New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-10-13

where We lsst left il.
THE INK ROOM.
Another phase in the biography OF our Treasury
note or bond is the manufacture OF the lax WIN
which it is printed. Tho transition from paper 70
nk is at once natural and easy, and we accordingly
find it carried on in small adjoining room on the
opposite side of the hall. The mills, six in number,
driven by small engine similar TO that IN me me-
chine room, are grinding away upon as many dineI'
ent colored inks which are supplied to the various
pressrooms as fast they required for printing
That mill in the corner of the room, and furthest
from You, as you enter the door IL grinding the
green ink 70 well known, and so much esteemed, on
the back of our uniform National currency, and
from which they take their distinctive and familiar
name of 4" Greenback." The mill next TO 1t has
"betch' OF purple ink in it. Look how smooth ana
bright IL lie. IL has been "go!ng through the mill
for the last four hours and the Superintendent says
it will require two hours more grinding before the
process will bo complete. II is one OF the most
valuable inks in use, and 10 used in backing the
twenty-five cent currency notes. 1t Is harder ana
therefore requires more grinding than tho othef
inks The colors are not made In the building, but
are received dry from the manufacturer, and the
proper quantity Of oil having been added the dough
or paste ia then ready for the mill. Some thirty
dseren. pigments are used, az many as eight being
sometimes used to effect one combination. The six
mills arc in constant operation and the daily pro-
due, is about 400 pounds, or orer tus PR eeeS.
A row Of large cans, twelve in number, are ranged
on platform on the side Of the room as you enter
Each Of these cans Is capable Of holding between
fye and six hundred pounds ofink. AZ each "batch"
Of ink is ground is put in or the other OF these
cans and supplied thence TO the press rooms above.
Inks made here are all Of the very finest quality,
and this said the subject Of ink making In this con-
nection, is exhausted; for any one who has visited
pain. shop ha. the whole process, on perhapa
q smaller scale. MIR. Vim. Mcclure has charge Of
the Ink Room.
We have now got the machine, the paper and the
ink-the mater,N with which to print the note or
other issue desired 10 DO mode 1t is now necessary
20 produce the impression which is to impart the
requisite value-and this brings Us somewhat ab-
we have TO pass other adjoining rooms
and minor details TO roach ito the
ENGRAVING ROOMS.
This Is perhaps the most interesting feature OF the
whole operation Of making money. 1t is certainly
the most important, as without the aid Of the most
skillfu vorkmen and the utmost care and circum-
specton In the prosecution Of their work. the notes
which are now everywhere received 80 freely as the
current coin Of the realm" would be liable TO imi
lation by every countoriter in the county, and OF
course would he utterly worthless 20 the Govern
ment as well &c for the purposes Of commerce.
There are, as IS generally known, three general
methods Of producing pictures or impressions by
engraving are photography or engraving on
stone, wood engraving, and copper and steel plate
engraving. Engraving upon copper or steel Is the
,nly style used in producing Bank notes, or In this
,ase, the Government issues Of money. Steel has
been substituted for copper as being harder and
therefore less liable 20 wear out in printing. The
engraving Of Treasury note or bond would doubt
less 10 considered by maryland perhaps not least
10 by the artist and sngravcr bimsefayery tedious
operation. It's various parts usually occupy In their
different stages Of progress. from ono to twelve
The average time lie about four months
longer in fact than to build moderate sized house
Let us what keeps il in hand 70 long. Step out,
for 1t 10 already past two, and VIC have long walk
a. we'll as long talk before u.s. You see that oblong
room OF the end Of the hong hall, through the win
dows Of which tho strong light is shining. That is
one Of tie Art or
PICTORIAL ENGRAVING ROOMS.
Tho Superintendent is absent to-day, but a gen.
tlcmsnly, obligng workman who comes toward u-
with his graver in his hand, kindly offers to show
US round the room. Five Picture Engrsvers are
usually employed in the AT department. Some
times single workman executes the whole Of Wig
nette or picture, but more frequently several en-
gravers are in turn engaged upon Il; one engraving
the figures another the Landscape, another the ami
mais, another tho border which surrounds il, and 81
on, each performing the part in which be is mos;
proficient. In this way the utmost excellence Of
work 10 attained. Two Of tho five seals are occu-
pied. Let us see whatthe occupants are a. work
You notice that square bnilt man with long hAir
and decidedly Teutonc aspect, with his glass in his
eye and his plate before him. 1t is rather too LATE
IN the day OF perhaps without scru,nzing him too
closely, you might suppose he was eating his din
ner but be has neither lager In one nor kd0 and
b,od in TIE other. These are has tools ond he IL
simply and soberiy at work. That glass, metaphor
cially speaking is always in his eye; and that plato
is O standing difh with him. for il is always before
him. More valuable than Porcelain, Sevres, or Ma
jclica even than the tabled dish OF Apollo, for i,
has cost him q whole years labor and the Govern
ment near three Thousand dollars It's not finished
yet and may not be for six months to come. 1t IL
only small plate, not more than seven inches long
By three wide, about the sizc Of National Bank
note, and is intended, when finished, to replace the
original Greenbacks. The drawing represents tho
Of the Mississippi riyer b. Dcsoto, and