Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-15
UNCLE SANS GAINS
Whenever a Note or Bond is
Lost or Destroyed.
UNSOUGHT PROFITS
MANY POSTAL NOTES AND
STAMPS NEVER TURN UP.
How the Manhattan Bank of New York
Was Reimbursed for 81 ,6OO,O0O in
Bonds Stolen in 1878.
UNSOUGHT PROFITS

The government of the United States
makes many thousands of dollars every
year through the carelessness or misfor-
tune of some persons with whom 1t has
business to- transact Merchants sometimes
make money in the same way, but the
amount is inconsiderable. If a merchant
gives check in satisfaction of an obliga-
ton and the check Is lost, the loss can be
proved and the amount recovered by the
man to whom the check was given. Some
times it happens that a man gives check
which is afterward destroyed and which
never comes to light, and possibly the man
to whom the check was issued never claims
the money. But this instance happens so
seldom that the profit from this source is
one to which no business man would give
any serious consideration in figuring out
the possibilities of season
Your Uncle Sam. on the contrary, can fig
ure out pretty well before the beginning of
q fiscal year that many thousand dollars
will be put to his credit on profit and loss
account before the year is over. This profit
will come from bonds, United States notes.
treasury notes of 1880 and silver certificates
destroyed and never presented for redemp-
ton; from unclaimed interest on interest
bearing securities, abraSionS of gold and
silver coin and money orders which are lost
and never duplicated, as well as the humble
postage stamp which is not put to the use
for which 1t was originally intended
Revenue From Stamps.
In relation to the last-named item the
amount which the government may make in
destroyed stamps each year is not deter
minable, but undoubtedly it amounts to a
very great many hundred dollars. The
stamp collectors furnish large revenue to
the government, for they put away stamps
at their face value and the Post Office De-
partment is never required to perform the
service which is represented in the pur-
chase price.
These profits are never cast up, because
debtS OF the government are seldom out
lawed But they are as real as though
they We're credited to Uncle Sam on the
books of the Treasury Department
ot course. 1t Is no fault of the govern
ment that this profit accumulates Every
effort Is made to find the man to whom the
government is indebted. and every reason
able opportunity is given to him to claim
the amount of the Indebtedness. In the
case of a lost or stolen bond he has simply
TO prove ownership and give an indemnity
bond to protect the government against
loss In the case of a treasury note in
Jured by IRE or water he has to send the
remains, and the experts of the depart
ment Will decipher so far as possible the
value of the pile Gts original valued and the
money will be restored to him. In the case
of money order both the remitter and the
remlttee are advised again and again that
the money remains unpaid
Missing Securities.
The value of missing United States inter-
est-bearing securities of the earlier issues
prior to and during the civil war on June
80 1904, amounts to over S1,OOO,OOO Those
oplgations OF which the interest ceased
years ago date back to 1S47. and the out
standing amounts are classified as follows: