Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-01-06
Making Paper Money.

THE general public, while capable of
recognizing any flaws in the impress of
bank notes or fractional currency, know
very little of the care exercised by the
Government in protecting itself against
their fraudulent issue, or of the many
| safeguards thrown around thu, various
stages which greenbacks undergo before
they are placed in circulation. Every
! possible contingency is so surrounded
with strict enactments, and so much red
tape is necessary, that the expense of
printing Treasury notes is enormous. In
the first place, the manufacture of the
peculiar paper used is supervised by Gov
eminent inspectors, against whose integ-
rlty numberless checks and counter
checks have been devised and are strictly
| enforced. In the next stage, printing
| the backs Of notes, the closest supervision
IS exercised and the strictest account re-
| CURED. For instance, in printing the
| backs of ffty-cent notes, which work is
done by the Philadelphia Bank Note
| Company, in the United States Apprais-
| er'S building, Second street, above Walnut
the sheets are counted at least eight times,
and a register is kept Of each count. In
this establishment over forty presses are
continually employed in printing the
backs of notes required to replace
WORKOUT currency. The paper is
received in sheets of sufficient size
to take an impression from plates
on which sixteen engravings of the
in the package from the paper-factory is
not stated, as the box is sealed with the
Government stamp. A return is made by
the party furnishing and the party re-
ceiving the paper of the exact amount
without the knowledge of each others
count, 50 that the possibility of any
fraud upon the Treasury is prevented.
AS soon as each sheet is accounted for the
paper is sent into the victim room. The
chief of that department, before he &C
knowledges the receipt of any package,
requires that the number Of sheets be as
Certalned by one Of his assistants. After
the paper has undergone the soaking pro-
cess il is again inspected, and an account
opened with each printer, who, in turn,
must furnish a receipt for every sheet thus
given him. Then on hand-press, with
a girl adjusting the sheet to the plate and
to the press, the printer strikes off the I'M
pressions one by one until 100 have been
printed. The sheets are then transferred
to the drying department and again
counted; racks are arranged in warm
room so as to expedite this work, and In
few hours the sheets are taken to the
counting room, being twice counted in
the change. Then they are returned to
the Superintendent Of the printing de-
partment, Mr.. John McGur, under whose
management all these intricate details
have been followed out and the notes
packed up for shipment to Washington,
where the face is printed and the seal of
the United States Treasury affixed. 1t is,
therefore, safe to calculate that before
fifty-cent note reaches the public it will
have been counted at least twenty-five
times. So it is with all the currencyl
ahoat. The appliances for carrying on
this work must be complete, and nothing
but the best of workmanship is allowed
by the Government in printing the circu
lating medium. The designing and en-
craving rooms, with their delicate ma
chinery and skilled labor, are marvels,
and the system of checks employed
throughout the various branches is such
as to render the contamination of any
frauds upon the company or the Govern
ment an utter impossibility.
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