The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-17
PAYING OFF THE TROOPS.
The Complicated Task Which the Volunteer
Paymasters Have to Perform.

TIT Complicated Task Which tho Volunteer
Paymasters Have to Perform.
One Of the pleasantest features Of army life is
the coming Of the Paymaster with his Rripsack
full Of money. Since the declaration Of war
with Spain the War Department has added
seventy Paymasters and twice as many clerks,
under the Emergency act providing for an in
crease. The work required is almost wholly
that OF expert accountants. Especially is this
true Of the Department OF the East. in New
York city, where. in addition to keeping the ac-
counts Of the volunteers In this vicinity, the
Paymasters are obliged to take care Of the ac-
counts of regulars and retired officers and SOL
diers. There Is no mercy shown to a green
Pavmaster. Whether he understands the work
or not, he has to do the same amount as Is given
to q Paymaster who has been in the service
twenty years. In fact. there is a growing sus-
picion that the volunteer paymaster gets the
worst OF 1t all round.
The retired list which new Paymasters are
required to wrestle with in the Paymaster's
office in this city comprises the accounts OF 400
officers and men who have been retired from
the service. but who are drawing three-quar-
tiers pay. These payments are made once each
month under an intricate system Of bookkeep-
ing. 1t is 80 complicated that no business man
Of to-day would think Of applying it to his W
business.
The retired officers and men are paid on the
first day of each month. Those residing in
New York receive their pay in currency at the
Paymaster's office. while those residing outside
the city are paid by check. The New York pay
department is under the control OF Lieut.. Col.
Wilson. who ranks next to Paymaster- General
Stanton. Under him at the present time are
two regular army Paymasters and three emer-
gency or volunteer Paymasters. all ranking as
Majors. AS In the army proper, there is moth
ing done in the pay department without orders,
and the soldier who becomes impatient at not
not blame the Paymaster. Il may be- that he
has not received his orders.
of r reee F1IS' by Sf Maj oGG Fow yiS,Ga az fost TGTs PAID
and the method Of procedure win serve to Illus
trate all payments in the field. On the rolls
Furnished by the company commanders an es-
innate OF the amount due each man. less fines,
was made by the Paymaster. and the latter,
Currency SirP nts ' to pay W III. At Il i Fort ff Ham Tita 9 tRe p 3
selected for paying the troops was the hall OF
panyw was lined up. one at a time. in front Of the
Paymaster's desk, and as his name was called
out each man stepped forward and received his
First comes the Captain, who receives $50:
then the First Lieutenant who takes, $125.
and then follow the non-commissioned officers.
beginning with the First Sergeant, whose com,
celye $3.50 q month instead OF SIG a month.
dS lOTIuoIly In TACT, IN Ill Lne salaries OF nom
commissioned officers and privates there has
been q uniform increase of 20 per cent,
When an entire regiment Is paid on It is done
from what Ia known as the roll Of the field, stan
and band. containing the names OF the brigade
or regimental field officers. These officers are
paid by the Paymaster in the sans manner that
other payments are made, but the amounts are
much larger. the Brigadier-General receiving
$45S.S3 a month Colonel. $20l 81: Lieutenant
Colonel. $3.50, and Major, $20S.33. Regimental
QuarteTmaster and reglmental, Adjutants re-
ceiSe SloO, while the regimental Chaplain's pay
10 S125 a month,
Commissioned officers may draw their salaries
from any paymasteE, and IL is not infreQuent
that accounts are duplicated. In such eases
there is trouble in store for the oflcer, Paw
masters. although they handle large sums Of
money. are only under 10000 bonds. They
are responsible for the accuracy OF their ac-
counts. and the oyerpayment of money 10 SOL
diers is a loss to the Paymaster, The Govern
every error In payment. is charged back TO the
Paymaster. The possibility Of error is a con-
slant worry to the volunteer Paymasters, who
are unfamiliar with the work and who are
largely dependent upon their clerks.
For this responsibility their compensation is
$2O6 a month. We're 1t not for the gold shout
der straps and the rank OF Major which goes
with the Office, there are few Paymasters In the
volunteer service who would accept the place.
SOM whose incomes from their private bust
ness exceeded that OF their salary. hut whose
age disqualified them for army service. who
haye Joined the pay Department. that they might
acquire a military title. Such OF these Pay
masters as have been assigned to the Depart-
ment Of the East are fast realizing that they
are paying dear for their utsSs