Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-09-11
ANOTHER CENTENNIAL.
Comparisons Between the Treasury De.
partment in 1889 and 1859.

o'clock today.
After Washington's Inauguration at New
York on the S0th Of April, 1889, the new gov
eminent was organized as rapidly as the facili-
ties Of those times would permit, but ii wis
not until the 18th of September that
Alexander Hamilton received his COM
mission as the first Secretary Of the
Treasury, Tench Co1e Of Pennsylvania being
on the same day commissioned as assistant sec
Rotary. The commissions of Nicholas Eveleigh
of South Carolina as controller and Samuel
Meredith Of Pennsylvania. as treasurer also
bore the same date, while those Of Oliver VOL
colt, IT,, Of Connecticut, as auditor, and Jos.
Nourse of Virginia as register Of the Treasury
were dated one day later.
CONTROLLER AND AUDITORS.
The Offices Of second controller and second,
third, fourth, and fifth auditors were first
filed on March 6, 1917, and that Of sixth audi
tor July 2, 1886. On May 8, 1892, the Office of
assistant secretary Of the treasury was dis
continued, and Tench Coke, its incumbent, was
appointed commissioner Of revenues and as
commissioners of internal revenue. On March
., 1849. the Office Of assistant secretary was re-
established.
sEcRETARIEs OF THE TREASURY.
There have been thirty-seven Secretaries Of
the Treasury from 1889 to 1885, as follows:
Alexander Hamilton, N. T.; date of COM
mission September II, 1889; expiration
OF service January 81, 1895 Oliver VOL
cott tr., Conn; February 2, 1875; December
81, 1900 Samuel Dexter, Mass. January /,
May Il, 1901; April 20, 1918. George W. Camp,
bell, Tenn; Februry 8, 1914; September IS,
1914. Alexander ]. Dallas, Penn: October 6.
1914; October 81, 1916. William H. Crawford,
Ga; October ~, 1916; March 8, 1925. Richard
Rush, Penn; March 2, 1926; March 8, 1929.
40, 1881. Louis McLane, Del. August s, 1881:
May 20, 1888. William J. Duane, Penn; May
29, 1888; September %, 1888. Roger B. fancy.
Md; September %, 1888; June "a, 1884. Levi
Woodbury., LII; June q, 1884; March 4, 1s41.
Thomas Ewing Ohio; March 5. 1s4l,
Penn semptember Is, ls41; February IS. 1873
John G: Spencer, NY; March 8, 1913; May 2,
1874. George M. Bibb, KY; June Is. 1874;
March 2, 1S45 Robert J. Walker, Miss. March
6. 1915; March 8, 1849. William NJ Meredith,
Penn; March 9; ls49; July 20, 1850: Thomas
James Guthrie, KY; March Z, 1858; March s,
1854. Howell Cobb, Ga; March 6, 1857;
December s, 1860. Philip F. Thomas, Md;
December II, 1860; January IA, 1861 John A.
Dix, NY; January II, 1861; March 6, 1861.
T. Chase. Ohio; March s, 1861; June
1864; March 8, 1866. Hugh McCulloch, Ind;
March 2, 1865; March 4, 1869. George S. Bout,
well, Mass. March IL, 1869; March 16, 1873.
William A. Richardson, Mass. March II, 1873;
June I, 1874. Benjamin H. Bristow, KY;
June 2, 1874; June 20, 1876. Lot NJ. Morrill,, Me-;
June q; 1876; March 9, 1877. John Sherman,
Ohio; March 9. 1877; March 8, 1881.
VIM. Window, Mimi; March s, 1881; Novem-
Der 10, 1881. Chas. J. Folger, N. Y; Novem-
Der IA, 1881; September 4, 1884. Walter Q.
Gresham, Ind; September "a, 1884, October
1884; March 6, 1885. Daniel Manning, NY;
March 2, 1885; April l, 1887. Chas. S. Fair
child, NY; April /, 1887; March 4, 1889. Will
lam Window, Mimi; March 6, 1889.
OF these Secretaries McCulloch and Window
each received two non-consecutive appoint
ments. At the second session of Congress the
Treasury and other departments were removed
from New York to Philadelphia, where it re-
NAMED for ten years, until 1900, when il was re-
moved to Washington.
sALARIKa
During Hamilton's term Of Office the Secre-
tary of the Treasury received but s3.5OO per
annum and the assistant secretary only 81, 500.
The same officials now receive, respectively.
%, 600 and $4,000 per annum. OF the thirty.
one clerks employed in the entire department
all except three received an annual salary of
principal clerk to the controller received $500,
while the treasurer's clerk and clerk to the
auditor received 5000 apiece. There were only
two messengers, one at $3.50 for the Office Of the
and assistant secretary and another
at same salary to act as messenger and Office
Keeper to the controllers, auditors and regis
ter's Office" That these salaries were propor-
tionate to those paid in other departments at
that time Is shown from the fact that there was
in the same year for one brigadier
general in the Department Of War $500 and for
the private secretary to the President for one
year the munifcent salary of $500. A briga-
der general now receives IS, 500 and the Presi-
dents private secretary is allowed $4,000 be-
side an additional amount often paid from the
Presidents private means. The entire appro-
priation for the Treasury department. for the
year 1880 was only, in round numbers, 5000.
exactly the sum appropriated in the present
year for the item OF stationery alone.
OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES.
Instead Of the thirty-nine officers and en-
ployes Of 1880 there are now in the Treasury
department proper at Washington between
D. 400 and 2, 500 officers and employees, while. in
Guiding the various employees outside of Wash
lngton, the Treasury now has on its rolls over
10, 900 names. It will cost tie government. in
round numbers, $4,000, 600 10 pay simply the
salaries OF employees in theTreasury building
and bureau OF engraving and printing at WASH
DESTROYED By FIRE.
On the 31st of March, 1893, nearly all the
papers in the Treasury department were
by fire, the origin Of which has never
been fully determined, although for some time
suspicion was fixed upon person who, il was
alleged, had conspired to destroy the records
for the purpose Of getting rid of some Treasury
documents involving him in dishonest trans
actions.
On the 18th Of April. 1888, Secretary McLane
issued circular to officers Of the customs re-
questing them, in view Of the disastrous con-
fagration, to do their part in restoring the
records by sending him duly authenticated
copies OF any letters written to or received from
the Secretary, stating that all others who had
been in Office, resident throughout the United
States and elsewhere, were also invited to con-
tribute similar copies as fully as practicable.
he further stated, however, that there had
been preserved records Of letters written by
the Secretary to presidents and. cashiers Of
banks from October /, 1919, to February 20.
1883; also all the correspondence relating to
1928, and to claims of Virginia officers to half
pay under the act Of July 8, 1882; applications
for the benefits of the acts of March q. 1881.
and July IA, 1882, for the relief of certain in.
solvent debtors Of the United States: and.
finally, copies Of all circular letters and instruc.
tons written by the Secretary. The wisdom of
such efforts to restore the records has been re-
peatedly illustrated, and as late as Secretary
Manning's term Of Office these copies have
been consulted and proved Of considerable
value.
OLD aEcoRDa
In the sub-basement Of the present Traasnrv