The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-27
WAR OFFICE Employees
Clerical Equipment Far Beyond the
Roster Exhibit.
Regulars in the service Greatly Out
numbered by the workers Regis
Functionaries of the Various
Corp~-A Small Navy on the Rolls.

terlnaster's Department at large. for in
stance. the latter are greatly in The mi
nority.
hence. it is that the annual Register
of the War Department, which contains
only the names of the employees proper
is misleading in regard to the number
Of persons actually on the pay r5l. The
last Blue Book" contains the names Of
s55 chief clerks. clerks. stenographers,
typewriters, oopyists. messengers. jani-
tors interpreters, veterinary surgeons,
engineers, assistant engineers, black
smiths. cooks, wagon masters. transfers.
frs; and second-class packers. ware
housemen. checkers. Cdtters. inspectors,
and assistant inspectors. watchmen, at
men. herders. chief plumbers, etc. be-
longing to the QuartermasleI's Depart
ment al large Eight vessels are down
as owned by it on July l, 1899, besides
which there is a list Of thirtytwo army
transports owned by the War Department,
and under the charge OF the Quartermas-
ter's Department which is generally re-
garded as the most important branch OF
the War Department il point OF equip
ment. expense, and number Of employees.
The Corps Of Engineers, however, is
rapidly gaining on the Quartermasler's
Department in these respects Its depart
ment clerical force, as set forth in the
Register OF the War Department" num-
bers only some eighty persons-clerls.
messengers, etc, but he who would de-
rive his idea OF the magnitude Of the olice
from these statistics would be grossly
mistaken.
There is also an Engineer Department
a; large" which is very large affair
indeed. the details OF the working of
which are. 50 far as regards the outside
public, complete mystery Very many
army officers Themselves. VINO are cfi,i als
OF the War Department as we'll, know lit
tie concerning the sphinX-like bureau.
The last Blue Book" contained list Of
1928 names on the various rolls at
large and this number is said to have
increased up to date. There is not in
cluded in this estimate the engineers
Office nor the War Department tleriCal
force. nor either tie Mississippi CT Mis-
souri, River Commissions, all of which
would add some eight or nine hundred
names to the roster
One hundred and twenty-six off ers OF
the Engineer Corps OF the Regular army
control this enormous number Of en-
ployes The functionaries include brig
adler general. at the head OF the bureau
proper in this city; seven colcnels, four
teen lieutenant colonies. twenty-eight
majors thirty-fve captains, tweniy-eight
first ielteEants. ana fifteen second Leu
tenants Several of these are required 20
assist the chief Upward of one hundred
and eighty civilian engineers are required
10 assist the army officers. the principal
Aa#L trrHWa n ~ EEnFfn n
river ana harbor work of the country.
A few are engaged at present upon forti-
fcations and a considerable proportion
are employed upon miscellaneous assign
ments. There are a great number OF Ia
borers, of course, enf0loyed by the BID
reau. but there are also hundreds OF
clerks. steuographers. and other clerical
assistants. In regard to variety, the en-
ployes Of the Engineer Department may
be said to outrival those of the Quarter
masters Il has. moreover. small lazy
OF It's own. consisting Of 2l0 vessels Of all
kinds. besides the fiji cen owned by the
Mississippi River Commission and ten
others belonging TO the Missouri River
Commission, both Of which enterprises
Come under the Jurisdiction Of the Engi-
neeT Corps Of the army.
There are 272 persons employed by the
Mississippi River Commission. besides the
members of the commission. and regu-
lar engineer officer who acts as . cretary
and dtsbUrsing officer. The list includes,
besides seven clerks. nin9zfiyllian engin-
GERS INSPECTORS. draugl@smen. aXmen.
carpenters. computer. cooks. deck hands.
gauge Observers. laundresses, printers.
pressuen. recorders. steam engineers.
stewards. stokers. surveyors and walters.
On he whole. this equipment reminds one
OF an expedition for the purpoe OF eG-
ploraJion in the unknown wilds Of Africa
rather than one whose labor is restricted
to q centre OF civilization and commerce.
There are contained. however. in the
pending River and Harbor bill some very
remarkable items for the improvement
Of divers creeks and sO-called rivers to
discover which viii doubtless call for the
daring and equipments Of the explorer, as
well as the ability and skill OF the en-
gines-.
rte Missouri River Commission Is even.
nerhaps a more notable affair than the
Mississippi organization. 1t is a well-rec-
oeuized fact that there Is little commerce
en- the former stream, and it is very rare
". indeed. that q steamboat other than a
Government vessel is seen there. Even the
tramp steamer does not venture Tar upon
its treacherous waters. The secretary OF
the commission is a regular engineer cap
tain. besides which there Is chief clerk.
and TWENTY-FIVE clerks-one at 81. EO9. two
a. 81 500 four at 81 500 three at Sl.2OO.
tv-o al 81 CSC six at $500 and four at 1920.
The civilian commissioners receive S-.50O
a.d their exnenses There are nine civil
lar, engineers in all-three at $1,000 a year.
three Il 81 SEQ. one at 81 500. and two at
81 200 Besides these engineers there are
ok drarghtsmen-one at 800. one Al 81
EC3. three at $1,000 and one at Sl,06o.
Ausrt from the four army officers con-
uqeted With the commission. the foregoing
constitute most of the higher salaried on
r.9fs connected with he organization IN
addition there are however shipmates.
uilats oyerseoTs tcf whom there are four,
with len sub-oyerseers). a surveyor. steam
engineers. etc. who draw each, from 81 200
20 g.. 100 q year. Besides this class. there
are = iarItor. teams and teamsiers. and
sixteen wa;chmen. Il Is a remarkable fact
and orc 10 be noted that out OF a total Of
90 employees under this Missouri River
Commission PSI have been appointed from
Missouri. This has been commented upon
asa r. .ho- unequal distribution OF patron
nae connected with an enterprise pre5um
ably Of equal Importance TO several other
States besides Missouri. Il may be noted.
also that the number Of clerks exceeds
that of ne Mississippi River Commission
three 10 one.
Both these commissions have gradually
dpyelcped into Independent bureaus each
with a feet Of g Gamers and employing n
body Of assistants which. in their various
avocatiofs may be said to combine all
the requisites for establishing a common
wealth in he most deserted quarter Of
the globe An examination into the real
facts shows the Engineer DEPARTMENT at
large" 10 be the most extensive bureau of
the United States Government, exceeding
the largest OF the great Treasury bu-