St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1886-01-09
same. Eternal vigilance is the price of

amounted to but little over $1,000, but
it was noticeable that the teller took a
tray to effect the transfer from counter
to shelf.
New coin isvery difficult to handle"
he explained after passing over a GER
titicate of deposit; lit is slippery, and
$4,000 makes a good handful. If you
attempt to stack it up like coin that has
been worn the chances are that it will
slide off and make muss on the floor.
Consequently, in order to avoid break
ing the rule against turning my back,
use tray to make the transfer
The conversation then turned on bank
robberies, and in search of possible
useful information the reporter asked
what standard of coin would be the
most desirable to steal. The expert
studied for a moment, and then replied
that inpoint of weight there would be
no difference. "As regards bulk, how
ever. S5 pieces would prove the most
valuable Doodle, especially if the
money was to be packed in square
box"
"How do you make that out?''
''Well, the question is somewhat
puzzling one to answer, but l can easily
demonstrate it. The ratio of both the
diameter and thickness of five and
twenties is as eight is to five"
With this the expert strung eight half
eagles out in row, and il was found
to be exactly as long as row of five
twenties. The two rows were then
stacked up and the tops were found to
be on level to hairs breadth. This
Illustrated the fact that the smallest
cubic space that would be exactly
filled by both coins would hold 5x5x5 in
twenties and 8xSNS in tives, or 125 twen-
ties and sig fives. One hundred and
twenty-five twenties equal $500, of
course, while 512 fives amount to 3d.
$50. This difference of 500 the teller
was unable to explain, and he stated
that it had puzzled a good many ex-
perts. The interstices between the
twenties were much larger it was adj
mitted, but there were so many more
spaces between a cubic body of fives
that there should not be any difference
when the rStio of the coins is so per-
feet. After puzzling over the matter
for some time the teller was about re-
storing the coin to the trays, when his
quick eye fell on well-worn five bear
ing the date of 1880.
Here's relic. he exclaimed, as he
tossed it over. IF the old standard of
coinage was in force now. the differ
ence in favor of the fives would be easily
explained. This was made in the days
when the Government used to swindle
pf l11l
gold in every four So pieces that were
turned out by the mint
The reporter examined the veteran
bit of metal, and then asked for an eS-
PLANTATION.
.'Wcll," said the teller" ga $40
piece contains sic grains of gold, 900
fine, and always has, to the best of my
knowledge. The first S. pieces were
coined in the year 1895, and the law
them to contain 135 grains
of gold, 916s fine. 1t takes four fives
to make a twenty, and four times 135
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 25a grains that it takes
to make one gold dollar. 1t was the
same way with tens at that time; they
270 grains each, or $40 grains
to the twenty. 1t evidently took the
Secretary of the Treasury thirty-nine |
years to get onto this leakage, for it |
was not until 1884 that the weight of |
fives was reduced to 129 grains, and
that of tens to 258 grains. There is a
premium of 81 on fives antedating
1884, and if they are not too badly worn |
they are worth it in extra bullion"
The subject of bank robberles was
here resumed at the point where it had
been broken off by the teller's mathe-
matical problem on the rotation of five
to twenties. He expressed the belief |
that the Pacific Coast banks were more |
free from raids than their eastern con-
freres, on account Of the prevalence of |
coin here inpreference to paper money. |
There clever sneak could toss
a million dollars into his hat and still |
have room to get it on; but here if he
stole $4,000 he could not carry it with
out its being seen, and the high-toned
bank thief viii 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 weight"
''You can easily figure that for your
self. There are our trays that are built
70 hold $40, ,O0Oin twenties. They weigh
|, ,075 ounces each, or rather the coin
ioes, which equals 67.3 pounds. Ten
thousand dollars weighs just half that,
md even S34 pounds of coin would be
! pretty good load for man to stow
,ut of sight on his person. always
lad great admiration for Bret Harte.
Until read one of his yarns, where l
vas able to contradict him. One chap
er in it was devoted to the robbery of
he stage to Red Dog and the
lriver was the hero. When the rob-
,ers brought him to halt he fired the
.oach lamps at them, and then jumped
N to one of the stage horses with the
and after race of six
niles beat them into the nearest sta
ion. The treasure-box, SO Bret Harte
aid, contained $4,000 in gold dust.
low if you can find a man that can
ide horse bareback over = mountain
Dad, and hold box weighing 168
,ounds, and, thus handicapped, beat
wo well-mounted men fully equipped,
ii back him to whip Sullivan. I'm