Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1904-12-29
FAST HANDLING OF MONEY


FAST HANDLING OF MONEY
Bank Clerks Speedy and Accurate
Work in Manipulating Many
Millions.
The handling OF sums or money ap-
proximating $l00,000,o0o each year is a
feat with which but few people have to
trouble themselves. Lemoyne s. Hatch
is one of these few. writes James l..
Elkins, in the Chicago Tribune. Mr..
Hatch is in charge of the currency bin"
Of the First national bank and annually
bank notes, silver certificates and gold
pass through his hands to total Of the
amount above named. He has been
handling money for the last six years,
so he has counted in his life something
like over $50O,0O0,000. One night re-
Gently, at a contest held by bank clerks,
he conclusively proved the old adage to
the effect that practice makes perfect,
by counting total Of $4,000 in notes of
various denominations in the record
breaking time of q minutes s IS Sec
onds.
This money, in the form of notes OF
different denominations, fives, tens and
twenties, was wrapped in one large
package divided by strips into small par
GELS. In counting the money Mr.. Hatch
sorted the denominations together,
| counted than TN
packages, and made out complete
statement Of the currency handled.
Each package Of each denomination was
proved" after being sorted and after
being tied up, 80 in all the S45 bills OF
which the amount consisted were han
died three times, equaling the counting
of 1855 bills one time. This is consid-
erably over 100 bills per minute.
'This is a little faster than we gen.
orally work during the days work" said
Mr.. Hatch, "but still we count a good
many notes each minute during the day.
We work about seven hours each day
and count money all the time. The
counting of money in the currency bin
of bank like this is not the simple
process that many people might think.
There is one thing that must be at
tanned in department where there is
each year handled $100,0OO,000 in cash,
and that is accuracy. The pains to
which we 60 to obtain this will prove
surprise to many who imagine that
money is counted by one man, then
wrapped up, and possibly proved by an
other.
I'm handling the money in the cur
rency bin it is not only necessary to prop
erly count the amount handled. Money
must be sorted into the different denom-
nations and issues. When notes are to
be returned to the government-and
this is done here with all old money
it is required that the various issues be
returned in separate packages. Thus
the man counting stack of bills con-
tanning several thousand dollars in dif-
ferent denominations and issues must
not only keep track of his count and sort
out the denominations, but he must also
watch the issues and do the same with
them.
1T will be realized that to make q
mistake under these conditions does not
require much effort on the part of the
clerk. So the money is proved three
times, and when we are through with
1t you could look long time without
finding an error in it. This is not so
much because Of the effectiveness Of the
system as of the accuracy which tho
counter with years Of practice acquires.
In the contest held here last week the
only error made in counting among all
contestants was one Of two cents. and
that was made by man adding checks
on the adding machine.
"A man gets to be almost mechanical
in accuracy If he is adapted to this work
and stays at it long enough. It requires
little mental effort on his part to count,
and as for the physical end Of it, while
it is hard on the wrists and fingers 1t
first, one gets used to 1t. can thumb
bills all day and not feel the least bit
tired at night. But my hands and I'm
gers are calloused, as you can see. No.
most people don't get callouses on their
hands from handling banknotes.
"The money that gives the most trou-
Bile in counting is the old bill and tho
one that is mutilated. This money IL
only counted SO that it may be returned
to the government, as the bank here only
issues fresh money. We get notes
worn 20 thin that they seem ready to fall
apart. These are hard to handle, Of
course. They stick together and other
wise give trouble. The bill with tho
corners torn OF is nearly as trouble
some.
"The theory of microbes Astounding in
old bills does not seem altogether to be
able to stand alone when put to the prac-
teal test. If it did, ought to have con-
tracted every disease in existence. But
the old money never troubled me, and
ny i've assistants actually seem to
thrive and grow fat handling It."