The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-09-12
AFFAIRS OF THE DISTRICT
Report of the Discussing Officer
for the Last Fiscal Year.
OF Credits Agereanting SG..o0,117.42.
There SIN Remains i'm the Treas
ury T:.iS. S5I .67-How the Money
.Sas spcnt-Estimate of Expenses
for Attorney DuyaIFs Office.

c. c. Rogers. Disbursing officer for the
District. yesterday submitted his report
for the fiscal year ending June 80, 1860, to
the Commissioners. 1t is as follows:
Warrants were placed TO the credit of
the Disbursing Officer with the United
States Treasurer aggregating 5000, HE;
checks were issued to the amount of
s6.3G1 .259.75. leaving balance on hand
with the Treasurer of the United States
June so. 1909. subject to my check, of $685.
S5767
The number of checks issued during the
year was 1880, in payment of salaries of
the employees and all other claims against
the District government
In reference TO the payment of employees
/ have to state that the pay rolls of the
several departments are made out in du-
plicate and after having been audited and
approved for payment by the Auditor of
the District are received at this office.
THE first duty we have is to ascertain
the exact denominations of each amount on
the rolls. They are then numbered, envel-
opes are made out with name of employe
and amount of money due him. The en-
velopes are also given a number, which
must correspond exactly with the pay roll
as regards name and amount of money.
All this work must be compared and
checked to avoid mistakes after which the
/ money due each employe is put in the en-
! yelope and we are then ready to pay. All
! pay rolls must be signed in duplicate. Hun
! dreds of laborers are paid on the works
| while at the same time we are paying many
people at the office. In cases where a
mark is made il requires the signature
many hundred times of clerks in the office
| as witness to the same.
| "A conservative estimate of the paw
ments made TO !he District employees dur
| ing the last fiscal year shows $25. 60
| checking he last fiscal year shows SIS, So
by check, S46,s00 in cash; total $72 ASP. or
an average of $4,000 per month. In addi-
| ton to the above 5000 witness fees and a
| great number of payments on account of
coroner's jurors and lunacy cases were
made
THE school teachers. police, fremen.
and employees OF the Washington Asylum
! were paid by check every month.
THE employees of the District building.
including officials. clerks messengers and
laborers, the judges of the Police Court
and attaches. all per diem clerks. in
spectors, foremen. and laborers on the
pubic WORKS were PAID Twice eacn month,
| with but few exceptions. in cash.
Employees OF the Freedmen's Hospital
Industrial Home School District militia
and Bathing Beach were paid in cash the
| last day Of each month.
The present system of paying in cash
! since the creation OF the disbursing Office
is a Vast Improvement over the oil method
| when all payments by the District were
made by check. A few years ago wher
the old system was in vogue an old coz
! ored man. $50 ] am informed) received
| thirteen checks within a period of two
weeks employment, and often many OF
| the laborers had great difficulty in having
| their checks cashed. Thrifty people often
charge them a fee or induced them to
spend money at their place of business
| for the accommodation. which resulted in
their parting with large portion of their
small earnings before they reached then
| homes. causing considerable distress to
their families.
Il respectfully call your attention to
| the fact that the force in my office, Mr.
Jones Mr. Dean. and Mr. Daley have
been very efficient and painstaking. and
| have performed their ariuous duties faith
| fully and we'll. They have been willing
at all times to work after Official hours
which we do a great many days during
| the year.
"In conclusion cannot fail to express
my sincere appreciation OF the unfailine
| kindness and support given me by the
| Commissioners in the discharge Of the
duties of my Office"
The Attorney for the District of Co
| lumbia A. b. Duvall yesterday submitted
his estimate for the expenses of his office
during the current fiscal year, as follows: