American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-03-07

read a newspaper without the aid OF
glasses. He has a beautiful and new suit
Of hair coming on, and was never bald in
his life. He has also been blessed with
good and strong teeth, and is now cutting
a new set.
How Greenbacks Are Cancelled.
The money received by mail comes in
all sorts of damaged conditions, and has
all imaginable kinds of horrible or ludi-
crous histories. Sometimes it has been
swallowed by calf or goat, which, find
ing a pocket-book carelessly left within its
reach, proceeded to regale itself with the
salt which the leather had absorbed from
the perspiration, until the book was forced
open and the contents exposed. The
green notes had an inviting and familiar
appearance, and the confiding animal
eagerly swallowed them, and so sealed his
own death warrant; for the owner, return
ing and seeing the wreck of the pocket
book, rightly conjectured where his mon
ey had disappeared, put the unwilling
thief to death and recovered the half-di-
gested notes. Others have been found on
the bodies of drowned or murdered men,
weeks perchance after their death. Ere
quently they have been so burned that
nothing remains but the charred resem-
blance of notes, so frail and brittle that
slight touch will change them to cinders.
The Identification and restoration of
notes which have been burnt is difficult
and interesting operation. Every one has
observed that a printed paper, after hav-
ing been burnt, if not subjected to a strong
draft or roughly handled, retains its orig
inal form, and that the printing is distinct
and legible, and appears as if it had been
raised or embossed on the paper, but that
if it is touched never so gently it crum-
bles into dust. Notes in this condition
are frequently received att the Department
for redemption. The counter subjects
each note and fragment of note to a care
full inspection in strong light, under a
powerful glass, until she determines the
denomination and issue, and then pastes
it upon piece of thin, tough paper, in
order that it may be safely handled. But
this FASTING, by destroying the raised or
embossed appearance, at once and forever
precludes all chance of again identifying
the kind or denomination of the note.
Henceforth it is but plain, black piece
of paper, giving no indication that it ever
represented money. 1t is therefore very
necessary that the counter should be quite
sure that her judgment is correct before
the note is pasted upon the paper. She
must alsO--a most difficult task-deter-
mine whether the note is genuine or coun-
terfeit. And yet cOunterfeits are discov-
cred by these experts among the charred
remains of notes with almost as much
certainty as among perfect notes.
The whole basement floor of the north
wing of the Treasury building at Wash
ingtOn, including the large room under
counters. One hundred and eighty
women are engaged ia counting re-
deemed money in this division. The
work is far from pleasant, for the money
is often deplorably dirty and emits the
most nauseating smells.
Such labor cannot fail to be detrimental
to health, especially as want of space has
necessitated the crowding of the coun-
tiers almost as closely as they can sit.
Hence we are not surprised to see that
many of the women are pale and thin,
and apparently weary and careworn.
Entering the last room to which our in
spection will lead us, a busy scene is pre-
sented. Messengers, each accompanied
by counter, are fastening to and fro
with boxes containing bundles of money
carefully strapped and labeled, while a
bevy of women surround large table
which they almost screen from our gaze,
but which the continual "thud |" "thudp'
that salutes our ears proclaims to be the
site of the canceling machine. APP
preaching, we find that the apparatus
consists of two heavy horizontal steel
bars, about five feet in length, working on
pivots about foot from the
ends nearest to us. To the shorter
end of each is attached punch, while
with a crank in the sub basement be-
meath, which is propelled by turbine
water wheel, furnished with Potomac
water from one of the pipes which supply
the building. The bundles of notes, each
containing one hundred pieces, are passed
rapidly and dcxterOusly under the punch
by a man whose fingers seem ever on the
verge of complete destruction, but which
always escape in some manner unhurt
and whole. The punch savagely and
easily cuts a hole in each end of each
bundle This is done for the purpose of
effectual cancellation. The bundles,
when all have been punched, are returned
to the box, the messenger picks it up, and
the counter and he hastens away to turn
over the money to the clerk who is to
make up the cash account of the division
and ascertain whether all the money re-
ceived and delivered to the counters has
been returned and accounted for. From
the time when the money is received by
her until it is thus delivered the counter
is responsible for it, and is required to
keep it constantly within sight, except
when it is locked away for the night
For this reason she accompanies the mes
senger who carries her box to the can
ceiling room, superintends the punching,
and returns with the money to the clerk,
to whom it is delivered, when her respon-
sibility ends.
Just beyond the punches a knife of
formidable aspect and proportions is en-
gagged in cutting the cancelled bundles
in two in the middle of each note. After
a sufficient quantity of money has been
counted, it is made up into lots of about
one hundred thousand dollars of fraction
al currency and proportionately larger
amounts of legal tender notes, and sent in
to be cut in two by this knife. The straps
with which the bundles of notes are sur
rounded are so printed as to be also cut
in two, and to show upon each half the
denomination of the notes, the issue,
and the number inclosed. The counters
initials and the date of counting are also
written upon each end, as well as num-
Der or letter to identify the bundle, so
that if, upon recounting the money, er-
rors are discovered, they can be traced in
a moment to the proper counter, date and
bundle. One set of halfnotes is delivered
to counters in the Secretary's office, the
other to counters in the Registers office,
in each of which the money is recounted.
This is done as check upon the Treas
urer's counters, and for the purpose of Sc
curing as complete accuracy as possible.
Scientific Anaerccdn.