The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-08
HELPING THE FOLKS AT HOME.
SOLDIER BOYS SENDING LITERALLY
OF THEIR SMALL PAY.

POStOllcc and Express ONCE Almost
swamped by the Demand for Mon
ey Orders and Registering of Let
ters-Banks Selling Exchange On
New York to Many who Prefer TO
Remit in That Wny-Probably
Half of the Army Helps to support
Some One Left Behind.
The idea many entertain that all soldiers
are improyident spendthrifts, throwing
their pay to the winds as quick
~ as received stands in need Of correction.
II is erroneous, and is properly to be APP
Piled 10 but a minority Of any army.
As matter of fact, the average soldier
sends fair portion of his pay to his home
folks, instead of squanderng 1t in liquor or
other ways. This is easily apparent to
any one who will take the trouble to visit
the postofce or the express Office during
the hours their money order and register
ed letter departments are open. The long
lines of men in uniform ava ting their turn
to send money away is convincing proof
that the volunteer soldier is not quite
what some people imagine him to be from
the few registering fellows they meet com
ing our Of bars.
OF the money already distributed here
by the paymasters of the army, consider
able has been sent off to the various COM
munities from which the soldiers hail Yes
terday il was as much as two clerks could
do at the postoffice TO keep up with the
demand Of
istry department the calls were equally as
great Two hundred and sixty orders were
issued and nearly 800 letters were register
ed. On Saturday the business fell but
slightly below this. On the two days there
were fully 500 money orders issued and
nearly as many registered letters handled
from soldiers. In addition, many a man
doubtless sent a So or $40 bill home in
letter without registering trusting to luck
for it 10 reach its destination. Not less
than 1900 soldiers made use of the post
Office in this way.
But what was seen at the postoffice was
repeated at the express office during a con-
siderable part Of the day. There be-
tween 200 and 500 money orders were is
sued yesterday to soldiers, and somewhat
less on Saturday. In the two days there
were nearly if not quite 500 of the express
The amounts, both at the postoffice and
express Office, were larger than might
have been expected from The small pay
Of privates and on-cOmmissioned officers,
ranging generally from s. to SIS. Officers
sent much larger amounts, as a rule.
The banks have also been utilized by the
soldiers to get money home. Many New
York drafts have been issued to them. AS
the rate on amounts below $500 is but %
cents, the officers, sending amounts from
$50 TO $500 or more found it cheaper and
more convenient TO buy exchange rather
than money orders. Some, and probably
all, of the banks also favored them by is
suing several drafts to one party, if de-
sired, and charging for them as though
they were but one. This was greatly APP
precated. The banks have also done some
buying of exchange from soldiers, whose
people have sent them checks for sub
stantial amounts to equip themselves for
life in Cuba, or enjoy life while here To
many private soldiers in the Seventh Corps
the pay they receive is a bagatelle, and
their expenditures greatly exceed what
they receive from the government for
their services. Checks from home serve
to tighten the financial tension.
While the number who have bought ex-
change is not ascertainable, il is reason
ably certain that at least 1900 of the 5000
soldiers, who had been paid off up to Sat-
urday night. had sent money home Aver
aging the amounts at $40 to the individual
soldiers and there Is a total of $40, 900 which
is probably below rather than above, the
actual figures. From the disposition so far
shown it might be judged that fully one
half of the boys in blue or khaki cloth
will contribute literally out of their pay
to the support of those they have left be-
hind.