The Pickens sentinel. (Pickens, S.C.) 1911-2016, 1916-07-13
Machine Installed as BoOkkeeper

Machine Installed as Bookkeeper
The Pickens Bank has just installed
machine that will actually keep books.
The Burroughs Adding Subtracting ma
chine is the name of this mechanical
bookkeeper and it will be used for max
ing entries to the banks ledgers and
writing up depositors' statements.
To understand best what this machine
means to busy bank one must see it
in actual operation. A great number
of checks naturally come into the bank
daily and each must pass through the
regular channels. A record must be
made of each one and the account of
each depositor must be handled sepa-
rately and accurately
Before the advent of the machine,
the detail work of entering amounts in
the ledger and making out depositors'
statements was tiresome and uncer-
tain task. All checks had to be listed
separately and added up by hand. All
deposits had to be listed and added and
their total combined with the customers
old balance. When that was done the
total Of all checks had to be deducted
from the sum of old balance and depos-
its to determine the new balance.
GREAT LABoR-SAvER
With the new Burroughs, all this is
done mechanically, except the actual
setting down of the figures on the key
board. And the balancing Of an ac-
count, from old balance on through
fchecks and deposits to new balance. is
virtually handled in one operation.
| The operator first feeds the custom.
er's old balance into the machine. Their
he sets down the amount of each check
enters the amount of the deposit; and
after taking a spacing stroke, depres
ses the operating bar with the tota; key
down and the correct new balance is
automatically computed and printed in
the right hand column. The machine
also automatically prints the dates op-
posite each list of checks and deposits,
and without any attention from the op-
orator, sets each in the column in which
it belongs
| Another thing it does is to detect ov-
erdrafts instantly, whether the operat-
or notices them or not. When the
checks exceed the deposits and the old
balance, the machine automatically
locks and no results can be obtained un-
til the lever controlling the internal
mechanism is placed in the Subtract"
position, when the overdraft is printed
in the proper column with an "OD"
sign in red ink.
| With the use of the machine. the
Pickens Banks books are kept more
neatly, accurately and efficiently than
they could possibly be kept by hand.
The machine method cuts out unneces-
sary labor and eliminates mistakes.
ACCOUNTS STAY BALANCED
In addition to posting the ledgers, the
Burroughs makes out monthly state
ments for depositors. Each statement
shows all the cheeks and deposits of
the customer, together with the balance
he has in the bank at the end of the
month. Under this system each Gus
toner's account is kept balanced all the
time and statement is ready for him
Fat the end of the month"; or at any time
he wants it, on five minutes notice.
Moreover he does not have to bother
with bringing in his pass book to be
balanced. Being made on the machine
and checked back with the ledger shee ts
of which they are an exact duplicate
the statements will of course be alb
solutely accurate.
This system is similar to that now in
use in the most progressive banks in
the country and marks another step in
the Pickens Banks effort to give the
most complete and satisfactory service
to depositOrs. = (Adv)