Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-11
COUNTING THE CASH
Uncle Sam Has Just Finished job
First Time In. Twelve Years.. 49,.

Uncle Sam Has Just Finished Job
.. First Time In. Twelve Years. 49,;
A complete count of the governments:
cash, has Just been made for the first
time in twelve years. The total ap-
proximtely thirteen billion, five hun
dred million dollars and included all
cash and securities held as reserves
against currency outstanding.
The count, was made by a special
committee of three, assisted by eight
accountants and by fifteen. laborers who
were used to move around the heavy
sacks of gold and silver. The men
delved into great vaults in the treas
ury building and took stock of gold,
silver and pager money and securities
many of which had not seen the light
day since shortly after William
howard Taft was fnaugurated presi-
dent and a new treasurer Of the Unit
ed States appointed in 1913.
The ACCOUNTANTS in entering the
vaults passed grim-visaged guards
who day and night "sit on the lid TO
prevent any possible attempts at an
unauthorized - raid on the treasury.
The vaults themselves are supposed
to be burglar proof and are Of massive
concrete and steel construction. The
storage sections are kept under seal
and THIS was the first. time that some
Of them had been opened in twelve
years for when John Burke became
treasurer after President Wilson was
first inauguratcd he accepted the count
Of cash in the storage, sections which
had not been opened since the previous
count in 1909. --,,..,s. -
The accountants handled money of
every possible denomination from the
lowly copper to $4,000 bills. Many Of
the bills, practically those Of the, large
denominations, such rs $1,000 were in
sheets of four each and held as re-
serve against CURRENCY Of smaller de-
nominations in circulation. Thousand
dollars bills in circulation are few and
each bank in the country Is kept sup
piled by the treasury with list Of
them with their numbers SO that If
perchance any are extracted from the
treasury the holder will have extreme
difficulty in realizing on them.
Gold coins stored in the vaults were
counted by weight. Theigold is kept
in sacks, sealed with the treasurer's
wax seal and containing $4,000 each.
Weighing sabout IS pounds and Z.
ounces.
First, one sack was weighed and
then the others were examined. II
both the seal and covering were found
intact they were weighed against the
first or test sack and Il the. result was
the same were passed and counted.
However, If a sealswas broken. or the
sack torn or there was Appreciable Diff
ference in weight the contents were
counted by the piece. -.
Standard silver dollars were counted
in the same way as the gold coin.
They are. stored. in sacks, containing
1000 and weighing about 60 pounds.
Work on the silver coin was lessened
officials said by the governments
melting 100.0O0,OO0 silver dollars un-
der. the Pittfnan Act for sale to the
British government to relieve the sill
yer famine In India during the war.
Paper money Is stored in paper
packages making a cube Of about Z Ia
inches each way and containing $4,000.
On each package is stamped the
amount and the denomination Of the
notes inclosed. A wax seal Is attach
ed. Except where a broken seal or
package necessitateq an actual count
Of the contents, the paper In the
vaults was counted by the package.
Scaled packages of paper money are
accepted from the bureau of engrav-
ing and printing Us correct when the
wrappings are intact because. the is
sue division of the treasury maintains
an office in the bureau and In reality
counts all the paper money before it
leaves the bureau.
Coins of smaller denominations
quarters, dimes, nickles arid coppers--
stored in sacks were counted in the
same manner as the silver and gold
by taking the. weight of test sack
for each denomination and weighing
the other sacks against it.
Upon completion of the count the