pays out the same upon warrants drawn by the Secretary of the Treasury, countersigned by the First Comptroller, and upon warrants drawn by the PostmasterGeneral and countersigned by the Sixth Auditor, and recorded by the Register. He also holds public moneys advanced by warrant to disbursing officers, and pays out the same upon their checks.

The Registrar's office keeps the accounts of public receipts and expenditures, receives the returns and makes out the official statement of commerce and navigation of the United States, and receives from the First Comptroller and Commissioner of Customs all accounts and vouchers decided by them, and is charged by law with their safe keeping.

The Solicitor's office superintends all civil suits commenced by the United States (except those arising in the post-office department), and instructs the United States attorneys, marshals and clerks in all matters relating to them and their results. He receives returns from each term of the United States courts, showing the progress and condition of such suits; has charge of all lands and other property assigned to the United States in payment of debts (except those assigned in payment of debts due the post-office department), and has power to sell and dispose of the same for the benefit of the United States.

The Light-House Board, of which the Secretary of the Treasury is ex-officio president, but in the deliberations of which he has the assistance of naval, military and scientific coadjutors.

United States Coast Survey. The Superintendent, with numerous assistants, employed in the office and upon the survey of the coast, are under the control of this depart

THE INTERNAL REVENUE DEPARTMENT.

349 ment. A statement of their duties will be found in a future chapter.

a

The new rooms of the Internal Revenue Department are very beautiful. They run the entire length of the new wing of the Treasury, looking out on the magnificent marble court, with its central fountain below, the north entrance, the Presidential grounds and Pennsylvania avenue. They are covered with miles of Brussels carpeting, in green and gold. Their walls are set with elegant mirrors, hung with maps and pictures. There are globes, cases filled with books, cushioned furniture-all the accompaniments of elegant apartments, and one opening into the other, forming a perfect suite.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

WOMAN'S WORK IN THE DEPARTMENTS-WHAT THEY DO AND HOW THEY DO IT.

Women Experts in the Treasury-General Spinner's Opinion-A Woman's Logic-The Gifts of Women-Their Superiority to Men-Money Burnt in the Chicago Fire-Cases of Valuable Rubbish-Identifying Burnt Greenbacks-The Treasure Saved-The Ashes of the Boston FireFrom the Bottom of the Mississippi-Mrs. Patterson Saves a "Pile" of Money-Money in the Toes of Stockings-In the Stomachs of Men and Beasts-From the Bodies of the Murdered and Drowned-Not Fairly Paid-One Hundred and Eighty Women at Work-"The Broom Brigade"-Scrubbing the Floors-The Soldier's Widow--Stories which Might be Told-Meditating Suicide-The Struggle of Life--How a Thousand Women are Employed-Speaking of Their Characters-The Ill-paid Servants of the Country-Chief-Justice Taney's Daughters-Col onel Albert Johnson's Daughter-A Place Where Men are Not Employed -Writing "for the Press "Miss Grundy of New York-The Internal Revenue Bureau-"Marvels of Mechanical Beauty"-Women of Business Capacity—A Lady as Big as Two Books!-In a Man's Place—A Disgrace to the Nation-Working for Two, Paid for One-How "Retrenchment" is Carried Out-In the Departments-Beaten by a Woman -The Post Office Department-Folding "Dead Letters " A Woman who has Worked Well-" Sorrow Does Not Kill"-The Patent OfficeThe Agricultural Department-Changes Which Should be Made.

N several branches of the Treasury service, women have risen to the proficiency of experts. This is especially true of them as rapid and accurate counters, as restorers of mutilated currency and as counterfeit detectors.

General Spinner says: "A man will examine a note systematically and deduce logically, from the imperfect

WOMEN EXPERTS IN THE TREASURY.

351

engraving, blurred vignette or indistinct signature, that it is counterfeit, and be wrong four cases out of ten. A woman picks up a note, looks at it in a desultory fashion of her own, and says: "That's counterfeit.' 'Why?' 'Because it is,' she answers promptly, and she is right eleven cases out of twelve." Yet this almost unerring accuracy is by no means the result of mere instinct, or of hap-hazard chance. It is the sequence of subtle perception, of fine, keen vision, and of exquisite sensitiveness of touch.

All women do not excel as counterfeit-detectors; nor can all become experts as restorers and counters of currency. But wherever a woman possesses native quickness, combined with power of concentration, with training and experience, she in time commands an absolute skill in her work, which, it has been proved, it is impossible for men to attain. Her very fineness of touch, swiftness of movement, and subtlety of sight give her this advantage. Thus when notes are defaced or charred beyond ordinary recognition, they are placed in the hands of women for identification.

After the great Chicago fire in 1871, cases of money to the value of one hundred and sixty-four thousand, nine hundred and ninety-seven dollars and ninety-eight cents, were sent to the United States Treasury for identification. They consisted of legal tenders, National State bank and fractional notes, bonds, certificates and coupons, internal revenue and postage stamps, all so shrivelled and burned, that they crumbled to the touch and defied unaided eyesight. All these charred treasures were placed in the hands of a committee of six ladies, for identification. What patience, practice, skill, were indispensable to the fulfilment of this task, it is not difficult to conjecture.

"After unpacking the money from the raw cotton in which it travelled, as jealously swathed as the most precious jewellery, the ladies separated each small piece with thin knives made for the purpose, then laying the blackened fragments on sheets of blotting-paper, they decided by close scrutiny the value, genuineness and nature of the note. Magnifying glasses were provided, but seldom used, except for the deciphering of coupon-numbers or other minute details. The pieces were then pasted on thin paper, the bank-notes returned to their respective banks, and the United States money put in sealed envelopes and delivered to a committee of four, who superintended the final burning. The amount of one million, two hundred and twenty-six thousand, three hundred and forty-one dollars and thirty-three cents was identified-over seventy-six per cent. of the whole."

A year later, Boston, from the ruins of its great fire, gathered the ashes of its money and sent it to the United States Treasury, begging identification and aid in restoration. Eighty-three cases came from that city, and these were so carefully packed that the labor of identification was greatly lightened. Of the eighty-eight thousand, eight hundred and twelve dollars and ninety-nine cents, which they contained, over ninety per cent. of the whole was identified by the same six ladies, who saved so much to individuals and to the Government from the Chicago fire. Besides money, a large amount of checks, drafts, promissory notes, insurance policies, and other valuable papers were identified by these same clear eyes and patient hands, and restored to their owners. The entire The entire responsibility of the whole amount rested on them. The money was delivered to them, when it came, and on their reports