The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-15
PAY DAY At THE FORT
Accuracy and Rigii Discipline E1er-
ciSed as in Other Matters.
HOW THE SYSTEM WORKS
The Wages of Each Man Comes In
an Envelope. Which Is Distrib-
uted in the Neatest Order
Scenes on Such Occasions.

Missoula, April 14-It is not so very
long ago that the troops in the western
posts of the Emitted States were not
sure when they would get their pay
Sometimes it was once in three months
that the paymaster got around. some
times IL was once in six months. II
was never as often as once in month.
When the paymaster came ne came
unannounced and got away as quickly
as possible There was nothing bust
nesslike about IL and II was as I'M
pleasant as possible for all concerned.
With the advent Of the railroad TINS
state of affairs was remedied a lttle
and pay day came more regularly but
there was still the same cumbersome
paymaster system and the older OIL
GERS who were familiar with the situa-
ton were not slow to express their
opinion of the arrangement ana TINS
opinion was in no way favorable one.
1t was argued that the system In
volved a great deal of unnecessary ex-
pense and that IL could be made much
more efficient and much cheaper by fol-
lowing the plan by which the railroads
pay their men. There was no one In
authority who was inclined to interfere
in the matter and recommend any
change, so matters went on as they
had and the paymaster service con-.
large number of friends of politicians
who were to be provided for in some
way All this time, however, the OFF,
GERS had been exercising their inalien-
able right Of kicking and the question
was kept more or less prominently be-
fore the powers that be and in time II
came about that patience had its re-
ward and the authorities gave the mat
ter some consideration. III was not till
the present administration came into
power that there was any serious
thought given to the question. Secre-
tary Lamont has applied business
methods to the affairs Of the depart
ment. in most matters, and when he
looked at this problem he saw that the
hckers had some ground for their COM
plants and did what he could for them.
That is why he is so popular with the
army men.
Thus 1t came about that the order
was issued that the commanders of
army posts do the paying of their men,
the money being sent to them from the
paymasters' offices. The system is iden-
tioal with that of the railroad compa-
MES. except that I'm the army the pay
is sent In cash instead of in checks.
The company commanders send i'm to
the paymaster the pay rolls OF their
companies and the pay for each COM
pany Is sent in a package by Itself.
This money comes to the commander
by express and is received by the same
escort that used to turn out for the
paymaster. The precious parcel Is
taken to the post and the officer who
acts as paymaster attends to the dis
bursement. At Fort Mssoula this is
usually the duty of Major McKibben
but as he is absent on court martial
duty Colonel Burt attended to Il HIM
self yesterday. The whole business Is
transacted with exactness and precis-
ion and there is little or no chance for
error. In speaking of the operation of
the new plan to a Standard reporter
yesterday, Colonel Burt said: II am
sure that the plan will be found salts
factory unless some one gets careless
and makes a mistake. Then the friends
OF the old system will say, told you
So. For that reason we take all the
precautions possible and there is small
chance for error"
IT was 2 o'clock yesterday morning
when the ambulance and its attendant
guard jolted into the gate at Fort Mis-
soula with THE cash TO pay the men. In
the strong box was the sum of $4,645.67
The pay for each company was in a
package by itself and inside this each
mans pay was I'm an envelope upon
which was written his name and the
amount which he was to receive
Everything was in the neatest and
most accurate shape. The ambulance
and Its valuable cargo rumbled up to
the headquarters building and the lieu
tenant in charge of the detail took out
the money and guarded il until the last
cent was paid out.
The commanding officer has been no.
titled of the arrival of the detail and
uhe adJutant is instructed that all Is
In readiness for the paying of the men,
At the door OF the headquarters build
ing the trumpeter is stationed and in
obedience to a command, he sounds on
his bugle telegraphic call to the sew
eral companies. One by one the COM
pany buglers answer the call and
when the last one has answered. the
ougle at headquarters sounds the mes
sage that II is time TO pay. All this IS
done in the Morse alphabet and takes
but little time. The scheme is a device
OF Colonel Burt's and gives excellent
satisfaction. Under the old system the
orderly would have 10 walk TO each
company with the message The last
OF the company burglars has sounded
1 l., which means 'all right" and
the adjutant is about TO pder
the companies 10 turn out when IL be-
gins 10 rain. This is an excellent op-
poTNunity 10 demonstrate the practi-
cal use OF the telegraph system. The
early uniform call on the bugle was
''bl. which means that the men were
20 turn out in blouSes But IL rains too
hard for that 50 the adjutant tells the
bugler TO tell ne men TO don their over
coats. Again the bugle gives the queer
terky monotonous call. This time the
letters sounded are IN G." which is the
code for oveTcoats and there Is a hurry
ing In all Of the barracks as the men
run for their overcoats. Always PROMPT
20 obey they are doubly so this time.
They do not wish TO delay the proceed
ings In which all of them are 80 deem
ly interested. II is quick work and in
less time than II takes to tell II the
men are ready. The call sounds again,
the old melodious call this time no