The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1901-08-08
CHAT OF THE CORRIDORS.

The Departments of the Potomac, G..
A X. and w. K. c., have sustained an
irreparable loss III the unexpected death
of Mrs. Emma Al V. Anderson, Past
President Of the Corps, and wife of Col.
Marion L. Anderson, Past Department
Commander. She was beautiful, bright,
earnest, lovable, sympathetic woman,
whom everyone was drawn to on sight,
and one of the most earnest workers in
the w. X. G. She never seemed to tire
in doing good, and her presence was an
inspiration to others. She was but 53
years old.
Last week the Secretary of the Treas
ury and the Treasurer of the United
States filed with the Clerk of the SI-
preme Court of the District of Columbia
their answers to the petition for an ac-
counting in connection with the well
known Durkee claim against the Gov
ernment for $79,000,O00 and interest.
These officials assert in their replies
that the claim is wholly .E-r::iuary, false,
fictitious and fraudulent, and without
foundation in law or in fact" They as
sert that the records Of the Treasury De-
partment fail to disclose any basis for the
claim.
Comrade VIM. II. Martin, 10Th Ill,
Waynesville, ILL.,, and his wife were i'll the
city last week. Comrade Martin is far
mer, but has retired. His wife, hand
some woman, is the daughter of Il man
who marched with Sherman to the sea.
When the United States Treasury
opened its doors for business, Wednesday,
July 81, it had in its vaults probably the
largest stock of gold ever held anywhere
in the world. 1t amounted to SJO4,3J4,-
29T. This involves an increase during the
past month of nearly SlO,OO0,OOO, and an
increase OF $T4, I'D over the figures
Of u corresponding date of last year.
The Russian Government it is stated at
the Treasury Department, once claimed to
be in possession of a gold fund amounting
to sos. 600, GOO. This is the highest
amount of reserve on record, but the pres
ent figures Of our Government almost
reach it, so that the fund now held is but
a step from the largest in history. On
July % last reports were received at the
Department here of the amounts held by
foreign nations. They were as follows:
Bank of England, S1S3,330G S1; Bank of
Germany, SIS, 49,, 434: the Imperial Bank
of Russia, $345, 40S, ia; Bank of Austro-
Hungary, Sl90,314.126, and Bank of
France, $41S,25S, go. These banks hold
the same relative positions to their respec-
tive Governments as the Treasury does to
funds indicated are governmental and not
private moneys. The amount now held by
France in its bank is the largest i'll the his
tory of that Nation, 50 that along with the
United States it is now enjoying an I'M
usually large redundance of Government
reserve.
One of the most remarkable features of
the fund now held by the Treasury is the
fact that very large proportion of the
amount is of home production. OF the
$J04 ,35I ,297 now held very little is cred
tied to the importation account, the bulk
of it coming from the Alaskan and Cripple
Greek mining regions. During the fiscal
year ending June 80 last the net impOrta
tons of gold amounted to only $13, 12S,-
600
OF this quantity of metal large per-
centage came from Australia. The gold
that is placed into the Treasury through
home production is covered by the issu-
ance of golG certificates, every dollars
worth of which stands guaranteed by its
equal in coin held in the vaults of the
Treasury.