376 



GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS AT WASHINGTON. 



tween the hours of 9 A.M. and 4 P.M. Until 

 2 P. M. the buildings are open to visitors, but 

 'at that hour they are closed to all but official 

 employes. An annual report to Congress, in 

 detail, is made by each head of a department, 

 giving the expenditure of its contingent fund, 

 together with the number and name of all 

 employes and the salaries paid to each. The 

 total number of persons employed in the sev- 

 eral branches of the civil service is 132,072 ; 

 total number in the departments at Washing- 

 ton, 3,433. 



State Department. This occupies the south 

 pavilion of the State, War, and Navy Depart- 

 ment Building, on Seventeenth Street, south of 

 Pennsylvania Avenue and immediately west of 

 the Executive house. The structure is in the 

 style of the Italian Renaissance, and consists 

 of three harmonious buildings, with connect- 

 ing wings. This department was established 

 July 27, 1789, under the name of Department 

 of Foreign Affairs, its secretary bearing the 

 same title. On Sept. 15, 1789, it received its 

 present denomination, its duties being also 

 extended. The total number of employes 

 of this department is 1,345 ; in department 

 proper, 78. All diplomatic intercourse of the 

 United States with foreign powers is conduct- 

 ed by the Secretary of State, who instructs 

 and corresponds with all ministers and con- 

 suls and negotiates with foreign ministers. 

 He holds the first rank among members of the 

 Cabinet, and, by act of Jan. 19, 1886, is desig- 

 nated to succeed to the presidency in the event 

 of a vacancy in both Executive offices. He is 

 custodian of the Great Seal of the United 

 States, and affixes it to documents and com- 

 missions. He also preserves the originals of 

 treaties and of all laws and resolutions of Con- 

 gress, and directs their publication, with amend- 

 ments to the Constitution and proclamations of 

 admission of new States into the Union. He 

 grants and issues passports, and makes annual 

 report to Congress of commercial information 

 received from diplomatic and consular sources. 

 There is an assistant secretary, salary, $4,500; 

 a second assistant secretary, salary, $3,500; 

 and a third assistant secretary, salary, $3,500. 

 There are six bureaus, the chiefs of which re- 

 ceive $2,100 yearly, viz.: Bureau of Indexes 

 and Archives ; Diplomatic Bureau, in three 

 divisions (total number employed in diplomatic 

 service abroad, 63) ; Consular Bureau, in three 

 divisions (same countries allotted to each as in 

 Diplomatic Bureau total number employed 

 in consular service abroad, 1,204) ; Bureaus of 

 Accounts, of Rolls and Library, and of Statis- 

 tics. The appropriation for the diplomatic 

 and consular service for the year 1888 was 

 $1,429,942.44. 



Treasury Department. The building is of Ionic 

 architecture, at Fifteenth Street and Pennsyl- 

 vania Avenue, 582 x 300 feet. This depart- 

 ment has existed since Feb. 11, 1776, under a 

 resolution of the First Congress of Delegates, 

 assembled in Carpenter's Hall, Philadelphia, 



providing for a committee of five to superin- 

 tend finances. The Treasury was successively 

 extended until on Sept. 2, 1789, it was or- 

 ganized as a department. Subsequent addi- 

 tions have been made to its officers. The total 

 number employed in the Treasury service is 

 15,228; in the department proper, 2,477. The 

 duties of the Secretary of the Treasury embrace 

 the collection and disbursement of the national 

 revenues, plans for the improvement of which 

 he devises, and the support of the public credit. 

 He annually submits to Congress estimates and 

 accounts of expenditures of appropriations, 

 warrants for payment of which are issued by 

 him, as also for the covering in of funds. He also 

 superintends the coinage and printing of money, 

 the construction of public buildings, the admin- 

 istration of the Coast and Geodetic Survey, lite- 

 saving, lighthouse, re venue- cutter, steamboat 

 inspection, and marine hospital branches of the 

 public service, and collection of statistics. 

 There are two assistant secretaries, with an- 

 nual salaries of $4,000. The office work is in 

 10 divisions, viz. : warrants, estimates, and ap- 

 propriations ; appointments; customs; public 

 moneys ; loans and currency ; mercantile 

 marine and internal revenue ; revenue marine ; 

 stationary, printing, and blanks ; captured 

 property, claims and lands ; mails and files 

 and special agents. The following are the 

 principal officers of the Treasury: 



Firxt Comptroller. Office established Sept. 

 2, 1789. Countersigns all warrants issued by 

 the secretary, and receives accounts from First 

 and Fifth Auditors (with exception of customs 

 returns), and from the Commissioner of the 

 General Land-Office ; revises them, and certi- 

 fies balances. Salary, $5,000. 



Second Comptroller. Office established 

 March 3, 1817. Revises accounts from Second, 

 Third, and Fourth Auditors. Salary, $5,000. 



Commissioner of Customs, more properly 

 Third Comptroller. Office created March 3, 

 1849. Certifies accounts of receipts in general 

 from customs, and disbursements for collection 

 of them, also for revenue-cutter, life-saving, 

 and shipping services, seal-fisheries in Alaska, 

 lighthouses, marine hospitals, etc. Commis- 

 sions customs officers, approves bonds, files 

 oaths, etc. Salary, $4,000. The total number 

 employed in collection of customs is 4,356 ; in 

 the revenue marine, 997. 



Six Auditors, salary $3,600 per annum each, 

 receive all accounts of Government expenses, 

 which they certify in following order : 



First Auditor. All accounts accruing in the 

 Treasury (except those of internal revenue), in- 

 cluding contingent expenses of Congress, Ju- 

 diciary, etc. The work of the office is in 5 

 divisions, viz : customs ; judiciary ; public 

 debt; warehouse and bond; miscellaneous. 

 Office established Sept, 2, 1789. 



Second Auditor. Accounts in part of War 

 Department, for pay of army, back pay and 

 bounty, Soldiers' Home, and various military 

 institutions, expenses relat'ng to Indians, etc. 



