St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-04-11
Communications.
Corrcspondcnce Of the St Charles City In,,igcnccr.
Letter from Gotham.

NEW oRk, Marcn 20, lSbl.
Editor cf he Iaidti9cnccr
DEAR SIR 1T is gratifying to me
to be enabled to assure you and your
Western readers that, at the present
time, the tone of business in New York
is iirmcr and more encouraging than
heretofore, growing out Of the impress,
sion that we shall have no civil war.
But multitudcs are out Of work, and
the amount of suffering is great.
One of the most interesting places in
New York to visit is the Clearing
House. All who like to see business
done as a nicely adjusted piece Of ma
chincry runs on its oily and noisclcss
way, will see it here. Fifty-two banks
do their business, and make the cx-
change of twenty millions of dollars,
in about ten minutes. Without the
Clearing House each one Of the banks
would consume the whole day in equal
izing their exchanges. 1t takes l04
men to do the business. Each bank
sends two men. These take their
places around an oblong counter-onc
on the outside, one on the inside.
Around the table are tifty-two aper-
lures, and one is allotted to each bank.
On the exact minute the conductor
strikes the bell, and the work begins.
If one Of the clerks is absent at the
striking of the bell, his bank is fined
SO much q minute until he comes
The Bank of New York leading off,
each bank clerk is visited and the cx.
changes made. The whole amount is
then footed up. If it does not agree,
No proof /" is cried ont Then all arc
compelled to find ont where the mis-
take is, and when found, the clerk who
made the mistake is fined so much fol
CdNu ihibutS SOiiouAiCN III tiiC eoilCC
ton The bank who is credited i,
paid in gold, and all the banks whC
are indebted must pay the deficit il
gold before the clock strikes twelve
All this work is done with silence, 9
noselcss tread, and with incredibl,
dispatch, and the doors of the Clear
ing House are closed in q shorter
space Of time than most men woul,
consume to transact piece Of bust
ness that was valued at one dollar
The New York detectives are an in
stitution. No one knows them win
are not in the lodge no one can tel
them by their dress and manner bu
they are most efficient and thorough
on the scent. They are like blood
hounds-oncc on the scent, nothin,
can turn them from the pursuit.
saw report made by one of thes
men the other day that was quite
curiosity in its way. In one of on
public institutions the head had rcaso
to suspect one of the employees.
detective was called in, and the ma
pointed out :" want to know wha
that man docs for one week after h
leaves the Office That was all th
order In one week the report wa
handed i'll. The suspected man wa
traced in all his walks, calls, with hi
associates, theatre, billiard room
houses of ill-repute, lager beer SALOONS
from the moment he left the insttr
> tion on the day he was put under IL
f eye of the detective till the rcpo
was handed in. No hour in the NOR
c ing was too early, no time at nigl
was too late, to have the single eye
Oh him. And this is no uncomm,
instance. 1t is nice reflection tn.
each one Of us may have over us Il
q same guardian care, and our stel
1t may be daily dogScd.
'i Mr.. William MulIigan, the Adon
> OF the rows of New York-who is o.
N OF the most fashionably dressed m
N on Broadway-was sent to Sing Sil
State Prison for term of years,