The daily gazette., 1876-02-29
A TWO MILLION SWlNDlE.
TUE GOVERNMENT MADE TO PAY MIL
IONS OF DOLLARS FOR A WORTH
LESS PATENT.
Special Despatch to the Bait. Gazette.

Special Despatch to the Bait. Gazette.
WASHINGTON, February 27.--One
week ago yesterday George b. McCar-
tee, superintendent of the bureau of
engraving and printing, rendered his
resignation, which was accepted on
the same day with regrets bySecretary
Bristow. No reason was assigned ex-
cept ill health. 1t appears, however,
that the secretary had told Mr.. Nc
Cartee that the scientific commission,
which was appointed last summer 10
examine the patent sizing of the cur
rency, which. it was claimed strength
ened the fibre which made the curren-
cy waterproof, had reported that it was
not only of NJ practical benefit, but
POSITIVELY an injury to the currency.
As this process has cost the govern
ment probably over two millions of
dollars it was hardly to be expected
that Mr.. McCartee's error Of judgment
could be defended, aud resignation
was the easiest way to avoid the
searching investigation which the
Committee on Expenditures of the
Treasury Department will begin on
Tuesday. The commission was COM
posed of eminent scientists, as follows:
Julius e. Hilgard, of theCoast Survey,
and member of the National Associa-
ton OF Science; President Henry Nor
ton, of the Stevens Polytechnic School
Hoboken; Charles T. Chandler, presi-
dent of the New York Board of Health
and VIM. Sellers, an eminent engineer
of Philadelphia. Under the instruc-
tion of the Secretary of the Treasury,
l fhou hnnan of fha Incfitnto .,t
Hoboken q series of the most careful
experiments, which were continued
during the summer and subsequently
they were renewed at Glen Mills,
Philadelphia, where the paper Is
manufactured. Samples of currency
in every condition, from the notes
freshly issued to those which had
been nearly worn out, were expert
pented upon, and the result Of their
labors will show that the government
has been imposed upon by one of the
most stupendnus swindles of the age.
The report will show that the sizing
instead of strengthening the fibre,
after the note has come into circula-
tion positively weakened it and of
course made il wear out faster. This
will be demonstrated to the Secretary,
and also that the paper as it comes
from the mill actually stood better
: waterproof tests than the sized paper.
J These are the facts for the use of a
patent which it was claimed was frau
. dulently obtained and for which there
was no ground for issue. AS the report
will show, the government has annu'
. ally for years paid an enormous sum
as a royalty and an exhorbitant price
for the cheapest materials claimed TO
. be used in the preparation of the siz-
j; ing. Add to this the number of en-
ployes who have, according to the re-
/ port, been uselessly engaged IN wet
ting the paper in the sizing tubs, and
the number required TO handle it, the
drying apparatus, fuel consumed, and
dozen other expenses, and the public
/; will conclude that the day of invesii-
gatloA did not come soon enough. Mr.
Ely's committee has been furnished
with n series of questions carefully
J prepared by an expert. which will be
submitted to the Superintendent OF
ithe Bureau of Engraving and Print
ing. Such is the information in the
possession of the committee that they
cannot be evaded. The investigation
into this branch of the treasury will
probably impicate anumber of promi-
nent persons in very questionable
transactions.
The first practical result of the re-
port of the commission will be the or
der OF the secretary disseminating the
sizing process and this will necessitate
the permanent discharge of all the
employees who have hitherto been
employed in sizing the currency. This
again will require the revision of the
estimates for carrying on the bureau
of engraving and printing for the next
fiscal year and change in the estimate
for the deficiency bill now before the
appropriation committee.