Thomas County cat., 1890-02-20
MONEY ORDERS LIKE BANK CHECKS
The United States Express ComPany's New
System of Transmitting Small Sums
OF MOney-SuperiOr to the
Government Methods.
New York TIitune.

New Iork Tribune.
quiet but earnest contest has been go
ing on during the last lew years between
the government and the express companies
regarding the transmission OF money for
people not having bank accounts. 1t has
been an interesting struggle. ach side has
strlven energetically 70 present the most
satisfactory solution to the probe m; that Is,
to provide means for sending small sums OF
cash to all pO ntS IN the safest, swIftest and
cheapest manner possible, but as usual IN
such cases, where public and private enter
prlSeS come into contact, the result ls
signal victory for the companies. The fact
is eStabl. shed that money can now be sent
by express moaey orders at less pense.
bo her and delay and W tn ust as mu n. II
not more, safety than through the post
of ces. y partial kno v edge OF this on the
part of the public has caused a revolution
IN the money order department OF the
United States Express Company, the busi-
ness of which has more than dou oled IN tne
last twelve months, while the present lndl-
cations point to still greater increase dur
ing le9o. AZ :.
crease is due largely to the improved system
of handling money that this company has
adopted. This Is represented In Its new
form of money order, by lar the slmpiest
and most complete thing of the kind set de-
vised. ii is IN reality, as we'll as IN appear
ance nothing less than bank craft, and
in security and negotiability corresponds
closely to cashier cheek, with the nlted
States Express company anu IT'S numerous
agencies as the bank. 1t Is superior to al
most any ordinary personal cheek, because
the company is far better known than the
average individual who EN- oys the luxury OF
ahank account. and hence Its commercial
paper would be cashed where Il Iersona
check mig not so unluestioned. any
banking institution IN the country will take
these orders like currency, since. unlike
postal orders. they are negotiable anyN here.
As | the complicated features peculiar to
the money order formerly used the COM
pany is done away with In the new check,
the merest tyro IN financial matters can
readily understand everything about 1t.
Suppose YOU want to send 30 to rela-
tive In, say, hiatt inooga, Tenn. ou don't
want TO waste time standing IN line at the
pssto ce awaiting your turn at the pCstal
order Window. ou do not want 10 incur
even the slight risk that Is attached to a
registered lie tel, and you certainly don't
want to send the money without some sort
of safeguard. You are III doubt. III you
only knew some responsible person with
bank account you would go 10 him and buy
a check for the sum you want 10 transmit.
Now, this is Just where the nj ed States
Express comp my sters In to ser g you. lt
is a resi- Onslb.e concern. its bank account
is immense. its paper Is current every
where. 1t will accommodate you with the
desiIel check, or mones order, II you
please, for tri ing sum-ln TINS case ,ust lO
cents. You step into its main oiiice, NO. ~
Broadway. or into any of its numerous sub
offices in this city. or into any of Its 400
branches throu4 hout the country, an with
edt moments Celay you are PROVIDED with
the desired order or check.
Besides the order itself, you also get re-
ceipt. The Order you forwar by II Gil; the
receipt you keep as an absolute guarantee
against loss, for if the order does not reach
Is destination within a reasonable time, or
say it is lost in transit, then on. producing
this receipt your money is refunded or a du-
plicate order issued. No blank applications
nave to he filied ont by purcha ers, and no
waiting for letter of advice Oh the part OF
the recipient of the order. IN J, as stated
in substance before, it Is not nece ssary TO
produce the order at one certain pace; 1t is
good at all the ces of tIlS and otler ex-
press companies. since these corporations
pay each others orders. AS there are 15.CO0
EXPIRE offices in this country, Canada and
Europe it follows there are 1900 p aces
where money c n le sent in this way.
The rates for these orders are as follows:
Any amount not over 50, . cents over $500,
to Sl0.GD. cents: over 5000 to 5000, Id
cents; over 5000 to 5000, L cents; over
5000 to 5000, Is cent: over $4,000 to
$1,000, 20 cents over $50 at the same rates.
No single or e. Is issued for over $50, but
If more than this sum is wanted several or
ders may be purchase l. 4 he syst m is more
popu ar in the west than the east, owing to
greater banking facilities here. For the
same reasons more orders are sold In the
country than in cities. The entire money
order system of the United States comp any
has grown up within the last five years. Ii
was started as an advertisement, but it has
become one of the most profitable depart
ments of the business.