The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-05-29
THEY LIVED LIKE PRINCES.
POSTAL AUTHORITIES IN CUBA EN-
JOYED MANY PERQUIsITEs.
rector General Rnthbone I'm the
Way of Incidentals for Himself
and Aides In Excess of 800, 600.

NEW YORK. May ga special to the
Tribune from Washington says:
One interesting and important branch
of the Cuban investigation will be that IN
relation to the perquisites enjoyed by the
officials and clerks there, by virtue or
their official and clerical status, and
also that relating to miscellaneous ex-
penditure.
In the accounts of Director General
Rathbone, for example, the sum of Sl1,-
1919 is charged to per diem" That
was the total for the year 1899. This,
1t appears, was not expended in that year
for day wages, but "for allowances or
perquisites" enjoyed by himself and mem
bers of his official and clerical stan,
which was a large and very expensive
one. resembling in those respects that
of a governor of an Indian or an At
rican province. rather than that of
governor of a territory like New Mexico
or Oklahoma. II is reported that. in
addition to his salary of $3.50 year, the
director general received a per diem
allowance amounting to s.. or H.SS
year. and that the head of each of the
ten or eleven bureaus which consti-
tuted the department of posts received
a similar allowance" at the rate OF 81
n day. The regular yearly salaries rang
ed from 1900 TO 5000. There was also
force OF inspectors and clerks, who
received per diem allowances" ranging
from $i.25 for a sl.20o clerk to 81 or
higher grades There was no exercise of
parsimony in that branch of the director
generals official establishment.
1t is also said that the director gen,
eral himself enjoyed other large personal
"perqulsites;' that the large palace" oc-
cupied by him as a residence. I'm which
he set up a court rivalling in magniticence
and splendor that of the military COVER
nor of Havana, was paid out OF the pos
tai revenues Of Cuba; that expensive
alterations and repairs of the palace"
were also paid for out of the Cuban rev.
enues. A member OF the senate commit
tee has also been informed that, among
other large items of expenditures charged
under the head of miscellaneous in the
director generals account in the last year
was one amounting to 1880 for uphol-
STEERING. dry goods, etc, purchased at a
single establishment in the United States
This, and many other equally question
able expenditures. were borne by the rev.
enues of Cuba.
The heading miscellaneous" covered a
cred total OF 81 ,oO9.i4.
The four totals under the headings per
diem" miscellaneous, building and re-
pairs and rent" makes an aggregate OF
sll3 .30s7 49, Besides these, there is a charge
of 4973 for Transportation" distin-
gushing 1t from mail" transportation
and star route" service. The amount
expended In payment for carrying. the
mails. If II be added to the totals, si13,-
sS.79. the total will amount to si31, 75s5l
To this should be added 81 ,l05 26 for car
riage. harness and equipments
''perquisite" OF the director general max
ing an aggregate of 1924. S6S77 This was
SAC, ALB in excess of the total expendi-
lures on account OF Star route service"
mall transportation, letter carriers, rail-
way postal clerks, mail messengers. mail
wagons and mail bags. which amounted
to only SIS, 422A
The total per diem allowances alone
amounted to more than % per cent OF
that total, and that, in turn. amounted
to less than 30 per cent. OF the total
amount paid salaries TO Director Gen
eral Rathbone and his official and clerical
stan at the headquarters of the Cuban
postal service