The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-14
Great Responsibility of the
Man Who Handles Funds
for Modern Banks.
MACHINERY OF AN UP-TO-DATE
INSTITUTION is MOST coMPLI-
GATED, BUT PRACTICALLY PER-
FECT-LIABVLlTY TO ERR RE.
DUCED TO MINIMUM.

Bankers have been described as a
class who are permitted to rest in
elegantly appointed Offices from ten
to three on working days, except on
Saturdays, when they are wakened
and put out at twelve. So far at
least as the bank teller is concergn-
ed the description is incomplete.
Every one, OF course, knows the gen.
eral type. Once day perhaps at
long intervals the average man
catches a glimpse Oh an alert, nervous
:. face lined by the bars of a bank win
dow, and but for a moment. Half a
dozen words are spoken, perhaps, the
transaction is carried on in dumb
show. There Is a request made, per
haps, in a gesture, glance OF intel
ligence, a bank book, pile Of notes
or a slip OF paper changes hands
quickly, and one steps aside and the
line moves up. Naturally the face at
the teller's window is likely to be re-
membered.
A Trying Position.
Reverse the situation and the prob
lem is immensely complicated. There
is all the difference in the world on
which side of the barred window one
stands. To the teller the ornate bars
of his window shut out an apparent
,'ly endless succession OF faces, each
with business to transact, which
varies as widely as their features.
Here are a thousand problems with
something of his reputation staked
upon every one of them. Often there
Us only time for glance; for frac-
tion of time a face LOOKS in through
kthe bars. Thousands of dollars may
hang upon the decision. An error OF
recognition-and there are hundreds
or thousands Of faces to be kept in
mind-and the loss is instant and IT.
, remediable. On the other hand, the
danger OF erring through overcaution
Is very great An instants hesita-
tion In recognizing some big deposit
or, which may be expressed merely
by a gesture, and an offense may be
lgiven- quite as dangerous to the teller
las an over-payment. Meanwhile the
lservice must be rapid, the line must
mot be kept waiting. 1t Is scarcely to
be expected that the cashier OF a
bank should find time to be as COM
municatiye as an ordinary tradesman.
Concrete Wealth.
The narrow cage, barred In upon
all sides. even rooted with steel, into
which one chances from time to time
&c after all a very fascinating inter
Cor. Here is wealth in its most con
crete and available form. Under the
rashier,s very fingers are piles OF
gold and silver. He sits before open
drawers where bank notes Oh all oe
nominations are sorted and stacked
like some very commonplace com
modity. He Is actually hindered II
his work cramped for elbow room
NV niles of bank notes or gold. Bu
ahis money. which Is the cause OF sc
many anxieties. has long since los
ali fascination for the teller. FOL
him II is merely a very cramped III
tie cell very much overcrowded ant
1ittered ND with money. where M
must sit for at least five hours daily
with every nerve strained upon al
exceedingly dificult business.
Day Begins at 3.
The bank tellers day begins
nine O'Clock, often much earlier.
ss only for the outside world tina
banks open at ten. Long before tni'
hour the little cage behind the barred
window Is busy in preparation 10
the day. There Is mail to be gon'
through the books must be brougn
from the vaults where they have spen
the night. A fortune In coin and cur
rency must be brought from I'M
vaults. as well as carefully counted
and disposed of In the drawers or OF
the tables, where 1t will be at han'
when the rush begins. There are TIT
problems carried over, from the pre-
yious day to be adjusted. An &C