Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-07-08
BOOKKEEPING BY MACHINERY
Electric Machines Used TO Add, to
Subtract, to Multiply and
to Divide,

to Divide.
1t will no doubt be a matter of interest
and information to persons not acquainted
with the routine and methods Of the audit
ing Offices Of the government TO know that
the bulk of the postmasters' accounts
especially the offices in large cities, such
as New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Buff
falo, San Francisco, Boston, Kansas City,
Nashville and Des Moines are done by ma
chimes.
The Office of the auditor for the post
office, Treasury department, besides being
the largest and best known Of the auditing
Offices OF the government, Of which there
are six by reason OF having to deal with
the postmasters throughout the country,
as well as the largest accounting Office,
not only in the United States, but in the
world, has the distinction Of having re-
Gently completed the installation of the
largest electric adding machine plant in the
government. at cost OF something be-
tween 5000 and H,oOe.
Some years ago an experiment was made
! in this ofnoe with one or two adding ma
chimes Of the crank pattern to test the
adaptability OF machines for the work.
Facility, accuracy and dispatch were thor
oughly demonstrated to the entire salts
| faction of the officials and each year since
more machines have been added, until,
with the last purchase, entirely replacing
crank machines with the electric motor
| type, the number used has doubled in
the past FIVE years.
! The auditing of postmasters' accounts
which, as the name OF the ONCE would in
dicate, Is the work OF the ONCE, necessi-
tates the handling OF many money orders
| To- tha
| claimed by the postmasters. The machine
section Is in the inspection division, OF
which B. A. Allen is chief.
This division is the nrst to receive the
accounts OF the postmasters, with vouchers
both foreign and domestic, together with
any orders which may have been spoiled
in issue or in printing, as sometimes hap
pens. A few days after the close Of th'
period for which the once accounts. which
is either weekly or monthly, allowance
being made for the distance which has tC
be covered. these statements are received
by the clerk having charge of the mailing
room and by him assorted into sections al
assigned TO each clerk; in the case Of thu
large Offices for the machine section. the!
are taken directly 10 this room and Their
placed upon the shelves provided for tina
PURPOSE Win Nut 5ulalleI oHlNcb lnebe ar
assorted by states. aiphabeted and divided
into sections,
In this division the clerks are known Al
inspectors. Each is required to examine
the statement OF the postmaster, 10 see 1
It contains all the parts necessary 70
audit, 20 see II the requirements OF the de
partment as to the preparation and meth
DDS Of entries are compiled with that tn
name OF the postmaster. name OF the one
and state and the date OF the period 10
which II 10 rendered, are entered in tn
heading Of each sheet OF the statement.
The fees for orders Issued, domestic an
foreign, must be examined for error. AM
the amounts OF the orders and fees foote
and figured entered in blue pencil on IN
side, corrections being made where neess
sary. This brings the inspector to the pal
side OF the statement, where each none
order must be examined for the name o
the city on which Il IL drawn. amount Il
body OF order compared with coupon o
same. signature OF person receiving IN
money and dating stamp Of paying once
any ore OF which being missing the state
ment may be held up, suspended, and m
postmaster required TO supply the missin
data or the discrepancy noted on the orde
or allowance made for II.
Formerly all the statements were audite
by hand. as are now those OF the smaIls
ofhces and a few large ones not assigns
to the machine section. but with the com
Pleted adding machine plant in operation