The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-11-13
YOUR uNCLE'S BANK.
How the United States is Used by
Actor Folk and Others as Their
Savings Institution.

BY Exclusive Wire ilom Tho Associated pr,,s
New York. Nov. l2.--.The money or
der bureau Of the New York postoilicc
conducts :, decidedly unique and in
voluntary savings bank business in the
use of its facilities by persons who
SEND money orders to themselves.
The number of such persons and the
magnitude OF their "pcrsonal' business
is best demonstrated in the statement
that fully $4,000 are paid yearly To
persons drawing money orders on
themselves.
Every week produces its quota Of
persons who seek Uncle Sam as guar
dian of their spare funds OF course.
they draw no interest and have to pay
Uncle Sam three-tcnths of | per cent
for safeguarding their money. but they
have the satisfaction of knowing that
their dollars are safe beyond fire, water
ana thieves.
The majority of those who do this
singular banking business with Uncle
sam are nlaycr-folk. and. among them.
women predominate. 'rh" proportion
is about . to 4. Among the rank and
file OF stage people there is u dsinclin-
alton to put money in savings banks.
1t is looked upon, in Il measure. as i'll
convenient. especially by those in road
companies" which. if they are fortun-
ate. do not see New York for thirty
or forty weeks. II is to guard against
the misfortune which ever menaces
minor road companies a stranding
on a foreign shore. that theatrical peo-
pie bethought them of the money or
der plan. And from what postoilice
officials say. many Il song of gladncSS
has gone up from Peria or Galveston.
or Lima O., or some other onc-night
place when the stranded player has
caressingly regarded his money order,
drawn to his own order in New York
for the rainy day
In the sprngtime the outer self"
money order business is at its height.
Then the road companies" are going
out. and players take affairs by the
forelock by drawing orders which they
hope not to need until the season closes.
Often,iInes during their season menu
be!s nf travelling companies go to local
postoIces and there draw orders pay
ah" 20 themselves in New York. Then.
if Anything happens, they can send the
orders on to some friend who may
draw them and forward the money
Superintendent Joseph Elliott. who is
he head of the money order bureau,
.oday:
Nc pay out thousands Of dollars
?rlv year TO persons who have OBJ
, a..ied money orders payable to them
selves. 1t does net seem such Il long
time ago that ] paid Maggie Cline ST.
200 on orders she had. drawn in that
way. She was travelling about the
country and deemed Uncle Sam the
best caretaker of her money: so she
sci?t order after order to this office.
When the season ended she came on
and drew the lump sum.
about two years ago one of Bar
nuns iugalers presented orders; made
out t" himself to the amount OF S. 100.
When I asked him for identifcation he
said he could not identify himself
further than to submit q lithograph
poster billing his performance. III the
poster he was represented with his
head between those of two big bull
dogs and he was trying to look more
ferocious than the dogs. No sooner had
he unrolled the poster than ! said to
him, Ii you make that face. I'll pay
you the money He whipped his hat
off in an instant. tumhled his hair and
leered at me through the bars of the
WindoW-W icket. There was no doubt
In my mind then, and l paid him the
money. He seemed much amused at
my plan OF getting at his identity. and
as he walked eff he said, III use that
again!'
Money orders are good for one year
only. but at the expiration OF the year
one may still draw his money by swear
ing to the justice of his claim and cs-
tahlisiing his identity. While there
have been several cases OF persons
leaving their funds in the postottice Tor
a year, the improvised savings bank"
is generally used for six or eight or ten
months. Theatrical people also use the
Office as II means of transporting their
money without risk. Instead of TAX
ing large sums from this city TO their
destination. they draw Il money order
to themselves, pin Il slip Of paper
bearing their signature to II, and so
ON their way rejoicing. The signature
slip is Forwarded by the postmaster
with his advice and serves us an idcn-
titiration agent.
Many foreigners particularly Swed"s
TAX" their money 10 the old country"
in the shape Of personal money orders
They thus avoid the risk of being
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