The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1902-12-06
SIGNS NAME ALL DAY.
Chicago'n Busy Comptroller of City
Fsnds Goes ON Writing, Even
when He Talks.


One of the highest salaried and
most responsible city officials has his
hands simply tied to q pen. From
the time he reaches his Office until he
leaves it at night he writes. He
writes while he talks. Visitors come
and go, conferences are held, matters
of finance discussed, problems of city
administration considered, and this
official, interested in all of them and
u final authority in many, continues
writing, says the Chicago Chronicle
The writing is constant repeti-
ton. When the official finally lays
aside his pen at night his days work
Ii represented by succession of sig
natures. Probably a thousand times
day he writes 81. Il. McGann."
1t is the work of clerk, yet the
character of the comptroller's duties
is such that the man ut the head OF
the financial bureau of the city must
spend most of his time doing merely
mechanical labor. At certain times
during the month the comptroller is
confronted with such a mass of docu
ments which requires his signature
that he is threatened with the writ
er's cramp."
There is no remedy for it. A stamp
cannot be used, or the comptroller
will not use one. He signs his name
to warrants, vouchers, bonds and
other documents by the thousands
To complete the work which flows
constantly into his Office he has tc
stick to his pen even while important
conferences are being held. Other
city officials come to him with prob
lens. The comptroller listens and
talks and keeps on writing the eight
letters which compose his name.
Sometimes, in the absence of Mayor
Harrison, he is acting mayor as well
as comptroller, and the volume OF
documents requiring signatures IL
considerably increased. At the same
time the amount of business he has
to transact is augmented.
Every time the public school teach
ers are paid Comptroller Mccain
writes his name 5000 times. That is
once month. In year the comp
troller has signed his name 10000
times to warrants for the salaries OF
the public school teaching force. Evs
cry city hall pay warrant contains his
signature. Every bond bears it.
When the duties of mayor are ad.
ded the comptroller is obliged to
write his name to all free, permits
all bridewell pardons, and all dog
pardons. Whenever a bill is paid the
comptroller writes his name. No
matter how trivial the item, Mr.. Nc.
Gam has to put his signature to the
warrant before it is payable.
The comptrolled is paid $500 a
month. The majority of his time Is
occupied with doing the work of
SITS month clerk.
"If you don't mind" he says to his
visitors, ''I'll just keep on writing"
II never counted the number Of
times l have to sign my name," he
said. 81 have intended to keep coun'
for week and get fair average.
1t is sometimes tremendous. II
practically keeps me tied to the writ
ing desk. My work is just constant
succession of signatures. The man
i'll this position is supposed TO work
with his head, but as matter of fact
he works with his hands.
sit is work that clerk would
do. Every pay roll has to be signed
by the comptroller, and the teachers
salaries alone require 5000 signatures
a month. Every warrant that is
drawn has to be signed. Then there
is all the miscellaneous correspond
ence which passes through this Office,
and all the letters have to be signed