The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-04-11
WOMEN IN OFFICE.
Their Labors in the Departmsa,

heir labors IN tho Department.
A Washington correspondent Of the
Springfield Republican furnishes the fol-
lowing interesting account of the ex-
pertinent OF employing women in the
public offices Of the Government:
The Treasury employs se-en hundred
women, q large portion Of whom are un-
der the jurisdiction of the much discus
sed Mr.. S. NJ. Clark. The money is
manufactured under his supervision. and
those employed to work the machinery
and count and arrange the money are
under his control alone. His laws are
very stringent. It seems that he prints
the notes by contract, and pays his EN-
ployes from his own funds. They receive
so much per day, aud deduction is made
for any want Of punctuality. They are
expected to be in their places at fifteen
minutes before nine A. NJ, and work un-
till four p. NJ. If compelled to be absent.
an excuse must arrive before ten A. n. /;
otherwise the offender is liable to dis
missal. These regulations do not apply
to women clerks in other parts Of the
Treasury. Those receive their pay by
the month, and no deduction is made for
absence, on leave, or on account Of sick
ness. Nearly every bureau has its quota
of women, whose duty it usually is to
record letters, and do similar work,
though in one Office they calculate the
interest on the coupons. In the Inter
ternal Revenue all the letters received
are sent into the women's rooms, and by
them folded, ruled on the backs, and in
dorsed.
By far the largest number Of the wo-
men are employed about the money.
There are upward of a hundred connect
ed with the Treasurer's office. Part Of
these count the notes and arrange them
in packages to be sent out of the Trea-
sary Great accuracy is required, and
if mistake is made, the counter must
make it good out Of her salary. There
are strips of paper, on which is printed
the denomination of the note, around
each bundle. and il a clerk puts one
marked for ten cent notes around q bun
die of fives, she is the loser.
The system of redeeming the soiled
and mutilated currency 10 one Of great
interest. This old money is sent first
to the redemption division of the Trea-
surer Office, where it 10 counted by the
women, who report any countesfalts they
may find and the amount contained in
the package. A mistake In this has the
same penalty as in tae new money.
Those who hate to touch these notes,
while in circulation, even with gloves,
and are disgusted with their odor, can
readily imagine what must be the at
mosphere Of a room in whic;. they are
counted by millions. There is certain
ly no more disagreeIble duty. After the
counting, holes are punched in the notes
to prevent their being issued again. and
they are cut in half from top to bottom.
These halves are put up in packages,
each package containing eight thousand
notes, and are sent to the redemption
divisions of the secretary's and regis
ter's offices, where they are punched and
again counted.
The accounts OF the heads of each Of
these bureaus must agree exactly with
each other and with those Of the Trea-
sarer. Should half of . three cent
note be missing, a thorough search is
made, SO necessary is accuracy.
The interest bearing notes 60 through
a longer process. After being cut into
upper and lower halves they are sent in
lots to the offices last named, and these
arranged by women according to the let
ter. Then the numbers are made to run
as consecutively as possible. no attention
having been paid to this when redeem
ing them, and the notes are counted of
into hundreds. This done, the numbers
are registered on sheets OF paper, and
the result from both Offices compared, to
see If they correspond exactly This
work is called checking. In both bu-
reaus there are books containing the
numbers of all the notes Of each letter
and denomination, with the date of issue.
That of redemption 10 to be found on
the registered sheets. This date shows
at what time the notes therein represent-
Ell by their numbers were DESTROYED, and