Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 January 1888 — MAKING THE BUDGET. [ARTICLE]

MAKING THE BUDGET.

• f - Information Set Forth in the Esti mates of Expenditures. A Lot of Queer Thiagi the Government Pays for—A Big Nation Must Give Attention to Many Small Thinj, ZU Wash. Cor. Indianapolis. News. The budget of estimates which the Secretary of the Treasury sends to Congress with the beginning of every session shows a good many small items, among them are the following: Secretary Bayard urges the appropriation of 16,000 to build a wharf at Bridge Creek Landing, on the Potomac, be cause it is impossible to erect a monument at the birthplace of Washington until this is done. General Bennett asks that $16,000 be appropriated to build a reservoir at

Benecia Arsenal, California, which could be filled by the spring floods, and so supply water during the year. Benecia is on the San Francico Bay, which is salt water. During the spring floods, however, the water in the bay is fresh. Internal Revenue Commissioner Miller estimates that he will need next year 37,000,000 sheets of stamps. The United States uses 2,865,000 sheets of snuff stamps annually. Chief Clerk Lipscomb, of the Patent Office, asks for 25,000 engraved letters patent for the coming year. Commissioner Black says that he shall need 100,000 pension certificates printed •for the year. —"■■■ ■ The United States pays $626,560 a year for janitors. " " '' " ' The District of Columbia expects to receive during the next fiscal year sll,000 for brass dog tags. The War Department asks for $2,000 to expend on the Confederate cemeteries near Columbus, O. These are the only Confederate cemeteries receiving any attention from the Government. Secretary Lamar thinks the Pacific Railroad Commission will need SIOO,OOO for the coming year. The Consul at'Aix la Chapelle asks to have his salary increased from $1,500 to $2,500 because it is the most expensive place to live in Germany. The Gertnam soldiers quartered there, he says, are allowed double compensation for quarters and board. The salary of the Consul at Panama is $4,000. Secretary Bayard .asks that it be increased by'^l,ooo, because of the importance of the place now when the entire world is giving so much atten tion to the subjectofisthmuthiantransit, and the United States more than any

other nation must be fully informed as to what is going on. Besides the malarial dangers there involve heavy expense in life insurance. The State Department asks for $5,000 next year for transporting the remains of ministers and consuls to their homes in the United States. For the re-survey of the international boundary between' the United States and Mexico SIOO,OOO is asked. To survey the A laska boundary SIOO,000 is asked. Td watch and frustrate the movements of Haytian and Cuban insurgents the United States must spend $25,000 during the next fiscal year. Eighty dollars a year is asked for to pay the King of Siam ground rent for the United States Legation building in Bangkok. The difficulty of finding any one who will keep the mission to Liberia justifies the recommendation that the salary for that post be increased from $4,000 to $5,000.

The Governor of Alaska asks for $4,000 to convert what is . known as the Club House at Bitka into a temporary jail. Colonel John M. Wilson, who is' superintendent of public buildings and grounds in Washington, says that Mr* Brown, his chief gardener, is responsible for the propagation, every year of 290,000 plants, and asks for an increase of 1200 in his salary. For putting flowers in *tbe seventysix large vases which General Meigs has nr the pension- building, $16,000 is asked. The compiling of. the Congressional Directory costs 11,200 a year. The police in the Capitol cost SIB,OOO avear. - ; ' The mileage of seventy-six senators is $83,000 a year. ......... ~.

The mileage of members of the House of Representatives is $1.10,654. ! The White House expenses, including Colonel Lamont’s salary, that of the telegraph operator, steward, doorkeeuers, messenger, watchmen, stationary, care of horses and wages of coachmen, are $41,864 a year. The entire cost to the United Stjes for the Civil Service Commission for the next year is put at $41,160. For the present year 129,800 Were appropriated for the commission. It costs the United States $90,000 a year for photo-lithograph drawings of patents issued every week. The General Land Office asks an increase for all expenses of public Purveys irom $19,900 to $142 400 for the coming fiscal year. Secretary Lamar says the land survey service of thb country is in a deplorable state of delay and overwork. An appropriation of $lB 000 is recommended for two inspectors of consulates to be appointed by the President, at $1 000 each, with traveling expenses at SIO,OOO. .

To keep and feed prisoners in China, Corea, Japan, Siam and Turkey, at 75 cents a day, $9,000 is called for. The United States pays $1,500 a year for rent of a prison for American convicts in Turkey, $750 for a a prison in Shanghai, and $75 for one at Kanagawa in Japan. For firing the morning and evening gun at military posts throughout the United States it takes $30,600 a year. Ever since the general order of July 21, 1867, was fssued, requiring all army posts to fire a morning and evening gun the powder used has been taken from the large supply left on hand from the late war. During the past year this supply was practically exhausted, and thw firing of the morning and evening gun had to be discontinued last March at all the posts except the Military Academy and schools of instruction at Fort Monroe and Fort Leavenworth.

Three hundred and forty-four cadets at West Point cost $9,249 a year. Plumes for cadet officers of the first-class costs $75,000 a year. The pension budget for the coming yea' estimates a total outgo of $83,167,500, against $76,312,400 this-year. The river and harbor bill next year calls for $12,213,470. The estimate for. the Congressional Record during the nr-xt fiscal year is $169,919. ;** For headstones for soldiers’ graves $60,000 is asked. From the statement of proceeds from the sale of Government property it appears that Norman J. Colman, Commissioner of Agriculture, received $670 last summer for pasturing on Government lands. , Hon. Leverett Salton°tall realized $375 from waste paper sold at Boston. That astute New Enelander, B. B Smalley, took in $1.95 for old wire. Land Commissioner Sparks turned over $2 71 for the sale of his annual report. Adjutant General Drum took in $1,660 for waste paper. John S. Mosby sold a government book case for sl3 82. Public Printer Benedict realized 40 } cents from the sale of old boxes. Superintendent Fox, of the Philadelphia mint sold coin clippings and ashes to the amount of $23 87. An old light house in New Jersey was sold for SSO 40 E.OGraves,StiperintendHnt of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, worked off a lot of old cards left over from the Washington monument dedication for $5. Adams Express Company was paid $47,219 for transporting gold and silver coin, notes and bonds. The John Shillito Company made 197,150 oin boxes for $7,146. The United States had to pay $390 a member of the New York Clearing House Association. Uncle Sam had to pay $22 for. New York directories,, and sll 46 for Philadelphia directories. -

Queer Dishes of Various Nations. a puppy stew is a royal feast in 3anzibar. Polynesians are very fond of shark’s flesh quite raw. The New Brunswickers find a special charm in the loose nose of the moose deer. Sharks’ fins and fish maws, unbatched ducks and chickens, seaslugs, and birds nests are all highly prised by the omnivorous Chinese. • In Havana the shark is openly sold in the market. The Gold Coast negroes

are all fond of sharks, as they are fond of hippopotami and alligators. One species of bat is considered good eating by the natives of the islands of the Indian archipelago, Malabar, etc, It is called by naturalists the edible bat, and is said to be white, tender, and delicate. Bears’ paws were long a German delicacy, and the flesh is held equal or superior to pork, the fat being as white as snow. The tongue and hams are cured, but the head is accounted worthless and. thrown away. The Parisians eat horse flesh, and at -the q-rhihitmn nf 1851 M. Brocchieri showed and sold delicious cakes, patties and bonbons of bullock’s blood, rival- - ing the famous matrons glaces of the confiseries of the boulevards. | Don’t waste soft corn; feed it out.