The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-17
EXTRAVAGANCE
IN POSTOFF|CE
DEPARTMENT
THIRTY-FIVE DOLLARS PAID FOR
WASTE PAPER BASKETS, $2ss
DESKS AND $500 TABLES SOME
OF PRICES PAID BY HITCHCOCK
FOR FURNITURE.
BY Tavenner.

Washington, June 16.-Thirty-ffve
dollar wastepaper baskets, 1928 desks
and $500 tables were some of the little
economies effected by Postmaster Gen
eFal Hitchcock in refurnishing his red
room" and brown room" offices.
These and other examples of repub-
lican extravaganza were revealed in
testimony taken by the house commit
tee on expenditures in the postoffice
department.
Mr.. Hitchcock sanctioned the expen-
diture of $500 in refurnishing three
rooms, $4,000 of which went to fur
nishing the postmaster generals pri-
vate office alone. Circassian walnut
furnishings especially designed and
manufactured, and specially designed
carpets and draperies furnished the
nucleus Of this expenditure.
In no instance were bids advertised
for, or. competition permitted. The
lucky dealer had but to state his price
and secure an order upon the treasury.
Five hundred and forty dollars pur-
chased two mahogany davenports for.
American royalty; $3.50 brought in two
arm chairs; $9S produced a table; S2S5
purchased second desk, and $3.50
third. A wardrobe to hang coats in
cost 1865. One rug was purchased at
$4S3.75. Another davenport in Circas-
sian walnut with pillow" cost Uncle
Sam 1866. Draperies for one room
cost $500. Parquetry flooring in one
room cost 1892. A telephone table cost
$64. A table with black marble top
also cost $64 1t cost 1852 to "scrape"
the woodwork in the private Office pre-
paratory to new finish.
Such was the measure of Mr.. Hitch
cocks economy in matters pertaining
to his own personal comfort. In mat
ters concerning the employes-the rail-
way mail clerks for instance-he fol-
lowed entirely different lines of pro-
cedure.
OVerworking Employees.
Mr.. Hitchcock figured IT out one day
that by making three men do the work
of four, he could make a record for
economy in the railway mail division.
The already overworked railway mail
clerks were driven beyond the limit of
endurance. Conditions in the west, es-
pecially in the tenth division, became
intolerable. Open rebellion broke out
on the Pierre Tracy line. the men re
fusing to do the extra work imposed
upon them. Ten men were suspended.
Then FIVE of them were reinstated, but
refused to return to work without their
northwest. The clerks met in mass
meeting at st. Paul, MINI. They are
now forcing the postmaster general to
relent in his plan to economic by
overworking the railway nTil boys.
Strange working of the Hitchcock
economy bump also caused the post
master general to pay the full year
salary of $4,000 to A. w. Lawshe, third
assistant postmaster general, while
the latter sojourned in New Mexico re-
cuperating in health and looking after
the interests of the republican party.
but performing no government service
whatever
Still another example of Hitchcock
economy was his appointment of
pseudo lame duck commission" of sour
of his intimate friends and staunch
political supporters to go on sort of
Holy Grail conquest at the govern
ment's expense. The commission in
vestigated thine recorders" in various
cities, and managed to disburse in ex-
penses sums that would have gone e
long way toward making unnecessary
the discharge of railway mail clerks.
The average amount spent by each
Of the committee for subsistence was
between nine and ten dollars day.
Transportation expenses for each man
for a period of less than two months
averaged $500, Among many items of
expenditures charged to and paid by
Uncle Sam appear barber fees, bath
charges, telephone bills, shines, news
stand charges, in fact, almost every
thing possible in such category ex-
Get laundry, cigars and florists bills.
The Hotel Willard in Washington, the
Aston in New York and kindred hostel
ries were employed to shelter the gov
eminent emissaries. Porter fees aver
aged fifty cents. The commissions"
always purchased Pullman tickets, and
cab fares are thickly sprinkled among
the vouchers. Sometimes the commits
sioners travelled alone, but generally
together, as behooves any we'll ordered
pleasure-loving government committee
How gratifying all this must be to
the discharged postal clerks while they