Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-10-30
COUNTING THE CASH
Proceedings Attending Change
in National TreasurerS.
WORK WILL BEGIN TODAY
Average of Thirty Experts Will Be
Kept Busy.
WILL WEIGH SILVER IN BAGS
Operations Will Be Under the Su-
pervision of E. B. Daskam, A. T.
Huntington and A. 7. 'Brice.
I'LL WEIGH SILVER IN BAGS

Huntington and A. T. .Brice.
This afternoon there viii begin count
of approximately S1.11JUU.Gn held In
the vaults and safes in Washington OF the
United States Treasury. This count
marks the change of United States
treasurer, to take place Monday. when
Charles II. Treat will he succeeded by
Lee McClung.
Four, years and four months ago. when
Mr.. Treat succeeded Ellis II. Roberts.
Uncle Sam vas Weather than he is now.
and the total amount OF funds and Sc
curities counted work Of nearly three
months, was sl.249, 5oS 27s.os.
Supervision of the Count.
An average of thirty-five clerks day
were engaged in that count, and in the
one just now beginning the average will
be at least thirty of the most expert
money handlers TO be found. Supervising
the work will be a committee Of three
men, appointed today by the Secretary OF
the Treasury. They are r. b. Daskam
and A. 7. Huntington. representing the
retiring treasurer. Mr.. Treat, and Arthur
r Brice, formerly cashier of the Riggs
National Bank, representing the incoming
treasurer. Mr.. McClung. The billion and
fifth of funds will be counted with the
greatest care, and at the close of the
work, if the accounts show up all right,
as compared with the amount received by
Mr. Treat from Ellis II. Roberts, tripli-
cate receipts will be issued and eX-
changed, one going to the Secretary Of
the Treasu for the archives of the gov
eminent, one going to the retiring treas
urer and another to the incoming treas
urer.
1t is big job ahead of the committee.
The count does not extend to the various
sllbtreasuries of the United States. Much
of Uncle Sans money is distributed in
these subtreaSurieS, but the assistant
sponSible to the government. giving heavy
bonds. The assistant United states
treasurer in New York gives a bond Of
sGG0,OOO. but the United States treasurer
gives bond of only s150,O00.
During Treasurer Treats administra-
ton no money has been lost from the
Treasury in this city. TheEe have, how
ever. been robberies of ssubtreasuries
in Chicago. st. Louis and Boston. that IN
Chicago amounting to over S20O,GOo me
thief has never been discovered or pun
ished.
Money in TellerS HANDS,.
AT the close of business in the Treasury
today the money counted will be that in
the hands of the three tellers of the
cashroom-paying, receiving and change
telIers. The amount of this will depend
on the sums received by the tellers from
outside during the day. The cash bal
ance in their hands usually runs from
s4Uo 900 to 100000. This count today is
to facilitate the beginningssof business
next Monday morning. After that the
count of the other funds can proceed with
more leisure. because they are not in
actual daily use.
Uncle Sam has been running behind to
a large extent in the last two years and
that accounts for the difference in the
money on hand four years and more ago
and at this time. The difference would
he much greater than appears in the
actual figures, but for the fact that
there has been large increase In the
last four years in the amount of bonds
held in trust by the treasurer as secur-
ity for the circulation of national banks
and deposits with them. There is on
hand at this time approximately $73,,-
G3O.GOO of bonds held i'm trust. while the
amount when Mr. Treat took charge was
less than $6O0.0O0,00o. The big loss in
cash and other funds is due to the heavy
deficits of the last few years.
The coming count will take in every
vaults and ten safes. There are three
four more vaults in the Treasury,
but two of these belong to the controller
of the currency, and in them are con-
tanned unissued currency for national
banks of the country. The contents of
der the direction of the controller, who
IS responsible for them, and not the
treasurer.
Cash and Securities on Hand,
OF the 81, liz, 900 600 to be handled S735-
100000 is in United States bonds held In
trust; S251 100000 of reserve gold and sill
yer certificates and United States notes
held for the usual processes of redemp-
ton of WORKOUT currency: $156, OUO,OOO in
silver dollars, nearly million dollars in
subsidiary silver: about S9,tO,EN In god
coin, and various other items. The S1,n.-
COOOGO gold reserve is not held in Wash
ington alone, being scattered throughout
the SubtreasurieS, the bulk of ii in the
Denver subtreasuIy.
The silver dollars are in a half dozen
each bag containing $1,000. Twelve years
ago, when one Of these counts was going
on, a negro messenger, employed in
trucking the bags Of silver around, sub
stituted pieces OF lead for dollars. He
was detected before he had stolen much
money and was convicted and sent to the
renitentiary. Silver dollars that have not
not gone through too much abrasion
weigh 59la pounds to the bag of 1000. All
other currency and coin must be counted
piece by piece and vault by vault, the
committee putting It's o. X. on each vault
as it is finished.
Forbidden Use Of Mails Again.
For persisting in conducting what is de-