The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1903-05-29

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Y"F-~HHHw- money is not half
SSg1,Aner emTT;a so hard to handle
fPRF 7P'HH!!' q, ~n are s. ii; ' Ssss':
the treasury and
almost overwhelm Mr.. Roberts for per-
mits to see the outside wrappings OF
this almost inconceivable wealth. The
Treasurer holds that every citizen has
an interest in the money, and conse-
quently If he gets any satisfaction in
looking at ii and in examining the
vaults in which it is kept, he is entitled
to that satisfaction. Consequently none
is turned from his office without the
necessary permit unless there is some
special reason for Withholding it.
Best Show in Washington.
The hospitable welcome given visit
ors, together with the sOrdid delight
Americans take in seeing vast stores
of money, makes the treasury one Of
the best shOwhouses In Washington.
Were an admission fee charged to the
silver vaults the revenues of the Gov
eminent would be appreciably in
creased, for there is rarely a day that
from 1000 to 1000 persons do not feast
their eyes on the crisp new bills tied up
in packages containing from $4,000 to
So, 100000, according to the denomina-
ton or voice their approval of the APP
parently wanton destruction Of the
precious bills in the division of redemp-
ton.
Sightseers come from all over the
world. One day when it was particu-
larly gloomy and disagreeable outside,
so that there was not much doing in the
tourist line, Treasurer Roberts took the
trouble to keep track Of his callers. Ex-
actly 700 persons enter ed his office that
day on other than departmental bust
ness. They represented thirty-hve
States, seven foreign countries and
nearly forty different nationalities The
foreigners came from Great Britain,
France. China, India, Germany, Africa
and Australia.
Matters are arranged so that the visit
will impress itself upon the minds Of
the strangers. There is a corps Of well
drilled guides maintained, who, after
Mr. Roberts has passed upon the per-
NIT, see that the stranger registers his
name in a little book kept for the pur-
pose. This is for the purpose of assist
! ing the Government later on in case a
silver certificate or a gold bond is miss
ed during the day. They first go to the
vault where the money is kept, which
is used in the current business of the
treasury After the necessary signing
and countersigning of the permit they
are admitted. The cashier in charge
hands around a small frame which in
closes two well-worn $4,000 bills and
one of $1,000.
"There!' he says, triumphantly
you've had $4,000 in your hand"
shown Millions in Ponds.
Bigger things come later on in the trip
when they are permitted to fondle
millions of gold bonds in the national
bank division or to look at the doors
behind which are stored tons of pre-.
cious gold and silver which has been
stamped into coin. Because Of the cleo
| dPHllduCtS lncg Stt TIE
bags of coin. Amy attempt to move the
magnetized doors, the guide impressive
ly relates, would result in calling the
seventy-three heavily armed guards
who are constantly kept at the treas
ury to protect the money.
/. IF we were as money mad as some
foreigners would make us out" OBJ
/; served Treasurer Roberts, visitors a
the department would not conduc
} themselves as well as they do. | pre-
sumo 100000 persons have gone
: through the vaults during my tenur,
Of office. but so far as l know not on
has made an attempt to get hold of an,
Of the money. OF course, we keep clos,
watch on them, but if the American
people were insane on the question O
money this would be a good place t,
note interesting symptoms. We Xix
t money. but we are not so crazy abou
2 it as our foreign friends profess to be
lleve At least the presence of tn
5 cause of our alleged madness does no
seem to aggravate the disease"
There are some men I'm the world &