Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1921-03-03

United States Treasurer.
A complete count of the govern
ment's cash has Just been made for
the first time in twelve years. Inc
to,ai aI,ruXimated S3,500,OOO0o0, ana
included all cash and securities helc
as RESERVES against currency outstand-
Ing.
The count was made by special
committee of three, assisted by eight
accountants and by fifteen laborers
who were Us d to move around the
heavy sacks Of gold and silver. The
men drlved into great vaults In the
treasury building and took stock OF
gold silver and pnper money ana Sc
curiripS many of which had not seen
the light of day since shortly after
William Howard Taft was inaugurhted
PreSid, M and a new treasurer OF the
United States appointed in lfo9.
Guards "S,t on Lid"
The accountants in entering the
vaults PASSED grim-visased guards VII"
day and night, "sit on the lid to pre-
vent any possible attempts at an I'M
authorized raid Oh the treasury. The
vaults themselves are supposed 10 he
burglar proof and are of massive con
crete and steel construction. The
storage sections are kept under seal
and tbs was the first time that some
of them had been opened in twelve
wears. for when John Burke became
treasurer. after President wilson WaS
first lnuugurated, he accepted the
coun, of cash in the storage sections
which had not been opened since the
previous count in 1903.
The accountants handled money or
every rnSsible denomination from the
Lowry copper to $4,000 bills. Many or
the bills particularly those of the large
denominations, such as $1,000, were in
sheets of four each aud held as reserve
against currency of smaller denomina.
lions in circulation. Thousand-doliar
bills i'm circulation are few, and each
bank in the country is kept supplied
by the treasury, with list of them
with their numbers. so that If per-
chance any are extracted from the
treasury illegally, the holder will have
extreme difficulty in realizing on them
Counted by Machinery.
The count just finished was made
necessary by the retirement OF Johh
Burke as treasurer. and was complet-
ed in the remarkably short time OF
three weeks through the use of electric
counting machines. Loose coins passed
through these machines instead OF be
ing counted by hand as was necessary
In the olden days. Paper currency was
counted by the piece, but stored coins
and currency were counted by the sack
or package In cases where the wrap
pings were unbroken and the seal on
each intact.
The main supply of the governments
money is stored In two large vaults
hut there are number of smaller
ones in the various divisions of the
department as well as In the cash
rooms where cash payments are made
by the government.
Gold coins stored In the vaults were
counted by weight. The gold Is kept In
sacks. sealed with the treasurer's wax
seal and containing $1,000 each, weigh
ing about eighteen pounds and seven
ounces First one sack was weighed,
aud then the others were examined. II
both the seal and covering were found
intact, they were weighed against the
first or test sack, and If the result was
the same were passed and counted.
However. If seal was broken or the
sack torn, or there was appreciate
difference in weight, the contents were
counted by the piece.
Dollars Counted by Weight.
Standard silver dollars were counted
in the same way as the gold coin.
They are stored In sacks containing
1000 and weighed about sixty pounds.
Work on the silver coin was lessened,
officials said by the governments
melting 100,OO0,OO0 silver dollars under
the Pittman act for sale to the British
government to relieve the silver
famine in India during the war.
Paper money Is stored in paper
packages, making cube of about sew
en- and half inches each way and
containing 1000 notes. On each pack
age is stamped the amount and the
denomination Of the notes inclosed. A
wax seal is attached. Except where a
broken seal or package necessitated an
actual count of the contents, the paper
In the vaults was counted by the pack
age.
Sealed packages of paper money are
accepted from the bureau of engraving
and printing as correct when the wrap
pings are intact, because the issue d.
vision of the treasury maintains an
Office In the bureau and In reality
counts all the paper money before II
leaves the bureau.
Coins Of smaller denominations
quarters, dimes, nickels and coppers-
stored in sacks were counted In the
same manner as the silver and gold by
taking the weight of a test sack for
each denomination and weighing the
other sacks against II.
Receipt Exonerates Treasurer.
Upon completion of the count. the
storage compartments of the vaults