The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-07-01
BUSY DAYS 4HESB
Ii THE TREASURY
Accounts Of the Fiscal Year
Being Wound Up.
WORK OF COUNTING PENNIES
The Average Of Redeemed Cents Has
Amounted to 100000 Per Month.
Nearly Eighty Million Pennies Mint
ed-Expert Methods Employed.

The Treasury Department. like every
other Government executive branch at
the close of the fiscal year. presents a
very busy scene Accounts are closed
up and reports receive the finishing
touches and corrections.
The Treasurer OF the United states
is engaged just now in the counting
OF eoppers. He is closing up accounts
foT cents AID ntcEeIs redeemed during
the fiscal year which ended yesterday.
The result of the count was that the
monthly average Of redeemed cents and
nickels has been about 100000 one-cent
and 100000 fve-cent pieces. Out Of this
great number of small coins. five in every
hundred have gone 10 the melting pot
at the Philadelphia mint, the balance
being restored to circulation
Nearly Eighty Million Pennies.
During the last year there we're made
at the [. s minis 79.61..I43 cents, and
26.480,213 fye-cent pieces New York
State took nearly 10000, goo Of the cents.
Illinois about 1900, 900, Massachusetts
about 100000 and Pennsylvania 1000,
800. These States stand in the same
order as to their consumption for
nickels. California and the South
scarcely knew what cents we're ten years
ago They were also practically IN
known in Nevada, Wyoming and Arizona.
This is not So however, today; they
circulate everywhere.
Counted by Women.
On account Of much use the minor
coins, cents and nickeIs. wear out rapid
". Immense numbers are shipped 10 the
Treasury where they are sorted over
for the purpose OF throw. ng out those
which are used too much and are not
at for further circulation. They arrive
in bags from banks all ever the country.
sent Tor redemption in more convenient
sized money The first process the coins
undergo is counting This is performed
BY women most of whom are experts in
that line and accomplish their task with
almost incredible rapidly
Detecting Counterfeits.
The counter takes a newly received
bag Of cents, pours out quantity of
them-a double handful. say-upon her
table, and with two OF three quick mo-
tons spreads them out so that they lie
fat. no one Of them upon another. Then
with deft fingers she throws them. two
at the time, from the table into her left
hand, which is held beneath the edge TO
receive them Her eve meanwhile scans
every piece. and II there is a coun ter
felt in the lot It very. seldom escapes her
detection. Usually it betTays itself by
q difference IN color, but Il not thus de-
tected. its ring as it drops into the palm
with the other coins enables her to dis
cover it
When a counterfeit is found the coun-
ter cuts the bogus coin in two with
big pair OF shears, laying the halves aside
in a little box There is not day THAI
a gCodly number Of bad cents do not
turn up at the Treasury. Most of these
come from New York and Philadelphia
where the occupation Of manufacturing
bad pennies keeps a large number of
Italians and Polish Jews busy through
out the year. despite the everlasting Wig
lance Of the Secret Service officers.
Where Counterfefts Go.
TIE profits Of the industry are small
but the pieces, being Of such small val
ue, are easy to pass. Eventually the
go to the bureau of the Sci
cret Service. under the direction of
which they are melted n a furnace Of a /
local foundry. to be sold finally as old
metal.
The pieces that are too much worn to
be Of further use are thrown into q sep
araue receptacle. and every few weeks
large consignment IS sent TO Philadel-
Dhia, where they are melted for recon
age It happens frequently that foreign
copper cG:a turns up, and they likewise.
with their American cousins. go to the
melting pot Some foreign copper coins
are about the same size as cur copper
cents and pass for the latter for lack Of
scrutiny fact which on one occasion
Induced az ingenious person to import
several bushels Of German pfennigs tor
circulation IN this country. They circT-
lated fairly well. but the author Of the
scheme soon found himself IN prison.
Rolling Money Cartridges.
Of the cents and niekeIs turned in at
the Treasury for redemption fully 50
per cent are in sufficiently good condi- /
ION TO 90 out again into circulation. /
For this purpose they are put up in /
1aDer envelopes and cloth bags. Bags /
which contain $50 or more are sewed up. /
lied. and tagged, with wax seal over
he string for additional security. the /
initials Of the counter and note Of the /
weight CT the sack giving q guarantee /
Il correctness. Some Of the money is /
packed In paper rouleauZ, called cart /
ridges. one woman being kept busy all /
he time in rolling on round stick .
or this purpose little sheets Of paper, /
zach Of them printed with the amount /
by the contents
The counters are so expert that il is
considered nc great feat for a woman
% reckon and do up in bags or cart
-idges 80 600 pieces IN six hours. incl
.entauy rejecting every counterfeit, for
sign or mutiIated coin
Barometer CT Business.
When a 20-cent piece turns up 1t goes
o the melting pot because the United /
states is no longer minting or circulat
ng that kind OF money; and the same
applies to nlckels with q big ''V'' which
vas found dangerous because whom gid
d It could be passed for q s. gold piece.
copper cents that come I'm