The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-11-06

while 512 fives amount to 50, $50. This
difference of $50 the teller was unable
to explain, and. he stated that it had
puzzled a good many experts. The
interstlces between the twenties were
much larger, it was admitted, but
there. were SO many spaces be-
tween a cubic body Of iiyes that there
should not be any difference when the
ratio of the coins is so perfect. After
puzzling over the matter for some
time the teller was about restoring the
coin to the trays, when his quick eye
fell on a well-worn five bearing the
date of 1880.
Here's a relic. he exclaimed. as he
tossed it over II the old standard of
coinage was in force now, the differ
ence in favor of tives would be easily
explained. This was made in the days
when the government used to swindle
itself out of over a dollars worth of
gold in every four S. pieces that were
turned out of the Mint.
The reporter examined the veteran
bit of metal, and then asked tor an
explanation.
..Well,' said tho teller, "a 800
piece contains SIG grains of gold, 900
fine, and always has, to the best of
my knowledge. The first SIS pieces
were coined in the year 1875. and the
law compelled them to contain 1876
grains of gold 916S fine. 1t takes Jour
tivcs to make a twenty and four times
1876 grains is equal to $40 grains. or "a
grains more than a $40 piece. Add
the extra fineness to this. and YOU
have more than the 25s grains that 1T
takes to make one gold dollar. 1t was
the same way with tens at that time;
they contained 270 grains each, or $40
grains to to the twenty. 1t evidently
took the Secretary of the Treasury
thirty-nine years to get on to this leak
age, for it was not until 1884 that the
weight of tives was reduced to 129
grains and that of tens to 25s grains.
There is q premium of 81 on fves ante
dating 1854, and if they are not too
badly worn they are worth it in extra
bullion"
The subject of bank robberios was
here resumed at the point where it had
been broken off by the t%eller's mathc-
NAUTICAL problem on the rotation of
FIVE to twenties. He expressed the be-
lief that the Pacific Coast banks were
more free from raids than their East
ern confreres, on account of the pre-
valence of coin here in preference to
paper money. ''There q clever sneak
could toss II million dollars into his
hat and still have rcom to get it on;
but here if he stole Sl0,0 C0 he could
not carry it without its being seen. and
the heightened bank thief will not take
such desperate chances as he would
be compelled to run with coin in his
possession. There are very few notes
in circulation here now"
"What will $4,000 in coin weighe"
You can easily figure that for your
self. ''There are u trays that are
built to hold $50, 900 in twenties. They
weigh 1,075 unces each, or rather the
coin does. which equals 67.3 pounds.
Ten thousand dollars weighs just half
that, and even 334 pounds OF coin
would be a pretty good load for a mar
to stow out of sight on his person. ]
always had a great admiration fol
Bret Harte, until ! read one of his
yarns, where l was able to contradic,
him. One chapter IN it was devoted
to the robbery of the stage to Rec
Dog, and the driver was the hero
| When the robbers brought him tc (,
halt he fired the coach lamps al them
, and then jumped on to one of tn,
stage horses with the treasurc-box, ant
after a race of six miles beat them int,
the nearest station. The t~reasure-box
r So Bret Harte said, contained $50, on
in gold dust. Now if you can find
r man that can ride . horse barebac]
over a mountain road, and hold q DO.
weighing 1913 pounds, and thus hand
Q icapped, heat two well-mounted me-
' fully equipped, I'll back him to wifi
Sullivan. I'm afraid that Bret Hart
, didn't figure the weight of com dow
very fine when he made the horse AM
driver do such q trying feat"
i s.If gold is so heavy, silver must b
/ trying to handle
|, "Wc don't handle it. We wouldn'
accept a deposit of q thousand silve
dollars from anybody, and we neye
4 takeasilver from strangers. Of course
a customer may bring in a roll or tw
to make a good round sum. but W
t never break it, and pay it out in tn
t same packages in which we receive il
Every depos tor is required TO writ
; his name on such a roll, and if tn
marty we give it to finds it stuffed wit
: lead pipe. or short a piece, all he ha
T to do is to bring it back with til
!, wrapper. and the depositor's sIgnitur
+ holds him good for it. We can refus
n silver ut this desk, because we max
Q no charge for deposits. In fact. tn
5 bank just keeps me for ornament an
accommodation; for unless a depos
remains here for q sufficient lengt
Of time to be put u at inrercs
it never gets a cent for my work.
n "Are you worried much with coul
t%erfeits?"
r. mot aarge ones. There used to /
% an immense amount of bad silve
& afloat, and when l was at the exchang
n desk thrce years ago l used to lind
70 to $40 in co%unterfeits every day.
Is have been the receiving teller for tw