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THE OREGON SUNDAY JOURNAL, PORTLAND, SUNDAY MORNING. MARCH 13, 1810.
BOYS'
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UNLESS YOU HAVE SEEN
Our Boys' new SCHOOL SUITS at
Handsome Home of A. L. Mills at Twentieth and JohnBon Streets.
OLD PROBLEM
MOD
HI
Long Accumulated List of "Un
available Funds" to Be
Wiped From Statute Books
by Congress.
(fDltJ Prii IhmiI XFlrt.i
'Rhlnglon. Muroh 12. I'ncle Sam
has lon stun for millions. For nearly
100 ypars they hnv "rot to" him for
varying um in various ways until t lie
total has reached a vast amount. Un
cle's confesaion will be Inscribed on the
utatute books when the "unavailable
funds" of the treasury department wlil
be wiped out of existence act of
ronjrrrss. It will be1 done at t)i pre-
wem sesmon ana will end an annoy
ance of many year standing. "tTnavall
able funds" Is art pntry In the govern
ment treasury' records that covers a
multitude of slna.
It Is a mild word. too. for the facts
are that the millions to which It refer
are not only unavailable but they are
gone forever.
Yet the treasurers through a long
line of succession have fen held re
sponsible for funds stolen, lost, or given
away, and, as they have not the cash
lo show, they bunch these mythical
Rssets of I'ncle S'am under the head of
unavailable funds. Never was there
a truer word, for never was anything
less available.
Members of congress became curious
about this constantly recurring "un
available fund" of nearly $30,000,000 Ii
the treasury reports, bnd some of
them got the thrifty notion that possi
hly it could be reclaimed and convert
ed Into harbor Improvements or federal
buildings in ambitions country seats.
The?e being days of economy when con
gress will appropriate only about
tl, 000. 000, 000 for next year's expenses
a "Find" of J30.000.000 would relieve
the pinch of parsimony.
An Interesting Rtory.
To think was to net. and the treasury
department was asked to tell ail about
the mysterious fund. It did, and a
report Just filed with congress tells
where the money was last seen and the
interesting story of how it disappeared.
Rather, there are a number of stories,
ror u appears mat i ucie 5am was
stung in small and large lots.
For instance, when the civil war
broke out, there were some custodians
of federal funds In the south who be
lieved In secession. H'hci their states
went out of the union they went too.
Then they were In a quandary, looked
at from one angle It would seem that
honesty should impel them to turn in
the money at Washington.' On the other
hand the Union was their enemy, the
dogs of war were scattered all over
the scenery baying hoarsely nd would
not it be treason to give aid and com
fort to the enemy by heaving pure
yellow gold Into his war chest?
"It would," was the answer of the
superintendent of the branch mint at
Oharlott. N. C. who had J32.000 In
tils charge. Far from him to aid the
foe and he held onto the money. Kx
actly the same view was taken by the
superintendent of the. branch mint at
Dahlonega. 1. He got ' J27.950.0:!. As
to both these Items the report says
that they have been "unavailable since
the leginnlng of the- war of the rebel
lion in 1861." Mine thai date th
government funds have also been una
vailable as follows: held by the astst
ant treasurer of the United States Ir:
New Orleans, J31.lti4.0L'; in depositaries.
Savannah, Oa.. $205. 7; Galveston. Tex.,
$862.02; Little Rock. Ark.. $f,S23.50
An Item of $GtS0,891 Is charred aga Inst
an assistant treasurer or the l nlteo
States at New Orleans who defaulted
shortly after the war His shortage '
was over $1,000,000. but part of It was!
recovered. The report says that pro
ceedings were Instituted against this
man and "upon the trial he was ac
quitted." A teller In the St. louls sub-
treasury was found to be short $61,500
a few vears ago and. upon trial he
was acquitted." An employe of the Itos
ton subtreasury was tried three years
ago on account or tne disappearance
of $3000 but he was found not guilty.
The total deficit In the bullion ac
counts of the San hrancisco mint is
$413,657. The first shortage. $150,550,
was In 1S56 and tlw melter and refiner
cTiarged with It claimed that the gold
escaped by volatlzatlon up a badly con
structed chimney. He beat the govern
ment In a suit brought to recover the
amount of the shortage.
War Tim Jugglery.
Back In war times. In 1X65, a cash
ier turned a neat 4rlck on a coiner, re
sulting in his financial aggrandizement
to, the extent of $20. 000. The coiner
delivered to the cashier $120,000 in
clste and beautiful double eagles that
had never been spent. He charged the
cashier with the correct amount. The
cashier credited the coiner with $100.-
000. Shortly afterward It was discov
ered that the cashier had embezzled
other moneys and had absconded. No
suits were ever brought to recover, the
loss and the Item became a recruit to
the "unavailable fund."
A clerk took liberties with an as-
aayer's report by altering it here and
there, his net income from the opera
tion being $7735.34. The government
never recovered even the 34 cents. In
the miiiht of its wrath the nation threw
the clerk into Jail and tried him before
one of its judges but a jury of solemn
vlsaged soverlgns reckoned the prison
er rot guilty.
Then there came along a coiner who
claimed that the wastage In his gold
operations from July 1 to August 14,
1869. was $14,317.12. It was not at
all reasonable but the government never
sued and tacked the Item on the ever
Ewelllng "unavailable" account.
There Is a deficit of $13,543 in the
Philadelphia mint and $76.54it in the
Carson, New, mint. The latter sum
was stolen by two men between 1S91
and 1894. The Philadelphia sum was
due y a clerk who embezzled $113, 485
In 1893. but tire greater part or the
amount was recovered.
V64 Long Kissing.
There are 54 silver dollars that have
been In transit between New Orleans
and New York for 25 years nd never
have arrived anywhere. 1,1s is an
astonishing caper to be cut by a lot
of gay silver dollars Just out of the
mint but the fact can be established
by anyone who can get Secretary Mac-
Veagh's permission to examine the
treasury' records. Its there as plain as
handwriting .can make it. The vaults
In the mint at New Orleans having
become filled with sliver dollars, it
was determined to remove as many as
possible to the vault in the treasury
department. In order to avoid the pay
ment of a large sum for transporta
tion, bags said to contain $10,400,000
were moved by means of United States
naval vessels In September, lS'.B. at an
expense which saved the government
about $40,000. However, after the ar
rival of the silver dollars at the treas
ury detriment, they were counted and
"shoYts" to the amount of $54 discov
ered in til shipment.
These were reported to the superin
tendent of the mint at New Orleans,
with the request to credit the treasurer
of the United States in his bullion fund
account with that amount. being
"shorts" In the $10,400,000 previously
charged. Considerable correspondence
passed In relation to the matter, but
finally the superintendent refused to
gtv the credit, and since that time the
amount. $54, has been carried as an
Item in transit. Heing on the way. and
not h.iving art ived the wandering .".4
were naturally "unavailable" and were
credited to the appropriate fund.
The failure of a national bank e.t
Frnnklln. Pa., in 1 S6 com the govern
ment $1 X1.377 and a failure at Salem
Ala., in 1S67 caused a less of $33,JSJ.
Thoso were the only cases In which tlio
government has lost money deposlteJ
In national banks.
The total of the money lost or stolen
and charged to the unavailable fund
because congress has itt-ver tflievwd
the treasurer of liability Is $1,085,154.
Surplus Distribution. .-
The real big Item In the fund, bow
ever, is a tribute to the generosity of
congress. In 1836, before river and
harbor and federal building bills wne
Invented, there was a large surplus In
the United States treasury. Congress
loaned $28,1 01,644 of the surplus. to the
states on condition that it should be
returned at he call of the secretary
of the treasury. He had not called In
1 837. when the law was changed sn
that repayment of the money could be
demanded only by act of congress. A
majority of the statesmen In the sen
ate and bouse come from the states
that got the money. of course, they
never would vole to make their states
shell out, and so the $28,000,000 has
remained In the "unavailable fund."
Chairman Tawney of the house com
mittee on appropriations, at hose In
stance the report as to the ghost fund
was submitted by the treasury, sail
today that it had been determined to
wipe the fiction from the books by
congressional action.
A special bill will be passed makiiK
a present outright of the money that
was loaned to th states in 1836. They
are not going to return.tho money any
way and there seems to be no good
reason for holding out hope of such re
turn in the treasury records. So Uncle
Sam will accept the situation and tell
them to keep the money, with his bless
ing.
In relation to the stolen and lost
funds, the problem Is not so easy,- bur
it will be fixed up In some way In fli
sundry civil appropriation bill. The
items will be eliminated from the books
and treasury reports will no lonii-r
count spook money ss a part of the
government assets.
tariff treaty or the consumatlng of an
agreement less formal than a treaty,
but satisfactory to both sides.
SITE OF ANCIEN
T
E
UNCOVERED
I rublihera' PTets Imed Wire)
Khartoum, March 12. Professor Bars
tang has discovered on the site of the
ancient Meroe. the later capital of the
Kthioplun monarchs, a sun temple by
Krgamenes mentioned by IJlodoruS.
orus. The temple Is a unique structure,
showing Greek Inspiration, and contain
ing sculptures representing King Krga
menes' victories, and a triumphal pro
cession There is also a list of tr ibes In
the districts of the Southern Soudan.
The building includes a sanctuary
lined with brilliantly enameled tile.
The discovery shows that the invention
of the Meroitlr script was due to Erga
rnenes' alphabet being modeled on the
Greek. It also established the values of
the Meroitlc letters. Further excava
tions, which have been carried out on
the Bite of the temple of Ammon at
Meroe prove the building was grander
than Uf Mennt!c(pated and was re
stored by Negeg Amnion. Many In
scriptions and statues have been found.
You have not seen the BEST VALUES
They are NOT indestructible but as
near as good fabric and good sewing can
make them.
BASEBALLS BATS UNIFORMS
GLOVES MITS
GIVEN AWAY
With all Boys' SCHOOL SUITS.
1I0YER
Third and Oak
First and Yamhill
First and Morrison
m 3.3, discmuu
MONDAY WE WILL INAUGURATE ONE OF THE GREATEST SALES
OF LADIES' HANDBAGS EVER HELD IN PORTLAND
The department we devote to LADIES' HANDBAGS is an extremely important one with
us, and our object in holding this" sale is to acquaint everyone with the enormous line of leather
goods we carry and with the remarkable price concessions obtainable at The Owl. We illus
trate below just a few of the styles in stock which, of course, can give but a very limited idea of
the various leathers, styles and designs.
Tin's discount of 3.1 1-3 per cent applies to the handbags illustrated, and also to any handbag in our whole stock. We
free to admit that this sale will mean the Us of a good many dollars, but we figure that the advertising obtained and the
short space of time it will take to acquaint the people of Portland with our Leather Goods Department generally will
bring abundant future returns for any immediate los.
TO OFFSET TRADE
WAR WITH CANADA
SPEND THIS AFTERNOON
AT ALAMEDA PARK
Meeting in Ottawa 'to Bring
About Closer Relations Be
tween Countries.
Let EVLKY BODY who is
AMBITIOUS to REAP HIS
SHARE OF PORTLAND'S
GROWTH spend the afternoon
at A LA ML DA 1 AKk.
It will there be clearly lemon
strated how one may secure to
himself a piece of Portland real
estate situated in the most favor
ably located, most highly im
proved (improvements under
way) residence addition in this
city.
This property IS ALREADY
P.UILT ON THREE SIDES,
and a dozen homes are sorting,
with a score more to begin soon.
The BROADWAY CAR LINE
is now operating to the EN
TRANCE, and construction work;
THROUGH the Park has been
let to the Barstow Construction
Company. The line will be fin
ished and ready for operation
within (0 days from March 1,
when it is tlie intention of the
streetcar company to operate
R E G i; L A R BROADWAY
SCHEDULE TO THE CEN
TER OF THIS ADDITION.
The above fact alone is suffi
cient guarantee of the future of
this section.
PRICES are bound to AD
VANCE in the very near future.
Tust take a Broadwav ear and it
will carry you tb Alameda Park.
N. B.-Don't foreet the SALES
MANSHIP CONTEST. More
than $15 in gold 'coin to be dis-
on the extension of the carline j tributed as prizes.
(Publishers' PreM I.-rasfd Wire.)
Washington, -March 12. Tim initial
steps were taken by the United States
government today to avoid a trade war
with Canada. This Is the first time
that representatives of the United
States government have taken the in
itiative in smoothing' out tariff diffi
culties with a foreign nation. Hitherto
the American representatives have as
sumed an attitude of might and power
and allowed the foreign representative
to petition hearings and -make ad
vances. - J
Charles M. Pepper, commercial ad-
-.1 .1... K. . . I .
visor eu nil? inurjiu ui iidut; imiuii.,i
tn Ka lo. fliin.Flm.nl r, A I J .. . . l
ill 1 1 1 r. ninir .i..nt .1117111, aiiu iirni .
Emery, chairman of the tariff board.
are In Ottawa, C'anada, and will hold ;
a serie of hearings with similar rep
resentatives of the dominion govern
ment to bring about closer relations be
tween the two countries. John G. Fos
ter,' United States consul to Ottawa,
paved the way for the hearings, the
firrt. of which was formally held to
day. Cynsul General Foster Is chairman
and. spokesman of the American dele
gation and he has a difficult taVk be
fore him. Although the dominion gov
ernment has made no overt signs of
hostility, nevertheless Its attitude., of
Indifference to the tariff board Is rend
toVf'ttnstriie. tt as a menace. The pren
enrWnegotlations have for their nlti
mat view tb formation of a new
'V- rf
r-.h.
ft
V-
are I
One of the most useful
and handy bags made: of
black leather, double strap
handle, drawstrings, moire
lined.
This bag has 10-in. frame'
and is leather-lined, with
gilt trimmings gusset bot
tom, double strap handles,
fitted with change purse.
This 10-in. goat seal leather-lined
hag has leather
covered frame and pro
tected corners and is ex
ceptional value.
Here is a most serviceable
seal goat bag, strap han
dle, gusset bottom, leather-lined
and fitted with
change purse.
To rightly appre
ciate the money
saving opportuni
ties this sale af
fords, you must
come in and see
the bags at close
range. Sale be
gins Monday
morning and lasts
one week.
rich
1 grain
bag is lined
with tan
leather, has
gusset bot
tom and is
fitted with
s u bstantial
coin purse.
Here is a
w a 1 r ti' s
grain hand
b a g, lined
with full
tan leather;
h a s double
strap han
dle and is
fitted with
case
change
purse.
All of the clerks
in our employ
work six days
a week, being
allowed one day
off every week
for rest and recreation.
ORIGINAL CUT RATE1 DRUGGISTS
7h- and.WASHINGT.ON STS. PORTLAND, ORB.
I
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