The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-09-09
SOLDIER PAYMASTERS.
Some Of the Disadvantages Under
which These Omcials Are Conn
PEELED to Labor.

Since the declaration OF war with
Spain the war department has added
70 paymasters and twice as many
clerks, under the emergency act pro-
viding for an increase. The work re-
CURED 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 keep
ing the accounts of the volunteers in
this vicinity, the paymasters are
obliged to take care of the accounts
of regulars and retired officers and
soldiers. There is no mercy shown to
a green paymaster. Whether he I'M
derstands the work or not, he has to
do the same amount as is given to a
paymaster who has been in the service
20 years. In fact, there is a growing
suspicion that the volunteer paymas-
ter gets the worst of it all round.
The retired list which new paymas-
tiers are required to wrestle with in the
paymaster's Office in this city COM
prises the accounts of 400 officers and
men who have been retired from the
service, but who are drawing three
quarters pay. These payments are
made once each month under an in
tricate system of bookkeeping. It is
so complicated that no business man
of to-day would think of applying it
to his own 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. I'm
Ter him at the present time are two
regular army paymasters, all ranking
Is majors. AS in the army proper,
there is nothing done in the pay de-
partment without orders, and the SOL
der who becomes impatient at not re-
ceiving his pay at the anticipated time
should not blame the paymaster. It
may be that he has not received his
orders.
The First New York volunteers were
paid off recently by Maj. Fowler at
Fort Hamilton, and the method of
procedure will serve to illustrate all
payments in the field. On the rolls
furnished by the company command
ers an estimate of the amount due
each man, less fines, was made by the
paymaster, and the latter, with his
clerk, went to the camp with sufficient
currency to pay off. At Fort Hamil-
ton the place selected for paying the
troops was the hall of the local lodge
1I
was lined up. one at time, in front of
the paymaster's desk, and as his name
was called out each man stepped for.
ward and received his money
First comes the captain, who re.
ceives $3.50; then the first lieutenant,
who takes $125. The second Heuten.
ant walks off with $116.67, and then fol-
low the noncommissioned officers, be-
ginning with the first sergeant, whose
compensation is $50 a month. After
the noncommissioned officers come
the privates, who receive $3.50 q
month instead of $13 a month, as for.
merly. In fact, in all the salaries OF
noncommissioned officers and privates
there has been a uniform increase Of
20 per cent.
When an entire regiment is paid off il
is done from what is known as the roll
of the field, staff and band, containing
the names of the brigade or regiment
al field officers. These officers are paid
by the paymaster in the same manner
that other payments are made, but the
amounts are much larger, the briga-
dier general receiving $45ss3 month;
colonel, $291.67; lieutenant colonel
$3.50. and major, $2Os.33. RegimentaI
quartermaster and regimental ad-
jutants receive $3.50, while the regi-
mental chaplain's pay is SIPS a month.
Commissioned officers may draw
their salaries from any paymaster,
and 1t is not infrequent that accounts
are duplicated. In such cases there is
trouble in store for the officer. Pay
masters, although they handle large
sums of money, are only under SIC, 900
bonds. They are responsible for the
accuracy of their accounts, and the
overpayment of money to soldiers is a
loss to the paymaster. The govern
ment checks up every item in the pay
rolls, and every error in payment is
charged back TO the paymaster. The
possibility of error is constant worry
to the volunteer paymasters. who are
unfamiliar with the work and who are
largely dependent upon their clerks.
For this responsibility their com
pensation is $208 month. Were it not
for the gold shoulder straps and the
rank of major which goes with the Of
fee there are few DovrD,ctare :, ~.