Evening star., 1914-04-08
Finds 341 Passenger Autos,
Costing $4O4,637.75, Are
Used at U. S. Expense.
HORSE-DRAWN CARRIERS
ARE SAID TO TOTAL 1886
But One Cabinet Officer Has Motor,
Although Others Are Blessed
With Several Carriages.

Senator Martin of Virginia, chairman
of the committee on appropriations. has
gathered together from all the govern
ment departments and bureaus, and
from the District of Columbia heads,
data relating to the number of motor
and horse-drawn passenger vehicles used
by the officials of the departments and
the District. and today presented them
TO the Senate. He took this action fol-
lowing the bitter debate in the Senate
over the District appropriation bill when
the Senate refused to allow appropri-
atoms for two new motor cars for the
use of the District Commissioners, as
recommended by the Senate committee
Senator Williams of Mississippi an
nounced that he intended to fight every
appropriation for passenger vehicles for
the use Of government officials, unless
it could be shown that they were an
absolute necessity.
Let them use the street cars" said
Senator Williams. II use them, and so
do other senator's"
Vehicles Owned by o. S.
The data presented to the Senate by
Senator Martin covers not only the pas
senger vehicles used by the government
department officials in the District of
Columbia. but throughout the country.
The total number of motor vehicles owned
and operated by the government and by
the District Of Columbia is shown to be
BAL, and the total number of horse
drawn passenger vehicles. 2.3S6.
The motor passenger vehicles are divid-
ed among the departments and the Dis
trict as follows: War Department. 65;
Navy Department. 2: Interior Depart
ment, 159; Department of Agriculture,
81. Department of Commerce. 1: Depart
ment of Labor. government printing Of
flee, 2: District of Columbia, As The num-
De Der OF motor vehicles includes. however,
6S motor cycles. 4S used by the Depart
ment Of Agriculture and 20 by the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Horse-Drawn Vehicles.
: The horse-drawn passenger vehicles
are divided as follows: State Department,
3; Treasury Department, 70; War De-
partment, 1,1O1; Department of Justice,
%: Post Office Department, .; Navy De-
partment. 72; Interior Department, 97s;
Department of Agriculture. AZ. Depart
ment Of Commerce, 6: Smithsonian In
stitution, 2; District of Columbia. IS.
The total cost of the motor passenger
vehicles is given as $404. .637.75; the total
cost of the horse-drawn passenger vehi
cles, $452. .362 o.
1t is shown that of all the cabinet
officers only one rejoices in an automo-
bile for his own use the Secretary of
Labor All of the other cabinet officers
however. have from two to four horse
drawn vehicles which are provided for
their use. OF course, in all the replies
which Senator Martin received 1t is
specifically stated that these passenger
vehicles are provided for use on official
business. But the criticism which has
developed in the Senate is because, it
is alleged, the government officials are
using these automobiles and carriages
for their personal use. making personal
calls attending balls, etc.
Carriages for Cabinet.
The Secretary of State. for instance,
had allotted to him three carriages,
a brougham, victoria and a surrey.
The Secretary Of the Treasury has four
carriages. a buggy. a landau, a Brew
ster cabriolet- and brougham. The
Secretary of War also has four car
riages allotted to him. However, there
are a number of automobiles owned by
the Quartermaster Corps, which, it is
said, may be pressed into service If the
Secretary of War wishes to ride in an
auto.
The public printer has a couple Of
automobiles, though they are put down
40 oSAA6 0oSu ny tHC OihCidiS VI tuC
print shop In general. One is a motor
coupe. which cost 1851, and the other
an electric, costing $3.50.
Have No Equipages.
The interstate commerce commission
has replied that it has no passenger
vehicles of any kind. A similar reply
was received from the civil service COM
mission. The Smithsonian Institution.
however, has two horse-drawn passenger
vehicles.
In the District of Columbia the En-
gineer Commissioner has an automobile
for his own use. The civil Commissioners
have two horsedrawn vehicles each. The
other autos used by the District are al
lotted to the assistant Engineer Com
missioner, to the fire, police street clean
ing, water, electrical and sewer depart
nenfs of the local goYernmenf