Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-18


ter's or commissary department of the
army, in mending mail bags in the Post
Office Department, in doing incidental
Jobs about the navy yards and other gov
eminent institutions. or those who are
employed by contractors engaged on gov
eminent work 1t does include. however.
all names on the pension rolls the Of
ficers and soldiers and sailors of the navy.
as follows:
In the executive civil service. 2S6. 902
In the postal service. ................. 1901
Postmasters Observation-Disclosures. 1858
Army ....................... Sp.OOO
NAVY Observation-Disclosures. $4,000
Mechanics and laborers in navy yards. 1876
Reclamation service. Observation-Disclosures. 10000
Panama canal. ........-............. 10000
Miscellaneous NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 25OD
Total Observation-Disclosures. 1923 81 8
The latest official register shows 2s63O2
persons employed in the executive civil
service of whom 1854 are subject to ap-
pointlnent by the executive, under the
civil service rules, including 172O53 men
and 1851 women.
Employed in the District.
OF these 2s.947 are employed in the Dis
trict of Columbia. and they drew sala-
ries amounting to S31.541 225 last year.
L
unvarying stream of cash from the dis
bursting Offices of the different executive
depa rtments and the Capitol into the
banks. stores shops. hotels and board
ing houses of Washington and it's SUBJ
urbs without the variation of a day.
Uncle Sam is a good paymaster: he never
asks his employees to wait; he never has
20 so to a bank to borrow funds to meet
his pay roll
that these salaries are about the same as
they were thirty years ago. There has
been very great change in the person
mel OF government employees during the
last generation. and very large increase
in the numbers, but no advance in the
compensation of the individuals except In
a few cases.
The regularity as we'll as the generosity
Of Uncle Sans paymasters makes Wash
ington prosperous No community in the
country. or in the world. for that matter.
is SO little affected by industrial uepres-
sions and commercial stagnation. No
matter what the price of stocks may be
or how the earnings of railways may fall
off. there is no reductions In the pay. The
salary list and the pension roll continue
the same-$2 81, 600 is disbursed in this
city every month to pay the butcher and
the baker and the candlestick maker. to
buy shoes for the children and pay the
milk bill and the rent. 1t may be said,
too, that the wage earners of no other
city are so we'll housed as are those of
Washington.
High Average Income.
1t is a familiar remark that the popu-
lation of Washington has a higher aver
age income than any city in the world.
and that probably is true While the
occupants of the prominent offices. the
IN 60 I1
not receive such large salaries as those
occupying positions of similar import ance
in the business and professional world
In New York, Boston, Chicago, st. Louis
and other great cities, and the leisure
class are not so rich here as elsewhere.
nevertheless manufacturing industries and
commercial enterprises. which employ
large numbers of low-paid men and wom-
en-, are entirely absent. The mechanics
and artisans of Washington earn wages
quite as high If not higher than those
of any other city except San Francisco.
During the last fifteen years a large
number of wealthy people have come
here to reside. They have built homes
and have contributed much to the beauty
as we'll as the prosperity Of Washington.
1t is popular impression that they have
assisted to advance the price of meats.
vegetables. poultry. eggs and other ne
cessaries as well as luxuries of life, and
have caused considerable decentralization
in the wages OF the house servant class,
yet they have contributed very largely
to the welfare of Washington. The win
ter resident is a valuable citizen.
What Brings Newcomers.
1t is common among us all to wonder
where the people came from who have
filled up the big apartment houses that
have been erectd during the last few
years and occupy the long rows of COM
Portable and even handsome homes that
have recently been built in the northwest
ern and the northeastern sections Of the
city. The residence limits of Washing
ton have extended northward nearly a
mile during the last twelve or fifteen
years. and are still pushing out toward
the Maryland line as fast as the street
car tracks are extended. Strangers often
inquire what there Is in Washington to
draw these newcomers; what causes the
rapid increase of population. The an
swer is found in the blue book which
contains the names of the employees of
the executive departments and the sala-
ries that are paid to each of them. If
YOU will compare the list of clerks and
officials In the different executive de-
partments in the blue book for 1901 with
that for 1907 you will see where a great
many Of the newcomers are employed
The following table will show the in
crease in the pay roll of the different
branches of the government in Washing
ton during the last seven years: