Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-10-25
SIGN OF BETTER BUSINESS
DEMAND FOR SMALL COIN RE-
FLEETS PROSPERITY.
Large Increase Noted in Treasury
Output of Halves, Quarters
and Dimes.

Frank A. Leach, director Of the mint.
finds corroboration of returning prosper
ity in the demand upon the Treasury for
subsidiary silver. He thinks 1t is an i'm
portant sign. and furnished to a Star
reporter yesterday some interesting facts
on the subject. He said:
while the increase of clearinghouse
receipts at the various financial and COM
mercial centers of the country. the very
great reduction of the number Of idle
freight cars and the increasing orders
for structural steel are features Of our
business life pointed out as indications of
a return of commercial prosperity. there
is another very interesting evidence of
the fact of which the public is not so
familiar. and that is the demand upon
the public Treasury for subsidiary silver,
or silver coins of the denominations of
halves. quarters and dimes the coins so
necessary for change in trade
when the effects of the panic of last
year began to be felt, with the contrac-
ton of business and the Topping of of
pay rolls in manufactures that followed.
there at once began an accumulation OF
subsidiary coin in the public Treasury.
For nearly two years prior to this time
all the available capacity of the United
States minis was devoted to coming
money of these denominations. namely.
halves. quarters and dimes, without at
any time being able to get any consid-
cradle amount ahead.
Over $24, OOO, 900 Idle.
''When the accumulation in the Treas
ury began, at the time Of or, rather after
the panic there was only $1,000 600 In SUBJ
sdiary coins on hand. and from this
amount late in 1907 the stock on hand
steadily grew. until it reached the large
sum of approximately s24. 600 in Au-
gust of this year.
..Jusht think of it, nearly 100000 of
discarded money, for there was no use
for it as trade contracted, and 1t was
stored away in Uncle Sans strong box
unuseful, like the idle cars on the side
tracks of the railroads For as the banks
and business men found themselves with
more of this kind of coin on hand than
was needed. the surplus was sent to the
Treasury in exchange for currency that
could be more conveniently held or used.
when this extreme height Of the in
flowing tide of subsidiary coin was
reached the ebb flow Immediately started
rather slowly at first, but by the middle
of September the outward current was
remarkably strong. Trade was reviving.
The harvest of the incoming crops and
increasing commercial transactions were
requiring a greater amount of small or
silver coins for change.
The Records by Weeks.
1.-THE following figures from the records
of the public treasurer show the out
ward movement for the three weeks past
as compared with the same period in
the previous year:
Week ending September &C. 1908. ). 81 l40 78O. 90
Corresponding period in 1907. ...... 800, 400. 90
Week ending October 3, 1908. 800. 9s5, $3.50
Corresponding period in 1907. 800, 420.50
Week ending October 10, 1908. $50. 1872 $40. 40
Corresponding period in 1907. ...... 916, 157. 10
Week ending October II. 1908. 1,263. 40. 90
Corresponding period in 1907. ...... SIS. 1894. 80
Week ending October "a. 1908. 800. LII, Is
Corresponding period in 1901. 025,510.OO
1T should be said that the amounts
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