The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1913-10-25
TREASURY RELICS
Historical Treasures on File In
the Auditors Office.
ACCOUNTS OF G. WASHINGTON.
These Cover a Period of Eight Years
and Are In the Handwriting of the
Great Patriot-Receipts Signed by
Daniei Webster and Henry Clay.

Daniel Webster and Henry Clay.
The archives of the United States
treasury are rich with relics In the
files of the office of the auditor OF the
treasury department may be seen the
. Cancelled check showing the payment
to Lafayette in 1924 of 100000 by the
United States lin consideration of his
services and sacrifices in the war of
the Reyolution' William H Craw-
ford. then secretary of the treasury.
signed the warrant. and in the char
acteristic French handwriting on the
reverse is the Endorsement Of Lafa-
yette. 4 Cancelled check or warrant
for S15.0O0.OOO represents the payment
for the Louisiana purchase under the
treaty of 1903.
The purchase under the treaty. char
acteriZed at the time as Stewards fol-
ly." of Alaska is evidenced by war
rant for S7.20O.0OO. signed by r. E
! Spinner. who at the time was secre-
! tary of the treasury. The wording of
| the warrant begins and runs. Pay to
the undersigned envoy extraordinary
! and minister plenipotentiary of his
majesty the emperor of all the Rus
| SiaS." This warrant called for pay
ment in coin and was so paid through
! the Riggs bank. then private bank
| ing institution of Washington. after
| being Endorsed by Edward de Stoecke
! the Russian minister at that time.
| The purchase of the Philippine Is
| lands from Spain is represented in the
! important financial transactions of the
/ government by four warrants of So
| 00O.OGO each. As treaty cannot be
| entered into by one country directly
with one with which it is at war. the
warrants were Endorsed by Jules Cam
! bon, the French minister who had del
! egated authority to represent the Span
| iSh government.
The Panama canal purchase repre-
i scented the largest financial transaction
| of the government The payment was
! made by a common draft payable to
| j. lferpont Morgan & Co. special dis
| bursting agent" through whom it was
! paid to the French company. the for
| mer owner. The late J. Pierpont Nor
gan himself indorsed the draft. A
! short time previous there had been is
| sued a warrant for $1O,00O.0OO. cover
ing the cost of the canal zone. an area
! of ten miles on each side of the canal
AS these cancelled checks are held as
receipts. it could happen. in case of
! their loss. that the government might
! not be able to show that the moneys
were actually paid
Not less Interesting as relics are "Ac
counts-G Washington with the Unit
/ ed States. commencing June. 11I5. and
ending June. 1873, cOmprehending y
space of eight years" Under the cap
ton are three or four dilapidated calf
| bound account books in the handwrit-
ing of the great American patriot.
| These accounts were mostly kept while
! he was on the march. but they were
brought up with great accuracy from
day to day.
At the end of each book there is a
! comprehensive reca pitulatiOn. Individ-
: ual money and funds of the govern
/ ment expended by him are specifically
I indicated In a fOotnote he calls at
tention TO a particular item which he
\ appeared to have paid. but for which
be had no voucher He deducted the
amount Of the item from his credit
i until the matter could be definitely set
!! tied. All Of his accounts are express
ed in English money.
| 4 cOntenpOra account book kept
by Caleb Gibbs shows the personal eX-
penSes of Washington and his military
family" meaning. no doubt. his i'm
mediate staff The entries are usually
headed. headquarters. on the march"
| For the most part they cover purchases
of food supplies. hut now and then are
such entries as:
To cash for broom that Peter
bought some time ago sixpence"
Cash paid for mending the chariot.
shilling
Agreed with Peggy for shillings
per month for the GENERALS washing
/ and I StlllingS per dozen for the gen
tIemen OF the family
Among other things of interest in the
auditors office are books showing al
lowanceS to members Of congress to
and from Washington In the Thir-
teenth congress 5000 for mileage is re
ceipted in q faint. uncertain hand ID.
Webster" 4 payment of $500 for III
days attendance is shown to have
been made to Henry Clay. = Harper S
Weekly
Bowling.
Bowls or bowling. is one Of the most