New-York tribune., 1905-07-31
COUNTING OVER A BILLION DOLLARS
WORK INTOLVED IN TRANSFER OF FUNDS FROM ON
UNITED STATES TIE ASURER TO 44NOTHER.

the cleanest place In the world for treasure to
be stored away indefinitely.
When canvas sack Is found 20 have rotted
away 1t is OF course replaced and the coin tied
up more securely. Each particular bag in this
way gets periodical overhauling-
Incidentally II might be mentioned that most
people would be surprised at the size OF the
vaults IN the Treasury building. There are
fourteen compartments in the cash vaults. A
company OF soldiers could easily be stood up in
OF them II they were empty Altogether
there thirteen vaults in the sub-basement
Of the Treasury. They are shut IL by walls Of
tremendous thickness and are twenty feet below
the level of the street
THE COUNT COMMISSION
1t is OF course impossible for Mr.. Treat. who rs
engaged with other duties. 10 personally oversee
every portion OF the big count now in progress
and besides. the law requires that more impair
tial observer shall testify to the reckoning FOR
this reason. therefore. the general supervision OF
the count is in the hands OF commission Of three
men who are supposed TO represent respectively
the Secretary of the Treasury. the retiring Treas
and the new Treasurer. The members OF the
present commission are z. B. Daskam. chief OF
che division OF public moneys: A 7. Hunting
ton. chief Of the division OF loans and currency.
and z. W. Hale. Deputy Assistant Treasurer.
with headquarters at New-York- All are old
depended on TO prevent any money being stolen
or lost while II is passing through various
hands There Is little chance for ptIfering. how
ever, as the overseeing system Is well per
fected- Last week the COMMITTEES successfully
concluded the count OF all the paper money.
Twenty-fOur women were employed at this task
in a special room OF the. Treasury Building.
Women have been found 70 show greater speed
in sorting notes than men Some remarkable
records in counting were made. and every frac-
ton or the reserve fund was figured up. the re-
suit tallytng exactly with the amount Mr.. Rob-
erts had reported Now the committee has be-
gun on the gold and silver in the vaults. In
this work they are depending largely upon the
efficiency OF one man superintendent He Is
James d. Rose. laborer in rank. but a veteran
OF the department and q marvellously expert
counter or gold and silver. Rose has superin-
tended many count in his lifetime. both here
and at the sub-trsasUries in New-York and San
Francisco He is a giant in size but is now
getting old. and has had to break in several ap-
prentice hands for the present task. Rose II is
said has actually handled more gold and silver
than any man in the world. He directs the
moving about Of the bags of coins in the vaults
ana the placing Of them on the scales The
committee is, OF course. hand to see that
IRE scales balance properly for each bag
weighed.
BOND OF S15O.OOO.
Oddly enough. despite the immense sums
stored in the vaults OF the Treasury In Wash
ington, and despite the fact that the United
States Treasurer Is the high ranking official. the
bond required Of him is not so large that OF
some OF his assistants. He is obliged TO give
bond for S150.OO0 while the sub-treasurer in
New-York must indemnify for $3.50, 900 and the
Assistant Treasurer in San Francisco gives bond
Tor S6OOOOO. The higher bond required in San
Francisco Is because frequently IN past years
more money was stored there than in Washing
ton, when the great gold shipments are made
and the danger OF losses is greater. The protec-
tion Of the Treasury in Washington is consid-
cred almost perfect Congress has never in
creased the salary OF the Treasurer OF the United
States SrfN ~He 7S 1a
national fund. nor has IT increased the amount
OF bond required.