Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-10-14

ana was always very friendly towards the family
After his election and inaHgur alton Judge Rid
gate died, and Mr. Buch hanan then Appointed
his widow to a clerkship in the Department al
an annual salary of q 6'1, which She flied very
acceptab!y Tor three or four years, when she re-
signed and married prominent physician OF
this city. This lady was the only female en-
ploye in the Department until July LIST, 1851.
when Alrs- amy Steele, sister-in-law OF Hon
George Harrington, then Assistant Secretary OF
The Treasury, received an appointment at 80
per month, upon the recommendation of Gen
A Doubleday, and was assigned TO duty in the
Secretary's office. She held her position until
the summer OF 1859. Mrs. Steele was OF a dis
tinguished family, her grandfathers being Com
modore Chase, of Maryland, and Commodore
BaTie7. wlo commnaded at the battle OF
Biact nsburg, in the last war with Great Britain
The VIEWS or SECRETARY CHASE
In the latter part of 1861 and early in 1862
after the beginning of the rebellion and our
troops began TO occupy southern territory, MANY
families came to this city having no mears OF
support. Secretary Chase, who then presided
over tie Treasury Department, appOinter Sry-
eral females to positions therein As copyists and
counters, who came highly recommended and
were no doubt very deserving. Mr. Chase did
not favor the appointment of females in the De-
partmont, but said be was compelled to do 80 on
the score o. charity, and TO save many from alb
solute want. This seems to have been the inau-
gurauOn on pr0m'ScuOus scale of the appout-
Dent of female clerks and counters, and since
that time the system has been well tested and
fully established.
NOW EMPLOYED.
There are now employed in the Department
exclusive of the Printing Bureau between six
and seven hundred females, mainly IN the III cas-
urers. Internal Revenue, Registers and Secre-
taIy's offices; but also number in the offices OF
III. Comptroller of the Currency, Third, Fourth
and Firth Auditors. The Printing Bureau en-
pOys between five and six hundretl exclusive o,
thC e above mentioned. Those first empIoyed
were "a signed TO duty as clippers OF the mare r-
oil 1.,,.
Il was found that the deliclcy of their touch
better fitted them to count coupons and frac-
tlonal currency, and in this class OF work they
fre apt to surp9ss the male tellers. Some are
gCod accountants, and rapidly run up lengthy
columns of figures.
THEIR DUTIES.
The duties of the female employees in the de.
partment are as multiiari OPS as those OF th
sterner sex. Copying, making entries in rec
ords, writing letters, counting money, &C.. are
their principal duties-a larger number proba-
bly, being employed in the latter seryice than IN
any other branch. The ladies for the most part
90 their work satisfactorily, and their hand
writing is distinguished for legiblity and neat
ness. In the Ireasurers office it has often
been remarked that the Temittances OF mutIla
TED currency from the Assistant Treasurer's Of
nee at Philadelphia, where female counters are
employed, come in neater packages with less
mistakes In counts, and less counterfeits than
tOm other offices where male clerks exclusively
are employed. In the Internal Revenue buren1
hegister,s, Comptroller OF the Currency, Secre-
tary's, Third, Fourth, and Fifth a Arditor;.
ON ,es, a large number of femals are employed
as clerks, some OF whom are We y notably expe-
tl.nOus VI IN t1eir work, and as whole they seem
10 compare favorably with the male clerks
COUNTING FRACTIONAL CURRENCY.
The Work of counting mutilated fractional
currenc' and lee al tenders received for redemp-
ton fro'u all parts of the country, is done en-
tlrely b. females. In counting the currency
they excel the male clerks, a. they are quicker
an az u er hngers more pliable, enabling them
to run over a package with great rapiditv
In counting legal tenders they are nor ennsi
u the male clerks, as their
HANDS ARE NOT LARGE ENOUGH
10 grasp the bundle and separate the notes
quickly. The redemption division has III
females employed in counting money, some OF
whom count as many as eighteen or twenty
thousand notes during the six hours from nine
TO three About so, 900, 900 4 month are counted
in this division, assorted, packed, recorded, &c
Zach clerk receives one or more packages to
count In me morning for which she gives a re-
ceipt, ana in The evening returns it, out is COM
upon its discovery.
The final count of all coupons, legal tenders
and fractional currency, after rsdemption il
made in the redemption division OF the Secre-
tary office, where about sixty females are en-
ployed and their duties are similar to those
above mentioned.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR MISTAKES.
The rule of the Off ce is, that every counter
must refund the money for counterfeits over
looked in her bundle. This is necessary, as
some one must make the amount good; and if
the counters were not required to do so Tres.u-
Ier Spinner would have to put up the money
from his own private means to make good the
mistakes Of all his clerks. Very few mistakes
occur, however, "a all of his counters are exp.-
rlenced, and readily detect a counterfeit, no
matter how perfect it may be. Immediately
upon its detection it is returned to the osise
from which il has been received, where the
amount must be made good.
WHAT TRBAsURR SPINNER THINKS OF THEM
Gen. Spinner never hesitates to say that the
experiment Of employing females in the de-
artment is an entire success, and in.the manip.
ulation and counting Of fractional currency he
declares they excel the male clerks. He strongly
urges Q classification of the female clerfs
giving them higher salaries. Thus far he ba.
promoted three female clerks in his Office tn
frst Class clerkships at 81 200 per annum. n ;s
hls intention TO promote others as vacancies oc-
cur. ne exercises fatherly care over his en-
ployes and is always disposed to give them a
Iair cnance TO show capacity in their duties: and
from from ms kind heartedness dislikes greatly to
honesty. He thinks it desirable that their Am
motion. paw
In regard to their intelligence and capacity
be says they will detect q counterfeit oaickes
man men, In the expressive language OF the
General "She cannot tell you Uhy It is counter
felt because
WOMAN CAN'T REASON
ad-n bit, but her perceptions are quicker
than those Of q man." He does not believe in
clerks, because they would then be thrust out Of
their places by men, who have votes, and thus
bring influence to bear to secure the positions.
WHAT THE LADY CLERKS THINK OF THE GEN
KRAL.
He is much esteemed by all of his lady en-
ploves as An evidence of which his Off cial tab,o