Evening star., 1895-07-12
Register Tillman to Send an Exhibit
to Atlanta.
CURIOUS OLD BONDS AND NOTES
EngIand's Check for Damages Done
by the Alabama.
AN INTERESTING ARRAY

Register j. FCun- Illlman OF the united
States treasury will send from his bureau
to the Atlanta exposition one of the most
interesting and attractive exhibits to be
furnished for that occasion by the United
States government. The exhibit-then
rather incomplete in some of its details
attracted widespread attention at the Co.
lumbian exposition in Chicago. Since then
many new features have been added. until
now 1t forms the most complete collection
of all issues of money of this government
in existence. 1t is not only valuable to those
interested in the financial history of this
country, but it serves as well to illustrate
the great and rapid advance made in the
art of engraving. The first atte mpts to en-
grave notes v ere crude and rough, while
the later efforts are the beautiful works OF
art with which every one is familiar.
The exhibit contains specimens of treas
try issues Of every form. made On account
OF the various loans, since the foundation
of the government, grouped and arranged
In chronological order. Added to this is a
full and well-pre:erved collection of colo
NAL money, which is valuable as we'll as
interesting. The government was compeli-
ed to purchase this collection by piecemeal
from various persons who were holding the
money as souvenirs. and a good price was
paid for the necessary pieces to complete
the collection. One of the features of the
exhibit Is the continental money. All the
issues OF the thirteen original states are
represented. embracing all dates, denomi-
nations and conditions of payment. The
exhibit includes continental motley, colonial
money. specimens of the issues of the late
confederate states. both currency and
bonds, United States bonds, United States
currency. national bank notes. bills of
broken wild cat banks in active operat ation
before the civil war. and the check which
England made out in favor of this country
for depredations committed by the steamer
Alabama on the commerce Of the United
States
Early Bond Issues.
The earliest issue of bonds, then known
as "loan office certificates" as shown in
the exhibit. was made in 1776 on account
of the first loan this government negotiat-
ed with France. Then follow in order Of
date specimens of bonds issued to re-
plenish the treasury from time to time
during the progress of the revolutionary
and civil wars down to the present time, the
last loan being that of 1898. redeemable in
1879. AS shown by the specimens, the ear.
liest coupon bonds were issued in 1872 1t
was then that this government adopted the
two forms of bonds. now so popular, the
coupon and registered. The specimens of
other evidences of debt under all acts of
Congress issued on account of the heavy
loans entailed by the civil war form a fine
and historic collection of the reminders of
those stirring times.
The loan office certificates" are prob
ably as interesting as any other feature
of this collection. Many have the inter-
est figured out on the edge of the note,
showing tfat the holders had puzzled their
heads to find out what Uncle Sam owed
them. On one of the colonial notes. issued
In 1I74 are inscribed the words: ITO coun-
terfeit Is death" Some severe penalty was
necessary. for any ordinary school boy
with a quill pen could have reproduced the
note exactly, so crude and rough was its
execution. Among the bonds are found a
great number of District of Columbia notes
of Indebtedness, issued for all sorts of
purposes. The bonds OF the large 4 per
cent loan of the late war times have a
good deal of space. They are both cou-
pom and registered bonds the highest de-
nomination of the former being 81 ,OO0 and
that of the latter being $4,000 The $4,000
registered bond Is the largest ever issued
by this government. No coupon bond is
issued with a higher denomination than
$1,000. The last loan, that of 1S95-1925, is
per cent one. and the bonds are beau
shape of a United States flag, with the
corpons taking the place of the stripes
and one of these bonds takes up the entire
space on single leaf of the exhibit.
The Alabama Check.
The check which England paid to this
country on account of the Alabama claims
is gold certificate, and is made out in
tne sum OF Slo,3u,OU. 1t was paid through
Drexel, Morgan & Co., Morton, Bliss & Co.
and Jay Cooke & Co., and is signed on the
face by John Allison, register of the treas
ury. and F. E. Spinner. treasurer of the
United States On the back it is indorsed
by many names, the most prominent of
which are those of Edward Thorn ton, then
the English minister to this country; Ham
ilton Fish, Secretary of State. and VIM. A
Richardson, Secretary of the Treasury
|. The collection Is mounted on two separate
columns each seven feet high Thirty-two
frames are swung on hinges to these col
umns and in these frames the notes are
mounted. They are we'll arranged and are
lettered and grouped III an artistic manner.