The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-03-16
Certificates of Centennial Stock.

From the Philadelphia Ledger, March 8.
On Saturday, proof of the engraved
certificate of Centennial stock, was receiv-
ed at the Centennial rooms, from the Uni
ted States treasury department at Wash
ington, aud in the course of two or three
weeks the certificates will be printed and
ready for distribution to purchasers of
stock. The certificates will be engraved at
the expense of the government, in accord
ance with an act OF congress which provides
that it shall be the duty of the secretary
Of the treasury to cause to be prepared, in
accordance with design approved by the
United States Centennial commission and
the secretary of the treasury, sufficient
number of certificates of stock to meet the
requirements of the act. -..r'.. -t--
The act further provides that any per-
son found guilty of counterfeiting the same
shall be subject to the same pains and pen
alties as are, or may be, provided by law
for counterfeiting United States currency.
The design adopted for the certificate was
that of Mr.. Stephen j. Ferris, of Philadel-
phia, modified and recast by Mr.. F. o, c.
barley. A fine engraving of the design
on steel has been made BY order of the
United States authorities, and some of the
best workmen in the country have been
engaged on it, for more than year and
q half The plate and printing cost $780,
600.
The design of the certificate is as fol-
lows: At the top stands female figure
representing America, who, with out
stretched hands is welcoming the repre-
sentatives of different nations of the earth.
On her left are figures typical of Europe,
South America, and Oceanica. and on the
right, Asia and Africa, with their produc-
tions. At her feet sit two female figures,
the one representing Art and the other
Fame. On either side of these figures are
busts Of Washington, the first president of
the Republic, and Grant, the president at
the close of the first century of its exis-
existence. Beneath the two busts is an
eagle, with outstretched wings, clasping
the American flag. In the background is
Independence Hall of l776, on the right,
and the Capitol of 1876 on the left.
Near Independence Hall stands Fitch
and Fulton, with models of steamboats,,
and on the left, near the Capitol, are Frank
lin aud Morse, with telegraphic instru-
ments. Beneath these figures, which &C.
cupy the upper portion of the engraving,
Is the letter press of the certificate, and to
shS AiBhS Va ILLS Is duOtneT SERIES Vi n.y.
ures-the miner, with his pick and shovel
and specimen of ore the southern plant
err, with his boil of cotton; the northern
farmer, with sheaf of wheat the wes-
tern trapper, and an Indian. On the left
Is a sewing machine with it's inventor, a
sailor, colored man, soldiers of the revo-
luton and OF the present regular army,
aud mechanic resting upon his anvil.
In the center Of the base is a copy of
Trumbulls picture of the ''Sieping Of the
Declaration of Independence, on the right
of which is locomotive with a train of
cars, the electric telegraph, the "Conesto-
ga" wagon, laborer reaping with the
sickle, and near hun a modern reaping ma
cline, while in the background are seen a
steamship and sailing vessel On the
left is view of q modern city in the dis.
lance, and in the foreground windmill,
near which sits an Indian. contemplating
the advance of civilization. The engrav.
ing is in itself rare work Of art, and a
valuable memeuto Of the Centennial. It