Volume 2 - ElectricCanadian.com

THE YUKON ADVENTURE 159and replenished it with funds received, the responsibility for thecorrectness of his cash was, to the amusement of all, loudlydisclaimed by him, although as pertinaciously insisted on bythe others. The once spotless deposit ledger was quicklyfilled with open accounts in the same "free for all" mannerwhich also applied to the weighing in and out of gold dust.Yet throughout the trying chaos and scurry of these earlymonths the teller was able to balance his cash correctly, notwithstandingthe number of his assistants, and the variousbooks balanced in an equally satisfactory manner. Had theofficers of the branch not been experienced and well-seasoned,a different result would under these conditions not have beensurprising.The transactions of the branch were varied and, in manycases, novel. Many customers would desire to sell their golddust, and until the assay plant was in operation, the dustwas weighed and the customer credited with the weightand given a receipt. His signature was taken, his sack ofdust numbered with a pointed stick dipped in ink to correspondwith the number given to his account, and then, if he soat the ratedesired, an advance was made to him in currencyof $14 an ounce, until the assay results were known. Anotherwould desire to lodge documents with the bank in escrow.Many others would wish to leave their gold dust subject tocheque payable in gold dust. Such cheques were usuallydrawn in currency and crossed payable in gold dust at the rateof sixteen or even seventeen dollars to the ounce. Beforepaying them, the necessary calculations had to be made andchecked. Those whose funds were not in the form of cash orgold dust usually carried negotiable certificates of depositissued by the United States banks on the Pacific slope.Enquiries were frequently made as to how funds could beforwarded to the Dawson branch for credit of the enquirerthrough other banking channels. Letters were also constantlyasked for and information of all kinds freely sought, and whenpossible, always cheerfully given. Around midday, word