The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-18
MONEY NOT CALLED FOR
Riches in Bonds in the United
States Treasury for IN
known Persons
How an Old New Highlander Was
Surprised and Also Made
Happy
had 100000 In Gold Coming aud he
Didnt KRow It-An old
s-Iax Receipt"

There is a mine Of interesting matter 20
be CLEANED from the United States treas
ury by any one who knows where 60
search. An old treasury Official, now liv-
ing in New York city, said; "Thcre Is any
amount OF money due people who do not
call for it In the United States treasury.
Yon see, there have been 10 great loans
made to the United States in the past 60
years The oldest 1 ever had anything 20
do with was that maturing in 1851
think IL was. 10 is about all paid, but
there Is still nearly tll0, 900, in principal
and interest, due 20 somebody. Il viii
probably never be called for. And. speak
ing of that loan of 1896, there was a curl
GUS incident connected with my last refer
ence 20 those old books relating 20 that
claim. II was while Judge Folger was
secretary. One morning an old man came
Ia 20 me who was from New England
state He said that about go years ago he
found some old stocks or bonds among the
papers OF an uncle-mentioning his name.
lie had been a man of national reputation
fer financial ability and made a comfort
able fortune for those days-that is, from
1890 20 iSsO-and he had come 20 the
United States treasury 10 find out IL these
old papers were worth anything. As they
seemed 70 be United States bonds / looked
at them. They were 10 Of the 'old debt
bonds and were indeed curiosities. They
were old and yellow from age, but were
worth, principal aud interest. $40. 900 in
gold, for there was 10 years interest due
on them.
"Nou can imagine the old mans amaze
meut when l told him this. why, l would
Fslr Fr.r . hsFft 2 "a
L.. and offered them toa Boston banker
for less than that, but he rather supercil-
iously and CONTEMPORARY declined 70 buy
them at any figure / took the old man
20 see Judge Folger, who was very much
interested in the matter when | explained
it 10 him. He had never seen any Of the
'old loan securities and after these were
paid and Cancelled / believe he directed
that one OF them be framed and preserved.
Well, in less than an hours time the old
New Highlander walked out Of the building
with a check ia his pocket on the New
York subtreasury for $40. 900 in gold.
How that smart Boston banker must
have cursed bis own ignorance and stu
pidity when he learned what he had
thrown away
"A circumstance very similar to this oc-
CURED in relation TO some Texas indem-
nifty bonds-the next oldest Of our nation
al loans-when Mr.. Morrill, was secretary
Of the treasury. A prominent southwest
ern man. who had held high command
in the Mexican war and was Confeder-
ate general officer, left among his papers a
certificate of Texas indemnity stock, as
1t was called, for $4,000. His widow
visited here soon after her husbands
death, and being very much reduced was
consulting the late Mr.. George Riggs con-
corning the disposition Of some Texas
lands. knowing that her husband had
been large holder of these securities, Mr..
Rigs said, Mrs. --, what did General
- do with his Texas indemnity stockP
Il really don't know, the lady answered.
Il never heard Of any such thing. BY
the way, she said few minutes later, Il
saw in an old envelope l found among his
papers not very long ago something which
had the words Texas indemnify on il,
but / thought it was an old receipt for
taxes paid on the Texas land DO you
think you can find it again' said Mr..
Riggs, without telling her anything which
would create expectations that might new
er be realized. oh, yes. she replied. i
remember perfectly well whore i put it..
Have it sent TO me here, was the next
suggestion OF the banker. 1t is as well to
have all the papers relating TO this land
together. In the course of the next fort
night the lady came into the bank, and
landing Mr.. Riggs a paper said, Here is
the tax receipt However, il was SlO,-
900 Texas indemnity certificate, on which
five years interest was due, and the in
tense qualification Of the lady may be
imagined when she was told that the old
yellow bit Of paper would add Sl2 300 in
gold-whch was then at "A small pre-
mium--to her worldly goods. It came just
ia time too, for she was able with the
money 70 save valuable estate in Arkan-
sas. which otherwise would have been sold
% f1reclose a mortgage overdue. Nearly
all the Texas indemnity bonds have been
paid long ago and / do not think there
can be more than $50, 600 which has not
been called for. OF course interest has
ceased 70 accrue.
1.-THE next United States loan was that
known in the market az the 500, a bond
that could be paid in five year., or in 20
after its maturity, as the government
might choose. IL reached the limit sever
years ago aud. has nearly all been paid
II was very largely held in Europe. Their,
remains only about $500, 900 outstanding.
''What percentage of United States bonds
do you estimate will never be presented foi
payment" was asked.
at is not possible for me TO make ans
estimate that would be at all accurate,
was the reply.
"In England about one-quarter Of pei
cent is the figure. What becomes of the
bonds Of course / cannot say, but they an,
lost or destroyed. The government, on
proper proofs being made Of the loss oil
bonds. or Of their complete destruction
Will issue new ones in their place or pay
the money value OF them 10 the loser. Not
very long ago a mass Of wet green paper
which was nearly pulp, was sent 10 th,
treasury department with "a statement pro
perly verified that the ] - gallons oil
greasy, bad looking aud worse smelling
stuff represented a large sum in the Ole
compound interest notes Of 1864. W.
dired the matter aud then carefully sepa
rated 10 and found that the owners state
ment was correct. The money was a par
Of the contents Of a safe on board of
Mississippi steamer that was burned
few years ago, and the safe had been a
the bottom Of the river nearly year be
fore the remnant Of the boat not consume,
was raised. New York Times.