San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1881-12-01
ABOUT MONEY ORDERS.
c.,Ious Incidents Related by Post once Veteran.
From the Baltimore American

rather u cOlHcilcucc, WHICH cOulu not
but convince the most skeptical that we
are living in progressive age" This
remark was made to reporter of the
lmerican by Mr.. J. j. @. Dougherty,
the veteran pay clerk in the money. or
der department of the post office the
other day, as the reporter stopped at
his desk to ask if there was anything
new The reporter ventured to ask
for further explanation. "Well,"
continued MIR. Dougnerty, 81 was in the
act of cashing two money-orders, pre-
sented respectively by German, who
had received his from the eastern sec
ton of Prussia, and son of Erin, who
had received his from Belfast. AT the
same moment my attention was called
to the fact that a Chinaman was at the
receiving desk, Immediately opposite,
applying for money-order which he
intended sending to-. San Francisc o
Here was money being sent and received
to and from extreme sections by natives
of different countries at one and the
same moment. Now, wasn't that lit
tie singular?" The reporter admitted
that it was, and then asked, "Do you
ever have any trouble or complaints
about money orders?" y
"Very few; and even these are gener-
ally on account of the ignorance of the
dissatisfied parties regarding the dis
position of the order. As an instance,
German came in here one day, and APP
preaching me very angrily, said that
this was fine way of doing business.
He had gotten q money-order some five
days ago, previously, made out in favor
of his wife, who was in Philadelphia,
and who desired to come home. This
money was to pay her fare. She had,
however, never received it, and was
compelled to borrow from her friends
enough to come home with. thought
this rather strange, and, noticing my
doubling look, he suddenly plunged
his hand into a capacious pocket, saying
that he could prove his assertion, by
showing his receipt, and, 10, and behold,
he drew out the money-order. Oh
course, explained to him that he should
%h, 20 hic vxy1fn, II a
seemed dazed at first, then his face
broke into broad grin, and, with the
remark 4 always thought was fool,
now know it, slowly walked out OF
the office. could tell You half doz-
en- such Incidents"
According to recent statements"
said the reporter, "there appears to be
large amount of money accumulated
in the Sub-treasury at New York"
Before you go any further" said
Mr.. Dougherty, 81 want to say that
there is some misunderstanding regard
ing this money. Many suppose thatlt
was collected in New York alone. In
this, however, think they are mis-
taken. 1t is money accumulated from
all over the country, and some OF the
orders date back to the time of the or
ganization of the money-order depart
ment, now about seventeen years. You
see, New York is the foreign as well as
the domestic exchange, and all surplus
is sent to the postmaster at New York,
who in turn deposites the money In the
Sub-treasury at that city. The money
orders which become invalid, one year
after date are sent to the department at
Washington, where they are placed on
file. In the meantime, should the pay
sr present himself at the Office after
ahat time, we make application on his
behalf to the department at Washing
ton, which then authorizes us to make
the payment"
"You say that you send all the sur
plus funds to New York; how do you
manage when you run short?"
THAT is something we never allow to
occur, and in fact, from the systematic
manner in which everythingis arranged
such thing need not occur. The mon
ey order system is nothing more nor
less than an immense banking concern,
in which there is no capital invested,
and none necessary. / have already