The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1905-01-12
HANDLING MILLIONS.
WORK OF MAN IN 'CURRENCy
BIN" ORA GREAT BANK.
Astonishing Facts Concerning tha
Counting of Money Brorsht
Out by Speed Cor
test for Prizes.

The handling of sums OF money aD.
proximating s1O0.O0O.OOO each year is q
feat with which but few people have ID
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,
10 he has counted in his life something
like over 0.000. 900. One night re-
sently, at contest held by bank clerks,
be conclusively proved the old adage TO
the effect that practise makes perfect,
by counting total OF $4,000 in notes OF
various denominations In the record
breaking time OF 21 minutes s AS 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
cells. In counting the money Mr.. Hatch
sorted the denominations together,
counted them, wrapped them up in
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, so in all the 845 bills OF
which the amount consisted were han
died three times, equaling the counting
Of 2,5S5 bills one time. This is consid-
erably over 100 bills per minute.
This is little faster than we gen.
orally work during the days work, f" said
Mr.. Hatch, but still we count 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
If bank like this Is not the simple
<rocess that many people might think. .
There is one thing that must be at
lained in department where there is
each year handled 500, 1000, 900 in cash,
and that is accuracy. The pains to
which we go to obtain this will prove a
surprise to many who imagine that
money is counted by one man, then
wrapped up, and possibly proved by an-
other.
In handling the money in the cur
rency bin it is not only necessary to prop
erly count the amount handled. Money
aust be sorted into the different denom- |
nations and issues When notes are to
be returned to the goyernment-and |
this is done here with all old money
Il is required thai the various issues be
returned in separate packages. Thus
the man counting a stack OF bills con-
laining several thousand dollars IN dif- |
'erent denominations and issues must |
aot only keep track OF his count and sort
'ut the denominations, but he must also
Fatch tho issues and do the same with
hem.
IL VIII be realized that to make a
mistake under these conditions does not
equire much effort on the part Of the
lerk. So the money is proved threa
lines, and when We are through with
I you could look long time without
hiding an error in it. This is not so
nuch because OF the effectiveness OF the
ystem as OF the accuracy which the Il
ounter with years OF practice acquires. |
n the contest held here last week the
My error made in counting among all
lntestants was one OF two cents. and
nat was made by man adding checks
n the adding machine
"A man gets to be almost mechanical
accuracy il he is adapted to this work
nd stays az II long enough. II requires
tile mental EFFORT on his part to count.
nd as for the physical end ri Il. while
is hard on the wrists and fingers at !
rst, one gets used to L. can thumb
Ills all day and not feel the least bit
red at night But my hands and nn. .
srs are cailoused, as you can see. No.
ost people don't get callouses on their
ands from handling banknotes.
The money that gives the most trou-
e in counting Is the old bill and The
le that is mutilated. This money is
lily counted no that it may be returned
the government, as the bank hereo only
sues fresh money. We get notes
orn so thin that they seem ready to fan
laTt- These are hard to handle. OF
nrse. They stick together and other I
Ise give trouble The bill with the
rners torn on is nearly as trouble
me IL
The theory OF microbes Astounding in
q bills does not seem altogether to be.
lie to stand alone when put to the prao-
al test II 1t did. ought to have con-
,rfed awor, dfroa.- a.. .-,. III