Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 October 1885 — JUNKETING REFORMERS. [ARTICLE]

JUNKETING REFORMERS.

Necessary Expenses, Including Drinks, of Dr. Eaton's Civil-Service Board. [Washincton cor. New York Sun (Dem.).) The law creating the Civil-Service Commission provides: Each of said Commissioners shall be paid his necessary traveling expenses incurred in the discharge of his duty as a Commissioner. A batch es very interesting accounts are just now under the scrutiny of the Treasury officials, and it is pretty well settled that a good many items in them will be objected to and will probably fail to pass. Dr. Gregory seems to be the champion billmaker. A sample of his accounts will be of interest March 18 last the learned Doctor left this city for Detroit and the West. He was gone twelve days, and the following are the items of his account: , United States to John W. Gregory, Dr. March 18—Railroad fare to Detroit... $ 14.25 March 18—cab. Inunh. papers 2.00 Mardh 18—Parier-car to Pittsburgh. 1.00 March IS—Berth to Detroit and porter... 2.25 March 19—Meals, porter, hack 1.50 March 20-Service, papers, hack, and porter. March 2o—Fare, Toledo to Cleveland...... 3.25 March 20—Hotel 6.00 March 20—Chair, car, lunch, porter, hack, and papers. 2.00 March 21—Hotel bill, Weddell House, Cleveland 3.00 March 22—Fare to Chicago . 10.00 Match 22—Berth, porter, cab 2.75 March 23—Fare and berth to St. Paul.... 14.50 March 24—Meals, porter, papers, hack.... 2.15 March2s—Hack, service, porter 1.05 March 25—Fare, Minneapolis. 30 March 25—Hack, meals, porter 3.20 March 25—Fare, Madison. 10.50 March 25—Section 4.00 March 26—Hack, meals, porter, service, and papers ■ 2.35 March 28—Hotel. Madison. 6.75 March 28—Porter and omnibus 50 March 28—Bare. Chicago 4.60 March 28—Service and paper 1.05 March 28—Dinner 75 March 28—Papers 15 March 28 —Hack. 50 March 28—Service 1.85 April 1— Bill at Grand Pacific 10.00 April I—Serviee 45 April I—Papers 15 April-I—Cab and porter 85 April I—Fare, Washington 26.50 April I—Meals and lunches 3.50 April I—Porter and hack 75 April I—B-rtli 2.50 April I—Notary’s fee. 25 April I—Papers...... . 15

Total $15?.15 The whole matter tums s on the word “necessary.” Are newspapers necessary ? What is the service which appears so often upon the Doctor’s bill ? Auditor Chenoweth is in doubt whether it is religious service or boot-blacking. The railroad fare from Chicago to Washington is sl3 instead of $26.50, as solemnly sworn to by the Doctor. The Doctor charges up,under date of March 25, $4 for a section in the sleeping-car. Auditor Chenoweth says he will allow for a berth, but will pot allow for a section. The Doctor was twelve days away, and his expenses averaged $12.50 per day. The following little bill of Mr. Dorman B. Eaton shows what the great reformer drinks when he is away from home: Dorman R Eaton to Tilly Hotel and Restaurant, Shrveeport, La., Dr. May 12 Room $3.00 May 12—Pitcher lemonade 30 May 13—Breakfast. 70 May 13—Dinner.............................. 85 May 13—Supper and gin and ale 1.09 May 13—Lemonade. .-«.... 20 May 14—Breakfast 50 May 14—Lunch 30 May 14—Supper 40 Total ..... ...,.$7.55 Mr. Charles Lyman, the Chief Examiner of the commission, is permitted by law to travel also. He is a very luxurious traveler. He never lets an opportunity pass to take a parlor-car or hire a carriage. Tho following is a little bill of his: June 23—Railroad fare, Washington to New York.., $6.50 June 23—Sleeping-car 2.00 June 23—Carriage to depot 50 June 24—Meals 3.00 June 24—Cab 50 June 25—Railroad fare from New York to New Haven >........................ 1.75 June 25—Parlor-car 50 June 25—Carriage from depot to postoffice and return. P.... 1.00 June 25—Railroad. New Haven to New York 1.75 June 25—Parkw-car 50 June 25—Cab, New York 1.00 "June 25 —Meals 3.25 June 26—Hotel, New York 2.00 June 26—Cab hire 75 June 26—Railroad to Newark 20 June 26—Carriage, denot to postoffice and return 1.00 June 26—Railroad, Washington 6.30 June 26—Parlor-ear 1.25 June 26—Meals 3.00 June 26—Carriuite to house 50 Total $37.25 Add oath. - 25 5 " - Grand total , ....$37.50 It would seem very doubtful whether there is any provision in law for the contingent expenses of the commission, and yet they have been very free in that kind of purchases. Sec. 4 of the law speaks of necessary station ery and other * articles, but says that the Secretary of the Interior must provide them. It would seem like a great stretch of their prerogative to make such purchases as are included in the long lisHfiat is submitted for the last quarter. The following are some of the items: “One Comstock’s Civil Service, $2; rotary self-inking stamp, $11.85; two copies Sessions Laws 1883-’B4, $1.50; Webster's Counting-House Dictionary, $2.80; remodeling three type-writers, $105; three American Almanacs, $1.50; Arithmetic and Algebra, <52.60; Dunglison’s Medical Science, $7; one volume American Cyclopedia, $6.” When Auditor Chenoweth gets through with these bills they will go to First Controller Durham, and by the time both these officials are done with them nothing but necessary expenses will remain.