The National tribune., 1900-10-04
PHILIPPINEPAY CORPS
J ID y
Changes in the Personnel-Ques=
tions OF Money and Finance in
Our Efsterp'Hp Possessions

Chief Paymaster of Southern Luzon, and
| clerk, Mr.. Roscoe Beard; also Maj. Il. ID.
| Keleher, recently Chief of the Depart
ment of Receipts and Disbursements for
the City of Manila, and clerk Mr. Robert
Baldwin, left us on Aug. L. taking pas
sage on the transport Thomas for San
Francisco. Maj. Keleher to report to the
| commanding officer of the Department of
| California, and Maj. Gambrill to the Ad
jutant- General, u. S. A., ut Washington
Maj. James Candy thus becomes Chief
Paymaster of the Department of South
ern Luzon, and Maj. George L. Downey
Chief of the Departments of Receipts and
Disbursements for the City of Manila.
The Chief Paymaster for the Depart
ment of Northern LuZon is Maj. VIM. ii.
Comegys, who arrived here about April 1.
He in company with his clerk, Mr.. Robert
Nunan, had quite an exciting adventure
on his first pay trip. 1t occurred in the
Province of the Camarines, Southern Lu-
zon. The escort to the pay-wagon was
attacked in front just as the vanguard
had crossed small stream and the pay
wagon not yet over. The rear-guard all
Immediately went forward, leaving the
wagon protected only by the Major and
clerk. Fortunately no direct attack was
made upon the wagon, and the escort
scattered the ladrones in front, killing
several
Maj. George T.. Pickett had also an
opportunity to display his nerve on his
first pay trip in the Philippines, which
happened to be through the Province of
Iambales, where ladrones are numerous.
His escort was attacked, but the guard
stood valiantly by the Major and his
clerk. Mr. Oliver, and the robbers were
promptly routed.
The separation of the Pay Division of
the Philippines into departments went into
effect April Z of the present year, and i'll
addition to the two Chief Paymasters
mentioned, Maj. Theodore Sternberg be
came Chief of the Department of Visa
vas, with headquarters ut Iloilo, and Maj.
Charles Il. Stanton, Chief Paymaster of
the Department OF Mindanao and Jolo,
with headquarters at Zambianga.
ADVENTURES OF PAYMASTERS.
Maj. VIM. b. Rochester, jr, has also
served two years in the Philippines, and
Maj. VIM. B. Schofield will have been
here two years in October They are both
now attached to- the headquarters of the
division, assisting in the work of Col. Al
bert ). Iowar, Chief Paymaster. Mai.
Rochester has waived his opportunity to
return to tiiei Estates at present, and Mai.
Sternberg. who has been here as long, has
done the same. OF the eight Paymasters
and as many clerks constituting the Pay
Corps of Northern LuZon, all except Mai
NJ. h. Curry and clerk, Mr.. Arthur Wrig-
ley, and Maj Harry l.. Rees and clerk,
Mr.. j. Il. peasants, arrived here during
the present year. Maj. Rens and clerk
had rather an unpleasant experience III
making their payments for July. They
had to make'a ferriage on the upper Pa
sig. The safe was in a Dougherty wagon
drawn by four mules, and as they were
,I,a1x~ al, a.
ers went forward into the river, pulling
wagon, driver and all with them into 20
feet Of water. The leading mules and
driver managed to swim out, but the
Wheelcrs We're drowned, and it took a
whole day TO fish the safe out.
Maj. Francis l.. PaysOn, recently ap-
pointed, and clerk, Mr.. H. s. Alexander,
who, with their betterhalves, arrived here
May IS, had for their first experience In
the pay service of the United States
rather trying one. Their pay stations
were BOac, Martinique Island, and Lu-
cena, Lucban, Tayabas, Sariaya, Tiaon
and IagUlnman0c, all i'll the SOuthernmost
Province of Luzon; so they necessarily
had to go and return by water On at
tempting to make their first payment at
BOac it was found that the safe could
not be unlocked, there being some screws,
as was subsequently found, loose inside,
and the box had to be cut open, q la to-
mato can, with native tools, and thereafter
had TO be locked with rope. To obyiate
the danger of loss somewhat the Major
packed some mineral water in the safe
and carried his money in a hand-ba
Ihey got through safely, the mineral
water being carefully guarded by the sew
eral escorts. But in the return voyage
from Lucena to Manila they were struck
by genuine typhoon, which tossed their
little craft about like an egg-ShelI They
are now regarded as having been fairly
initiated into the service.
Maj. Arthur has had no very startling
experiences as yet, though his clerk, Mr..
Lucy, lost 500 through a thieving mu-
chaco. Nor have Maj. Wilkins and clerk
Mr.. Morey, had occasion to report any
thrilling encounters, though they may
have something of the kind to relate on
returning from their present hike Mai.
Monaghan has been so far exempt from
the startling in his pay trips that he is in
cllned to regard the danger element in the
accounts of some other Paymasters as
exaggerated; but he may run up against
it some day and then he will change his
mind.
Maj. George T. Holloway, who was i'm
the Southern Department, is now in the
United States on sick-leave, and his clerk,
MIR. Geo. Il. Eagan, of Atlanta, has re-
signed to engage in business in that city
"dJ. otyHiouT IIOWcIi, diSO OF the South
ern Department, who is convaIescing from
typhoid fever, has been offered a two
months leave to visit Japan, and his
clerk, Mr.. Il. Il. Lockwood, is now look
ing after his accounts. Mai. VIM. r.
Graham, of the Northern Department, is
just at present off duty from illness, and
his clerk, Mr.. Thrift, is doing duty as
extra clerk at headquarters
Our party Of six extra clerks who came
over together in January are now widely
scattered. Mr.. Cuneo and Mr.. BRYAN
were ordered home in June, and the lat
ter, poor fellow, died before reaching Ma
gasaki. Mr. Swan is in IIoilo with Mai
Sternberg, Mr.t'Iiissong is in Ccbu with
Maj. W. w. Gilbert, Chief of that sta
ton, and Mr.. Fidor is just now on a hike
with Maj. Coffin through Southern Luzon
Maj. Gilberts family, wife and two sons
are with him, and the youngest, we learn.
is just recovering from an attack of Bu-
bonc plague. The Southern Department
has been reinforced recently by Mai. Il.
G. Goodman, who arrived the middle of
last month. His family, wife and two
daughters, accompanied him and are re-
garded as very desirable accession to
American society here.
The very latest addition to the South
ern Department is in the person of Mai.
j. A. Watrous and clerle Mr.. Padmore,
who landed today, Aug. 90, after very
stormy passage ON the Grant.