Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-24

He always has IN his band q little 6oole
which tells him how much he has q each
denomination and Of each kind OF money
and the number OF every bill. so that IL
can be promptly traced In case It goes
astray. The silver Is kept In bsga OF
$1,000 each. the gold In bags Of $4,000
each.
The money in the vaults 10 never ae-
tually counted except when there 10 q.
change in the once OF treasurer Of the
United States Then q COMMITTEES Of clerks
ana outside experts are named, who 90 all
through ell Of the VAULTS Job OF sew
eral weeks-and count everx bill and
weigh every coin. This has been done
hah dozen times since tho present meth.
ods were adopted. and the accuracy OF
the oookkeeping and accounting Is 20 per-
feTs that It has always como out right
the cashiers make UP their balance ev-
cry night. just as is done In an ordinary
bank. and before he leaves the Treasury
building Maj. Quaiffe knows not only how
much money he has. but the denomination
cate and the number Of coins OF each de-
nomination.
The growth Of business in the Treas
ury." SAID MAJ: ouaitse in answer to my
ance reports which have always kept.
They show for the fiscal year lssl-J
total Of $165. TIC. $50 Ten years later.
for the fiscal year 1886. the total was
$241. 6es SOC: while in the fiscal year
19o8-7 a total of Sill. ASS, 50 actual
money was paid out Of the cashroom.
A similar growth has occurred In all
branches of the Treasury Department.
ana yet the government officers struggle
along with an inadequate force and ante
generally recognized. The payments for
the past four months aggregate 1906. .
10000. an increase Of s8S OOO. 900 over tbs
same period during the last fiscal year.
an average OF two and a half millions n
day. The principal payments are made
in paper money-United States notes. gold
and silver certificates. all Of which are
originally issued from the Washington
Office, and are shipped to assistant treas.
urers throughout the country and to-
banks and others in redemption OF OLD
moneys sent here to be Cancelled and de-
stroyed. Very little silver and gold coin
IS used In Washington. as compared with
many parts OF the country, because clean.
crisp paper money can be easily obtained
at the Treasury Department. while at a
distance paper money is made TO serve
to the last stages Of wear and dilapida-
ton.
Presses Turning Out Thousands.
THE bureau Of engraving and print
Ing" continued Maj. Quaiffe lis now
furnishing US daily $50 packages. each
containing 1000 notes-one, two. five. ten
and twenty dollar notes-or 900 notes
daily. When they are received they are
put in the reserve vaults to dry out %
that the ink may be thoroughly absorbe6
by the paper. When these notes are
needed the seal Of the government -
printed upon them in a room adjoinin9
the vaults. where they are cut and trim
med and put up in packages for daily dis
tribution. These do not include national
bank notes which sent OFT To tho
banks in sheets Of four notes by the con-!
troller of the currency. and must be cut
apart and signed by the officers OF the
bank. The paper money of the govern
ment bears fac-simile engraved sigma
lures Of the treasurer Of the United
States and the register of the Treasury.
1t being obviously impossible to sign
1900 notes daily.
1.-THE paper money is put UP In s-tnch
cubic packages, each containing 1000
notes, and the value Of the package ranges
from 1000 to $40, 600, 000 according to the
denominations of the notes, which vary
from 81 to $4,000 each.
Protection Of Cash Vault
"The cash vault is lined with iron
shelves protected by wire sliding doors.
and has light iron gallery around 1t on
all sides. The vault Is built of chilled
iron and steel plates. 1t has two distinct
combination lock doors, each door with
two locks, and the outer door has, In ad-
dition, a time lock which prevents 1t from
being opened outside of Office hours. The
cashier of the Treasury has the COM
bination of the inside door, and the vault
clerk the combination for the outside
doors of the vaults, SO that they cannot
be opened by either official without the
presence of the other. y y as.f-
"a complete record OF every transac-
ton is kept" continued Maj. Quaife. 1T
is the outgrowth of the experience OF
many years and many minds, 50 that not
a single cent can go astray without being
missed and traced to the very individual
responsible for its loss"
There have been several robberfes in the
Treasury during Maj. Quaine's time, and
he tells me that three persons nave oeen
involved being altogether about 100000:
He thinks that the selection of clerks and
other employees of the cash room by CIVIL
service examination has not had any ef-
feet on the honesty or the accuracy OI
the persons employed, but has improved the
service by having less frequent changes.
He is himself an example Of the merit
system.
Maj. Quaiffe was born in Albany. N. r..
enlisted as a private soldier in the civil
war, served with Grants army in Viz
ginia, was taken prisoner in 1854 in con-
sequence of a sunstroke. was connned IN
Libby prison, Salisbury. N. c.: and at
Danville until the general exchange in
February, 1865. During August Of that
year he was appointed clerk in the Treas
ury by Gen. Francis e: Spinner, tho
great war treasurer" and has been pro-
NOTED through the various grades IN tho
cashroom up to his present responsible po-
sition of vault clerk, which. by the way.
was created for him by democratic Con-
gress about twenty-five years ago. all
though he is and always has been Re.
publican.