St. Landry democrat., 1889-05-11

THE WORK OF REDEEMING DISFIGUREp
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES SENT TO WASH
INGTON TO UNDERGO MACERATION.
Mail and Express.
What sEaI! l do with this ten-dollar
bill o.
The speaker held in his hand legal
tender note issued sonic time during the
recent war. 1t bore all the marks OF time
nonored wear aud tear. The latter was
even more conspicuous, as the numerous
creases made by it's many holders had
worn themselves through and even the
edges of the note had become badly fTayed.
It's color was so disguised with the dirt Of
handling that it required close observation
to determine what it was. 1t had BEEN
offered to many trade5men, but they had
one and all refused to accept it in payment
for goods. Yet 1t was good representa-
live of value receive ed by the | nited States
Government, which promised on 1t to pay
the amount of ten dollars on demand.
After repeating the above question more
than once, q By ISLANDER suggested that it
should be taken to the New lork Sub
Treasury on Wall street, and the owner
could find out if it could De redeemed The
suggestion was follow ed There the holder
was rendered. without hesitation, bright,
new and crisp bills of small denomination
in exchange ard which he gladly received.
A reporter of the Null and Express, who
was standing near, asked II such exchange
was a common occurrence. The superln-
tendent OF the mutilated money depart
ment, Mr. George W. Marlor, said:
1T would almost seem as ii all the mU-
tilated currency OF the country came
through this Sub Treasu ry. We never
~, : ynrth in
day and often the amount exceeds S2OU-
600. The notes, or bills, as they are
more frequently called, ale presented in
all stages of mutilation, caused by hard
usage in handling Merchants and bankers
send us the largest amounts. They re-
ceive them if anyway decent, from their
customers &d thea send them here for re-
demption.'
do you get many in as bad condition
as that just presented?
Yes, very often. But they generally
come as this one did, singly. Notes that
have been saturated with water from some
cause are often presented for redemption.
| There is no occasion for any person to lose
money through mutilation or other dam
age if the notes are only distiDguishable
When presented for redemption they will
| always be exchanged with new United
States notes of such denominations as the
owner may desire
what do you do with the mutilated
notes p
They are sorted and done up in pack
ages of the different denominations.
thousand notes usually form bundle. 1t
one -dollar bills, it will represent $1,000;
if two dollar bills, $4,000, and so on. The
work of sorting is done by clerks specially
assigned to the duty. Should they detect
as they occasionally do, oounterteits in any
package sent by bank or merchant, they
are thrown out, branded and sent back to
the person from whom they came. When
| the mutilated notes are done up in the
bundles they are packed solidly in large,
covered basket and sent to Washington to
undergo the process of maceration.
| "Do you take any account OF the mu-
tilated notes by their numbersT
I'VE would have no time to do that.
When it is considered how many are
handled each day, it will be easily seen
that such process would require larger
| force of clerks than could be spared Tor
the purpose. This may, however be done
in Washington before notes are destroyed