The Republican., 1889-02-02
MUTllATED MONEY.
The Work Attending its Redemption at
the New York Sub-Treatury.

The Work Attending its Redemption al
the New York Sub-Treasury.
what shall 1 do with this ten-dollar
bill?"
The speaker held in his hand legal
tender note isaued some time daring
the recent war. 1t bore all the marks
of time-honored wear and tear. The
latter was even more conspicuous, as
the numerous creases made by its many
holders had worn themselves through
and even the edges of the note had be-
come badly frayed. Its color was so
disguised with the dirt of handling
that it required close observation to de-
termine what it was. 1t had been Of
fered to many tradesmen, but they had
one and all refused to accept it in pay.
ment for goods. Yet it was good
representative OF value received by the
United States Government, which hprom
ised on it to pay the amount OF ten dol
lars on demand. After repeating tb
above question more than once, a b.
stander suggested that it should se
taken to the Sub-Treasury on }sL
street and there the owner could find
out if it could be redeemed. The sug-
gestion was followed. There the holder
was rendered, without hesitation
bright, new and crisp bills Of smaller
denomination in exchange.
A reporter, who was standing near,
asked if such exchange was a common
occurrence. The superintendent of the
mutilated money department, Mr..
George W. Marlor, said:
1T would almost seem as If all the
mutilated currency OF the country came
through this Sub-Treasury. We never
receive less than about $3.50. 900 worth
in day and often the amount exceeds
100000. The notes, or bills, as they
are more frequently called, are pre-
sented in all stages Of mutilation,
caused by hard usage in handling.
Merchants and bankers send us the
largest amounts. They receive them,
if anyway decent, from their custO-
mers and then send them here for re-
demption."
DO you get many in as bad con-
dition as that just presented?"
Yes, very often. But they gener-
ally 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 damage if the notes
are only distinguishable. When pre-
sented for redemption they will be al
ways exchanged with new United
States notes of such denominations as
the owner may desire"
What do you do with mutilatsd
notesP"
''They are sorted and done up b
packages of the different denominF
tions. A thousand notes usually form
a bundle. II 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, counterfeits in any
package sent by a bank or merchant
they are thrown out branded and sem
back to the person from whom thsy
came. When the mutilated notes an
done up in the bundles they are packed
solidly in large, covered basket aud
sent to Washington to undergo the pro
cess of maceration."
''Do you take any account of tht
mutilated notes by their numberspn
I'VE would have no time to do that
When it is considered how manv are
handled each day, it will be easily seer
that such process would REQUIRE /
larger force of clerks than could bt
spared for the purpose. This NAV
however, be done in Washington be
fore the notes are destroyed. IN Y
Mail and Express.
prominent citizen of Fresno Col
has started n 'possum farm. Ha ba,
| y,,,oo,,,ad a oo rlnnd NJ fbo or:.,