The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-03-26
Restoring Burnt Money.

lators OF Burnt Currency.
1t will be remembered that abou
four or five weeks ago a northern ex
press car was burned near Washington
The government alone had SIS, 750, OOt
in it, and the private property amounted
to nearly half as much, including jew
elry--enough to fill seven safes.
Up in one of the sunny, well-lighteC
rooms OF the treasury department foul
ladies from the treasurers Office are al
work on these charred treasures, and
their process is one of the most inter
esting features of the service. All the
safes were transferred from the cars to
the treasury, and committee were
selected from those most expert at such
work. First the private safes were
opened, and in these were found about
800, 900 worth of diamonds, hundred
watches, old gold and silver coins, and
alas for the course of true lOve-a
package of love letters and tress of
pretty brown hair. Picking out the
valuables was comparatively easy work,
for though many of the stones had
fallen from their setting, it was not
hard to find them. The gold was
blackened.
Jewels and watches we're returned to
the express company. The letters were
not read, though they presented a great
temptation to some members of the com
mittee. They and the curly lock were
sent together TO the dead letter office,
where they will be burned. Perhaps
it was all for the best ; they may have
been returned in the heat of lovers
qusrrel, which now will have time to
cool.
The money in the government safes
is so charred that at breath it crum-
bles; and yet it is expected that four
fifths of it will be deciphered. Each
little shrivelled piece is detached with
a thin Knife and laid ON rough, blotting-
paper. There the ladies examine it
with magnifying glasses, and after de-
ciphering as much as possible they
paste it, face up, on strip of thin
paper and so, bit by bit, whole note
is pierced out. Tt is such trying exer-
else for the eyes that those engaged in
it can work only three hours at time
and on bright days. The trust reposed
in them is great, for the money is de-
ivered directly to them, and remit
tances made on their report without
further questioning. After the terrible
fire Of October, 1871, Chicago sent two
hundred and three cases of burnt money,
aggregating, at the owners valuation,
$164, 997. .98 It came in sheets, in bum
dies, in tiny packages, rumpled and
crushed as careless hands had pushed
them into side pockets or purses. Each
little parcel was swathed in cotton as
as if it were the most precious
jewelry, and as the black, brittle pack
ages were unrolled, it seemed really
that anything could be made |
Of such einders, Yet out of that $164,-
997.98, 1926, ,541.33 was redeemed and
returned to the owners or banks. Bos- |
ton profted by Chicago's experience,
and packed her burnt money so care
FULLY that nearly all of it was redeemed.
Eighty-three cases, containing $68,
29080 were returned to her, beside a
number of policies, notes, bills, and
other valuable papers. The most skill
ul person on this committee is lady
Who has had much experience in such
work. Once she deciphered 1886, GOO
,ut of 100000 that had been in the
1old of a burned ship for three years,
md Adams Express Company, which
vas responsible for the amount, gave
Ter $500 in acknowledgment of her ser
ices. Another time she and her asso-
,iates worked faithfully and long over
ome bonds crazy cashier saw fit to
hrow into the fire. The bank asked
or only $lO0, 1000, but the ladies picked
'ur $l45, 900 whereupon the directors,
Win reckless extravaganza, presented
he committee with $20-about four dol
ars apiece Washington Letter.