The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-01-11
THE BANK OF ENGLAND.
"A Visit to the Old Lady Of Thread
needle Street.
From the L )ndon telegraph,

aVisit to the Old Lady of Thread
needle Street.
From the London Telegraph.
The old lady of Threadneedle street
mas been putting her house in order.
Whether under the influence of a spirit
OF rivalry engendered by the new build
lngs and fine machinery of kindred es-
adjustments on Tower Hill, or whether
entirely stimulated by the exigencies OF
increased business, need not to be deter
mined; but the bank of England is just
now the scene Of unusual hustle and ac.
tivity. What is practically n fine new
entrance into the building has been .e.
Gently opened up from Princess street
1t has been described as new doorway
1t is hardly this, however. The door
has alwavs been there. and some of the
olu slaSers Ill the establishment can re-
member its having been opened.
Good many years ago, however,
during some time of popular turmoil,
this entrance was practically abolished
by building up inside of tia ponderous
mass of briekwork and masonry. This
has been removed, and access to the in
terror of the bank may now be Lad on
the western side. Inside the bank, too,
there has been considerable readjust-
ment of offices. The public drawing Of
fice, for instance, and the branch bank
Office have been transferred to the
handsome and spacious room which
formerly was the accountants bank note
oftlce-the office, that is to say, in which
Old bank notes are sorted and regis
tered before being stored away in the
dark vaults of the bank, where for five
years they lie packed away in little
wooden boxes, something like plum
cusing angels against any body who has
made them the means Of fraud. 1t is
little irregular to have got
down into this neither world
Of pecuniary ghosts SO early in
The course Of an inspection of the
bank, but, now that we are here, it may
save coming down again if we look about
lis d little. There are probably people
about to whom region of veritable
ghosts would be scarcely more fearsome
than these gloomy, silent avenues, piled
up high on either hand with these little
wooden receptacles,
It's rather a startling idea that very
possibly flashes upon the visitor as
he moves amid these silent witnesses to
many monetary transactions that if dur
ing the past five years he has scribbled
his name and address across a Bank of
England note, probably that signature is
here, and that somebody may some day
bring into the bunk upstairs note bear
ing the same number as that which he
signed. supposing the new arrival is
sufficiently genuine in appearance to
pass muster-no doubt, rather a far
fetched supposition, unless it really is
genuine-withip a few hours a clerk
will take down as queer alooking ledger
proceed to "post" the note. Then it
will be seen that the proper space for a
note OF that date and that number has
already been filled in. Something must
be wrong. The new arrival mny be a
good note. In that case the other must
be a forgery, and anybody whose name
appears on it may expect communica-
tions. Any day something irregular in
the history Of one of these notes may
bring down upon any of us the a!ten-
tions of detective, just as Mr.. Payn, in
his Lost Sir Massingberd," makes the
famous old Bow street runner Townsend
swoop down upon the simple old farm
or who has quite innocently taken one
or two of the notes traced to him from
these gloomy vaults.
A conscience is q pleasant possession
as one trudges through these dark
avenues by the glimmcr of an old fash
ioned lantern. And yet rogue mi Ilit
persuade himself that he is safe enough
amid this amazing store. The
officials give YOU little printed slip
from which it appears that IN the course
of five years the paid notes amount to
77,745 $50 in number, and that they fill
l3, 400 boxes, which. if placed side by
side. would reach 9 Is miles. If the
boxes were placed in Il pile they would
reach to height of 5 2'3 miles, or if
ioined end to end they would form a
ribbon l2,445 miles long. Their super
fetal extent is said to be rather less than
that OF Hyde park. They weigh over
1923 tons. and their origlna. value was
over 81, O626,GJO. The greatest OF
roeues might be inclined to find some
comfort in the extent and intricacy OF
such store of old paper OF course.
however, they are most systematically
arranged, and any note OF the seventy
with the utmost celebrity and precision
At the end Of five years these old notes
are thrown into furnace specially con-
structed for the purpose and burned.
1T is a curious fact, however, that sc
firm in texture is the paper oil agenuine
Bank of England note that burning alone
can hardly destroy it. The authorities
have in a little glazed frame the rem
nants of note which was in the great fire
of Chicago. Though completely ctarred
and black, the paper stillholds together
and the printing Of the note is said to be
sufficiently leglblc to establish its genu
inness and to warrant It's hel s
casllcd There are some other note:
here that were cashed after having gone
down with the Eurydlce n few year:
ago, and reduced to little better thar
pulp. Indeed, the scraps and fragments
which sometimes come into the bank tt
be cashed, have really ridiculous ap
,earance. On the OCCASION of a recen
visit, for instance, the officials hat
under examination a number o
fragments of discolored paper, non'
much big ,er than a siNpence, and whel
nut together presenting to the unskille'
eve not the slightest resemblance to-
no,e. And yet it was pretty confident
iy asserted that the paper would |,
rashed. 1t is beneath the dignity oftl,
pank of England take, or even 1
appear to take, advantage OF accident
to their notes, and if there is any posi-
hijiiy of establishing the identity of on
oitIem, ORTIZ N it is sure to be duly honored.
Even where n note is sentirely destroy
cd, proper evidence OF the fact OF de
strurtion will be accerted and payme,l
made. A lost note will in some cases b
paid. and there is one occasion recorde
mon Which the liberal attitude OF tn
directors in case Of this kind involve
them in a loss of G3A,09O. A bank a
,ertor declared that he had lost not
ior that amount, and, upon his giving al
indemnity for the sum in the event {
the note turning up, the money was pal
to him. Many years alter ms dea'' i an VI
known person presented tne .os1 nUo an