The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1896-06-05

The Deft-Fingered Women Who
Handle Uncle Sans Money,
They Rapidly Reject Counterfeit
and Abraided Currency.

TO The United States treasury force at
Washington. All Of them will be
women, because they have been found
70 be more efficient than men in this
kind OF work. This fact was discov-
cred during war times by general
Spinner. In those days they we're
engaged 10 the business Of reckoning
shinplastera, cutting them apart with
scissors
The counting Of the cash that goes
out and comes into the treasury is
gigantic task. The department finds
itself At present very short-handed
with 100 persons constantly engaged
in this work. Fifty Of these clerks
are in the redemption division, where
the old and worn-out money is re-
ceiyed from the sub-treasuries, from
banks and from individuals all over
the country. Seven hundred thou
sand dollars worth Of notes come in
during an average month.
Coin comes in likewise by the ton,
being forwarded to Washington to be
exchanged for new notes. Every
piece Of it must be counted. The
women who do this work are wonder
fully expert They empty the bags
Of metal money upon tables, and
spreading the pieces out with a sweep
of the hand reckon them two by two
at the rate of s, 900 an hour. Under
pressure a skilled counter can make
tally Of 200 coins in six hours, do
ing them up in bags and incidentally
throwing out all counterfeits and mu-
tilated pieces.
Coins that are much worn are also
thrown aside, to be sent TO the melt
ing pot Bad ones are chopped part
~ in two, in order to render them I'M
available for use as money. Those
that pass muster are put up in envel-
opes and bags, or in rouleaux of paper.
One woman devotes her entire time to
preparing these paper tubes, using a
round stick for the purpose. They
are of various sizes, according as they
reintendad to contain dollars, halves,
quarters, dimes or nickels. The filled
packages of coin, labelled with a
statement of contents, are shipped to
various parts of the country, where
soever they may be wanted.
Uncle Sam pays the expressage. He
also pays for the bags of cotton cloth
and duck, which cost Sc, 500 annually.
The expense involved in the business
Of giving new money for old is great.
On the silver there is a considerable
loss by wear. This loss amounts to
about three percent ON all the silver
coins in circulation. The life of Q
silver dollar is only about five years,
at the end of which it has become de-
faced to such an extent as to need re.
placing with fresh one. On the
other hand, Uncle Sam makes profit
on his paper money. 1t is estimated
that one percent of the notes and
certificates is totally destroyed while
in circulation, or else lost, and never
comes back at all
The packages Of paper money that
reach the Redemption division all GO
to one man, who occupies sort Of
cage. He receipts for them in big
book. When a counter has finished
job, she goes to the cage and gets a
fresh parcel, giving her receipt for it.
She takes it to her desk, breaks i
open, and proceeds to sort the note
by denominations, doing them up il
little bundles of 100 bills each will
brown paper straps Her reckoning
ought to tally exactly with the state
ment OF contents accompanying tn
package. If there is a big discrep
ancy telegram is promptly dis
patched to the sender.
Counterfeits and foreign notes Or
put aside. The reckoning being com
plete, the women take the notes to
cancelling machine, which punche
four holes through each bundle Q
them. They are now no longe
money, but merely vouchers. Sh
carries them to another official, to
gether with her inventory, and he re
ceipts for it. Each bundle is cut i