
each month, particularly those who
have their families with them. Some
of them never see an outside bank, but
let their monthly salary remain, and
draw it out in small sums. Others
take out their salaries and place them
in other banks. But this not done as
much as formerly. A number of them
got caught in the Middleton Bank that
broke some time ago.
Most of the members do all Their
financial business over the counter OF
the Congressional Bank, and some Of
them pile checks up as high as $50, 00O
in single session. The employees o.
the House, $50 strong, are pain off a.
this bank as a matter of accommoda
ton. During the long sessions $780,.
100000 pass through the wire wicket
of the House bank. Wdshingto,
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