The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-06
HOW MERCHANTS ARE PAID.
As Rule They Wait on the Govern
ment Two TO -Four Weeks.

meuf Two 10 EOur weeks
The Urhel States government is the
only purchaser who exacts a receipt from
the seller sometimes month in advance
os the payment of the account. But that
is Uncle Sans way of doing business. and
as his credit is pretty good he has no
trouble in getting all the supplies he
wants on such peculiar terms. Although
ne holds receipts which show that bills
have been paid when they haven't been
settled al all, he has never yet been known
to fail to make the account good and re-
deem the receipt at its face value.
There are two officers in Savannah
charged with buying supplies, with whom
| local merchants are already fairly well ac-
quainted. Tney are Maj. G. w. Ruthers
OF the subsistence department and Lieut.
Ooi' Fchd OF the quartermasters depart
ment. Maj. Ruthers not only buvs for
the Seventh corps, but for the troons
over large area, his being a general com
Hllssary department, Issuing supplies on or
GERS from various commands. Col POND
on the other hand, buys solely for the
seventh Army Corps. While Mai Ruthers
furnishes all food supplies for the men
Col Pond provides hay. grain. etc. and is
heaVy buyer from wholesalers.
are TWO ways or paying for the
supplies, either by check issued here on
the New York sub-treasurv or b,, 49,
ury warrants sent out from Wasbingtoy,
Maj, Ruthers has already paid out consjd-
cradle here for supplies bought for his de-
partment There has been little DELAY
AFTER the receipt of statements by him in
some instances the check being in the
merchants hand the next day. This is
not generally the case, though. in settling
up accounts against the government. De-
lays of thirty days or more are under
stood to be the rule, caused by the enor-
nous mass of such business that falls m
on the headquarter officials at Washing
ton.
Written orders are almost Invariably
given for all goods bought by any depart
ment. Maj. Ruthers will deposit a general
order for a carload of vegetables, for in
stance, and issue numerous smaller or
ders against it. At the close of a month.
or at whatever time he desires. a state
ment Is called for from the merchant of
goods supplied on certain acquisitions, the
numbers of which are given. The. state
ment must be fully itemized so
that it can be readily checked up by the
auditing officer. AS a rule four state
ments, all fully receipted, are required,
two in the regular business bill head of
the merchant and two on official blanks
furnished by the government, one of each
going forward to Washington and the
others being retained by the purchasing
officer as his voucher for the expenditure.
The official form of statements are certi-
fed TO by the purchasing officer who at
tests that "the account is correct and lust
and that the articles were supplied as
stated and were necessary for the public
service" At the bottom there is a blank
to be filled in at Washington. giving the
number of the check issued in payment of
the account, the amount, etc. Each of the
statements, as mentioned, must be re-
ceipted. plain. ordinary, everyday re-
ceipt does not seem to answer. 1t must be
expressly stated which member of the
firm signed the receipt, in this fashion:
Received payment, John Smith & Co.
by James Harrison, member of the firm -
The government is said to be quite partic-
ular about this matter of form.
After the merchant has made put the
statements, and receipted them, the prob
abilities are that they will be forwarded
| to Washington, to the department head
| quarters. There they win come up IN their
turn for payment. Thousands of bills are
pouring in and it takes time to examine
! them and see that they are ia proper form.
| that the total amount is correct, etc. The
| government doesn't take anything for
| granted and if there is anything incorrect
| there is bill held up until it is righted,
| Everything being correct, though, In any
where from fortnight to four or five
weeks the merchant will some day receive
a large official envelope and on OPENING
! it will find the coveted draft on the treas.
ury. Only this and nothing more The
| government does not desire any letters OF
| thanks or formal notices that the check
| has been received. If it was not received
it is naturally supposed the creditor will
! be heard from.
The principal buying here will be Of
| food for men and animals. The ordnance
| department is hardly likely to expend a
| dollar in Savannah. The medical supply
| department, though, may develop into a
large buyer, although the great bulk Of
| it's supplies is received from Northern
| centers.
| OupOSvuUON N TfNnuunAGxrNC