The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-08-06
BIGGEST BANK IN THE WORLD.
The Sixth Auditors once, that Audits A
counts of 81, 900 Postrnasters.

The Sixth Auditors once, that Audits Ac-
counts of 81, 900 Postmasters.
Special TO the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON. Ang. 5.-The largest ac-
counting house in the world, the Office Of
the Sixth Auditor of the Treasury. which
audits all the accounts of the $4,000 post
masters of the country. is now comfortably
situated in the fine new six-story brick
building opposite the Postoffice Depart
ment building. Stree 1885 the money order
branch of the Sixth Auditors Office has
been locatsd IN AMI old dancing academy,
known as Marini's Hall. place wholly IN
fitted for the proper prosecution of that
work. It's occupancy was the cause of con-
slant annoy ance to Congress for the pro-
vision of more suitable place. At the
last session of Con gress, the Postmaster
general, being fully enlisted in the matter
and fully convinced that IL was not q
proper place in hicn to transact that I'M
DIense business. made an arrangement with
private persons for the erection of . large
Iectly opposite the Postotice Depart
ment- The clerks engaged in that
branch of the work never had
any of the modern Office convsniences.
the departments, and Congress. recognizing
that fact, made an appropriation of $4,000
for the proper ftting-up of the building
with hle-cases necessary Tor the pres
ervatiol of the records The cases are
built of picked steel. manufactured by the
Fenton Metallic Company. of jamestown.
n. Y. Congress also made an appropriation
of $1,000 for carpets. furniture, etc.. for
the use of the clerks engaged In that office.
The building has been completed, and
that part of the Office transferred thereto,
and what was formerly known as the
Botany Bay" of the Treasury mas been
converted into the model office of that de-
partment in all of it's appointments. The
statement is justified that never since the
adoption of the money order system in the
postal service has that Important feature
been provided for the prosecution of that
work until now This branch of the office
inspecting, recording, checking. asserting
and numbering, and foreign, and en-
braces about one-half of the en-
entire force of the Sixth Auditors
reason of Its ill-prov!ded quarters, has
been IN arrears with its work for several
years past, but under the present arrange
ment much Improvement has been made In
the condition of the work. For several
years past their quarterly reports were
from i've to eight weeks behind the quar-
terly statements of postal accounts, but for
the past three quarters the work has adj
vanced so that they are now enabled to
furnish their figures ten days in advance of
the postal side of the account.
There are from ten TO twelve thousand
offices in the country doing money -order
business each rendering q report or it's
business weekly. These weekly state.
ments are verified. the figures checked off.
snd the account stated by the book
keepers engaged in that branch of
the work. The pay vouchers returned by
the postmasters with their weekly state
ments number about eighteen million per
year These vouchers have to be assorted
and handled by five different corps of
clerks before the account to which they re-
late can be finally adjusted. Coming IN as
they do. from all quarters of the country,
they are first thrown into States, and then
into Offices. to bring all of the vouch-
ers belonging to any one office together.
After that the pay vouchers are checked MP
with the office of issue to see if they agree.
The magnitude of this business is beyond
the conception of any except those who are
brought III daily contact with the business
IS it concentrates at the auditors office.
It is the largest banking house without
capital in the world, and the books. papers.
etc. connected with it's operations. which
go to file every year amount to at least
fifty tons