Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-07-20
UNCLE SAM'S FAMILY.
The Governments Biennial Blue Book
and How 1t Is Made.

anu HOW MADE.
THE FIRST OFFICIAL REGISTER AS COMPARED WITH
THE LAsT-REMARKABLE GROWTH OF THE aov-
ERNMENT AS EXHIBITED IN FILE OF THE BLUE
BooKs-A PERIOD OF sEvENTY-THREE YEARS
Once every two years the government has a
private census. 1t is confined to its own
household and only those who are in the official
ranks are counted. 1t is not exactly taking
account OF stock, as this phrase is understood
In business houses, but it is an attempt to col
iect the names of ''all the hands," as a late
democratic official called the employees of
division over which he was called to preside.
Everybody who was in the service of the gov
eminent on the LIST day of July, 1889. is sup
posed to be counted. The enumeration begins
with the President of the United States
ana goes down through the rank
ana ME to the scrubbers and char woman.
VINO, as they get the smallest pay naturally
stand at the bottom of the list The census
takers do not confne their labors to the depart
ments In this city, but they go through this
vast country and wherever they find a customs
ofhclal or an internal revenue agent or a post
master or postmaster's clerk they put down
the names and include them all in the roster
whlch Is made up of those who serve Uncle
Sam. When the names are all collected and
classified under the proper departmental
divisions, then the lists are sent to the Interior
department. where a force of clerks are set to
work to prepare them for the public printer.
After while two great bulky books are issued
it is announced that the new blue Book" is
out. The name is derived from the
coIor- OF the cover, and is very English
because that is the name given to the
books issued by the British government
containing the proceedings of parliament. The
covers OF the British documents were Originally
OF blue paper, but the American Blue Book
has substantial board covers. The dark blue
hue has been the characteristic feature of
these books for number of years past, and
while the color has given it the popular name
the offlclal title remains unchanged It is the
Ofhclal Register, and it is so known and de-
scrlbed by those who aim to be strictly official
IN their walk and conversation
THE FIRST BLUE BOOK
The Blue Book has worn such sleek and
prosperous appearance for SO many years that
some people no doubt imagine that it has al
ways been porty. A set Of them arranged ON
shelf reminds one, as the eye runs them down.
OF large family Of children where the Oldest
Is about thirteen years old, and there are some
eight or nine younger brothers and sisters.
The fact Is, that the baby Blue Book is pretty
hard to distinguish at any distance. 1t is so
thin and small. and if it was put between
volume l and volume 2, of the year 1887. it
enOuQl a
bigger, but Blue Books reverse the natural law.
and the youngest are always the biggest. The
nrst Blue Book was printed in the year 1892. II
appeared In the form of a congressional doom
ment, and it shows that the employees in the
executive departments then located at PbiIa-
delphia, numbered 1874, exclusive of the heads
OF the departments. The Navy department was
not then IN existence, and the General Post
once, with Timothy Pickering as Postmaster
General, is put down as having made no re-
turns.
THE NEXT BLUE BOOK
was sent to Congress by President Jefferson ON
February II, 1902, and the number of DEPART
ment employees was stated to be 126. The total
amount paid in salaries to officials residing at
the capital and connected with the executive
branch OF the government was in 1870 s4I. S68.
In the year 1895 the salary account had in.
creased to ST. 1877, and when the transfer of
the government to this city was made the paw
roll amounted to $125, 1871. The salary of the
President which was then $4,000, is not in
GUIDED In these amounts The Secretaries of
State and OF the Treasury in the year 1900 re-
celyed $1,000 year each, and the Secretaries
| OF War and OF the Navy "a, 500 each. The sal
aries Of the clerks reached the highest point
in an annual amount OF about $780, while
many were not paid more than 500. In 1892
the average salary paid to clerks was $500 per
annum, but about the time Of the re-
moval to Washington there was an in
crease in the scale Of salaries SO
that while the number of the clerical
employees at the seat Of government was about
the same in the year 1900 as in 1892, the total
! amount paid for clerical service had increased
| some $4,000. The employees for the first year
| in the new city were apportioned among the
departments as follows: State Department 8
| clerks; Treasury Department, 70 clerks, divided
| as follows: Secretary's Office, 6 clerks; con-
| troller, IS; auditor, Is; treasurer, 4; commits
| sioner of revenue, 8; register, 10; superinten-
NJ n. Ian g.. Worn Ia
partment, II; Navy Department, Is, and Post
master General, 10. Total 126.
WHO SENT THEM TO CONGRESS-
The first Blue Book was transmitted to the
Senate by Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of
the Treasury, in compliance with resolution
Of the Senate.
The second Blue Book was sent to the house
by President Jefferson, as he said in accordance
with the suggestions made by him in his last an
nual message; Some fourteen years elapsed be-
fore another Blue Book was issued, and then in
the year 1916 Congress passed Q law requiring
the Secretary OF State to compile and print once
in every two years "a register of all officers and
agents, civil, military and naval, in the service
OF the United States" This was practically
the first register Of the present series, and the
register has been issued every two years since
that date. The period Of seventy-three wears
covered by these publications, has been one of
almost constant growth in the executive
pIuuSA0b VI suo 8ONcInmcubs Livery biennial
register contains more names than the pre-
ceding one, and the new one to be
issued next winter 1t is predicted will not de-
stroy the precedent. It is estimated that the
new Blue Book will show that there are between
5000 and 10000 persons in this city alone in
the employ OF the government. The complete
roster win probably contain over ITO, 900 names
Of employees This latter number includes the
post Office and customs employees and the great
army Of men in all parts Of the country who
are needed to assist in keeping in motion the
machinery of the government.
A study Of file of the Blue Books pives a
graphic idea Of the growth and greatness Of
this country.
Written for THE EVENING STAR
Chuck-Wills-W Widow.
Red and gibbous, scared and burning.
Up the moon rose in the sky,
Up to meet the ragged black clouds,
Charred and scattered, nutt'rins by:
From the hammock lands rich foliage.
Ger the low lakes far and near.
Der the frogs harsh trilling, thrilling
All the balmy dreamy air.
Rise on waves Of silvry splendor.
Tones 30 full, and rich, and tender.
Chuck-wius-widow.
Clean the leaves Of the magnolias,
Shower-drenched in silver light,
From the trees in gray-moss veilinRs
Float the clear strains, charming niehk
Fearless Of the shadows, lurking
Under each moss-covered limb