Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1897-01-28
THURSDAY EVENING. JAN. %. 1897.

AUOut tuin timOs cvShy ~ yS~'Ss
there is a good deal Of curiosity mani
fosted as to tho money value OF the
principal Offices in the Territory. The
fact is, that the popular idea OF their
worth is largely exaggerated; tor, 10
many cases, our county officers receive
more than a much higher grade of talent
and responsible lily receives in the United
States positions-in fact, some OF them,
such as the g%overno-ship, cost more
than they come to, and are practically
Offices OF honor and not Of profit.
To begin at the top, the governors
salary is 81 600. There are $500 for
contingent expenses, but that does not
nearly pay the Office expenses. Only
$500 are allowed for y clerk, (called
s.interpreter''), so that in order to
have any adequate clerical aid, the
governor has to pay an additional
amount himself, As Gov. Thornton is
now doing. The Office nets about
1900 to $4,000, and as the position
requires a certain amount of entertain
ing, and al kinds of calls are naturally
made on the executive, no n . live
on the amount. Gov. Sheldon sup
p~lemented the salary by doing outside
literary work and also he wrote for the
New Merican; Gov. Ross, though he
lived very moderately, left the Office
without = dollar, and had to return to
setting type as soon as his term ex-
pired; Gov. Prince, who kept up the
dignity of the Office rather more OK.
pensively, has stated that he ran be.
hind something over $1,000 . year,
and had to draw IS. 200 from eastern
properly in his four years; and Gov
Thornton has also to draw considerably
on outside means.
The s~ecretary's Office is q of th'
best, financially. The salary is $1,000,
but the pay is principally in fees
Corporation papers will average SIC
each; every notary 81; com mission Of
deeds S., etc., etc. In legis
lative year, certified copies Of actl
bring in a large amount. Then he has
q clerk at 3 l 1900, who is generally one
OF the family; Secretary Thomas had
his nephew; Secretary Miller has his
wife. There is also q messenger all
the year around, which means . man
to do all garden and household work
The office has been worth a. much al
81, 900 and can be counted on now fol
81, 800 to $500. The contingent funt
Is large and covers a good many house
hold things. Secretary Ritch accu
INFLATED quite a fortune while in the Of
Ace, which he invested In q ranch ant
cattle in tbs southern part Of the Ter
ritory.
The judgeships are paid 81. 900 eac1
by the United States, and of late year,
the Territory has also been paying nd
ditional salaries Of $500 each, sup
posed to be for expenses in attsndiuI
court, but, in reality, almost entirel
extra pay. For instance, the judge o
the second district never need leave hi
home, except to 80 twenty miles to Lo
Lunas on the cars, and his annual ex
psnse Is probably under $50. On q
average, the expenses may be s20C
leaving $500 of the extra pay as"vel
vet" and making the Office wort
O. $500.
The surveyor general receives 81,
500, and has large number of ap
pointees under him, and, in most cases
be has employed some member of hi
family, or in some way managed to en-
large the amount.
The u. s. marshal now receives
salary Of $4,000, with two salarie'
deputies. Tho amount of fees an
milesge, especially in civil cases, it !
difficult to compute. The Office is no
nearly so good as it was a few year
ago and there IL almost Away
an annual loss from items disallowed il
Washington. In most recent cases, tn
deputies have been relatives, so that
large sum IN the aggregate has beef
received by the family.
The U. s. attorney also has $4,000
and expenses whenever away from
horne, which can be made to cove
most Of the living expenses Of the year
Now there is q regular deputy, an,
since the pay was changed from fees t.
q fixed sum, this attorney does no
worry 80 much about the business ant
lets the deputy do much Of it.
The collector of internal revenue
receives $4,000 and has several ap
pointees---in fact, the deputy has done
most Of the work for several terms. 50
that the collector has not been inter
rupted much in his private business.
1t 10 a quiet, pleasant, very desirable
place.
The land Office officials vary accord
Ing to the business done, $4,000 each