The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-09


urer's Office. At each Office the package lie
counted and verified and further examined.
! These two offices are check on each other
| and on the Office OF the redemption division.
With all these safeguards there have been
| very few attempts at theft in the. handling
of mutilated bills, and doubtless very few
Of these have escaped detection. When the
bills to be destroyed have been thoroughly
checked up they are put in charge of a COM
mittee consisting OF one clerk OF the score
tary's office. one from the registers Office,
one from the treasurers Office and an out
slider appointed by the secretary Of the
treasury.
HOW BILLS ARE DESTROYED.
The first three named have keys TO the
macerator, or machine which destroys the
mutilated rotes. Each key fits a different
look on the macerator, and oil three of these
locks must be unbolted IL the macerator is
opened. The macerator is b steam drum in
which a set Of knife blades rsvolves hort
zontally. The packages OF mutilated cur
Iency are put into the macerRtor under the
eyes of the four members OF the committee
and the m0cerator is locked, steam is turned
on and the knives are started.
In very few minutes the notes have been
reduced to unrecognizable greenish, gray
pulp. This pulp is sold TO local firm
which presses 1t into miniature busts Of
George Washington, Lincoln, Logan and
other heroes of American history, into the
figures OF irds or into a crude representa-
ton of the Washington monument. These
curiosities are sold in all the shops of
Washington, and little old man sits on
the steps Of the bureau Of engraving and
printing, the birthplace Of these bank
notes. aud sells their compT sssed remains to
visitors.
WOULD BE A COLOSSAL TASK.
a
the bank notes checked by number sug-
gests colossal task for the cashiers office.
l talked with Mr.. True a few days ago
about the possibilities OF establishing his
system, and be said the only way hich
seemed TO him to be feasible would be to
have books printed with the serial numbers
OF the notes issued and to go over these
books whenever notes were received for re-
demption and check off the numbers.
To do this for 800, 600 pieces Of money in
one day would be no small task. To start
with the issue of old demand notes Of 1852
would be stupendous task. The Oldest
notes which come in for redemption now
are the "new issue" demand notes of 1869.
There was a total SIT, 122 worth Of these
"new issue" notes redeemed last year and
there are more than Z, 800. 600 Of them still
outstanding. or the United States notes OF
the series OF 1869 there are outstanding more
than 6, $50, 900; of the series of 1874, more
than l,250. 900; OF the series OF 1875, more
than 4, 100000; Of the series of 1878, more
than S,25O,0O0; and of the series Of 1880
nearly $4,000, 900. Of the last named series
SOL, 372, 1853 were redeemed during the last
year.
MUCH OUT OF CIRCULATION.
OF course much Of this money, which is
quoted in Mr. Nebeker's report as ''out-
standing" has been destroyed and will
never be presented for redemption. This
money destroyed more than balances any
fraudulent money which may have been
presented for redemption because notes are
reported as outstanding" Of every denom-
ination and every serIes OF course, to
print at this time a book containing all
serial numbers OF the series of 1859 aud to
attempt TO check OH what notes OF that
series may come in hereafter would be
almost a useless task; but il is quite posi-
bic 20 go back two or three years and make
up these accounts beginning say with the
series Of 1890.
OF course IL duplicates were presented
now OF any notes which have been redeemed
heretofore no system OF checking which
could now be established would prevent
their redemption. II this new system Is
established 70 must be for the protection OF
the treasury department against the pos
siniiity Of redeeming two notes OF the same
number hereafter.
THE Empress Of Augtrla Il repuiod 20 BE- ths