The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1914-09-19
NATIONAL PAY DAY
1t Comes Twice a Month In the
District OF Columbia.
CRISP NEW BILLS ARE USED.

Extreme Care In Counting the Money
and In Safeguarding II In Transit.
Uncle Sam pays his employees In the
District OF Columbia on the 10th and
the last day Of every month.
Government pay days in Washing
ton are important dates. both to the
employees and TO the merchants and
others among whom the pay Is distri.
buted.
Uncle Sans paymaster In each de
partment is known as the disbursing
clerk or officer. This person is always
popular. When the disbursing clerk
begins preparations to pay of" the
first thing be does is TO draw a check
for the amount needed and take IL 10
the treasury department to have II
cashed. The check Is honored because
1t has been previously arranged for by
what is termed an accountable war
rant drawn and signed by the head of
the department. Such warrants are
Issued as they are needed by the secre-
tary or head OF each department
II the department Is large, and most
OF Uncle Sans departments in the
District are, the disbursing clerk Is
usually accompanied by an assistant
on his trip for the pay money. Both
are equipped with stout bags TO carry
the money and are always well armed.
When the disbursing clerk has pro
cured the money the next thing is 10
get in readiness for pay day. This is
the biggest end OF the work. but a
little machine is now used In most all
the departments to tighten the task.
In the getting ready process the first
thing the disbursing clerk does Is to
count the money very carefully. This
particular counting, by the way, Is
only n OF the great number OF count
ings 10 which the money used In pay
Ing Off Uncle Sans district employees
is subjected. 1t Is estimated, including
the counts from the time the money
issues from the bureau OF engraving
and printing to the time its circulation
broadens into the vast pay day chan
mel, that II is gone over on an average
OF a hundred times.
The machine prepares the envelopes.
and after the ~disbursing clerk has
counted the money he and his assist
ants place the required amount In each
envelope. In a few departments the
employees form a line and sign a ledg.
err TO receive their pay, but the general
rule is for the paying clerks to take the
pay envelopes around and distribute
them.
The bulk Of money used by Uncle
Sam In paying Off in the District is
usually fresh and crisp from the bu.
reau Of engraving and printing. OF
tentimes every bill In the payroll of
every department has never known a
fold or crease and is as fiat and as free
from wrinkles as It was the moment II
came from the press. AS n rule, the
disbursing clerks OF each department
endeavor to pay Off with brand new
bills. Badly soiled bills are never given
to Uncle Sans employees.
All the bills come from the big print
shop" as the bureau Of engraving and
printing1s Familiarity known in Wash
ington. From that place the money is
transferred to the United States treas.
ury. IL IL removed In a closed van and
Is guarded at the rear by from four 70
six detectives. mounted policemen aud
secret service men. Ii is received at
the treasury department and receipted
for TO those officials when taken away
by the dlsbursing clerks Of the various
departments.
After II leaves the treasury depart
ment the officials there are no longer
responsible for II, and II becomes the
care OF the officials OF the departments
TO which It has been consigned.
When the number OF employees OF
a department Is so great as to make
the pay roll a rather huge affair. the
money Is not carried away from the
treasury In bags by the disbursing
clerk and his assistant, but Is trans
ferred in a wagon.
These wagons are kept under strict
guard while they are In transit and
being unloaded. and the money re
TO the casual observer IL may
possibly seem that those handling the
money are careless with IL and are
a dangerous risk by exposing
the packages or bags. as the case may
be, TO ~passersby.
But should the casual observer have
any anxiety about this II would be just
as well to allay It at once, for not only
there a policeman or two close at
hand. but secret service men are there
also. and the misguided wrongdoer
who might hope TO grab a package and
make his escape is the widest possible
MISUNDERSTANDING Plain Dealer.