The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1876-12-14

What is Done With the Redeemed
Currency.
The National Bank notes and Irrational
currency, when first turned out of the
Treasury, are very pretty to look at. Their
crispiness is particularly attractive
feature, and the bright green and moderate
quantity of rose color are very pleasing to
the eye. The engraving, too, is really
artistic, and, taken in its entirety, Uncle
Sans money when new may be pro-
nounced very pretty money indeed. But,
unfortunately, the National Bank note,
and the modest ten, twenty-five or fifty
cent fractional currency pieces are sub
jected to very hard usage. First, they
may be handled by the dapper bank clerk
who understands their manipulation per-
fectly, and from whose hands they pass
none the worse for contact. But the man
who receives them next may be grocer's
clerk who, disregarding their beauties,
uses his unwashed digits that may few
moments previously have been engaged in
handling a nice fitch of bacon, to count
the bills. The pork butcher may be the
next one to have temporary possession of
the representatives of value, and while in
his custody they are sure to take on more
or less of the badge Of his calling. Prob
ably they repose next in the wallet of
fashionable lady, and the odors of the
grease are neutralized by musk, ylang-
ylang, or some one of the many popular
perfumes. Next, they may fall into the
hands OF careless young man who uses
no pocketbook, but makes his vest pocket
the neutral ground where greenbacks,
cigarettes and ends of all kinds
meet on friendly terms. The vicissi-
tudes of currency are many and varied,
and there is little room for wonder
that the presses in the Treasury Depart
ment find constant occupation as they do
in turning out fresh supplies of paper
that only too soon becomes really "filthy
lucre." The destruction is very rapid,
and one of the chief occupations of
large force in the Treasury is that of sub
Jectlng the condemned cash to the proc
esses by which it is finally wiped out of
existence. About two years since it was
the custom to burn the redeemed bank
notes, bonds and fractional currency, but
more economical, and In every way more
acceptable, plan, is now pursued. On
the White lot, Immediately in front of
the Treasury, may be noticed two brick
buildings. The largest of these is the
machine shop, carpenter and general re-
Earring establishment OF the Treasury.
The other is also an adjunct, and is
known as the macerating department.
| Here it is that the frolicsOme currency,
after it has been made worthless by reason
OF too much abuse, is converted into pulp
that fines its way to the paper manufac-
tories, where it is reconverted into paper.
Here also the bond rendered useless bv re-
demption at expiration or some other
cause, is made undistinguishable from.
let us say mortar, by an extremely simple
process. In the first place, the fractional
currency is subjected to most rigid
scrutiny and count for the purpose of
detecting counterfeits, and then it is
turned over to men who, with ma
chine, cancel each note so effectual.
ly that by no possibility could it
ever be used again; another count is
then gone through with for the pur-
pose of checking the operators of
the machine, and preventing them from
appropriating any of the condemned
money. After the canceling the money is
next cut in half, and once more the separ.
ate halves are counted, and, when ascer-
tanned to be all right, are placed in boxes
for the purpose of removing them to the
macerating building before alluded to.
The boxes are securely locked while in
transit from the Treasury to the macerat-
ing establishment, where they are opened
in the presence of three representatives of
the Treasury, one acting in behalf of the
Secretary, another for the Treasurer, and
the last for the Register, for each batch is
usually accompanied by quantity of
bonds. From the boxes the bonds, which
are cut, are Cancelled thoroughly, and the
fractional currency are emptied into the
with three separate locks, the keys of
which are held respectively by the officers
named above. The process of macera-
ton is very simple. The macerating CYL
inder is revolved by a sixty horse power
engine, and at the same time jets of steam
are I'M ected into it, which speedily soften
tie mass of paper The molstened paper
by its own gravity keeps dropping, and is
reduced to a pulp by the sharp ridges
which form the inside of the cylinder
After being subjected to this treatment
for about thirty-six hours, the cylinder is
unlocked by the three officials and the
pulp is then allowed to fall on an eleva
tor, which conveys it to large tub,
where it is thoroughly cleansed and al
fatty matter removed by the agency Of
quick lime and soda.
The washing of the pulp completes the
process, and it is finally dumped in q
heap to lie until purchased. Yesterday
about 81, 500, 900 worth of fractional chr
rency was placed in the macerator This
was an unusually large batch, the average
burnings," as the maceratings ar,
known, being much less. There is nov
an immense quantity of the pulp OF
hand, probably several hundred tons
This will he sold to paper manufacturers
The rate usually paid for the pulp is il
the vicinity of SIS per ton. An approx
mate estimate of the quantity of pull!
annually made out of fractional currency
or bonds at this establishment is six hun
dred and fifty tons. The proceeds result
ing from the sale of this may be &C
counted as net gain over the ole
method, as the burning of the money O
bonds required the expenditure of a
much labor as does the present macerat
ing system, and consumed great dea
more coal. The national bank notes ar
converted into pulp by the centrifugal
process inside the Treasury building, tn
method adopted being almost in ever,
respect similar to that pursued with tn
fractional currency and bonds, as de
scribed above. The improvement on tn
burning plan is too obvious to need ex
tended mention. Extraordinary precau
tons were required to keep the destroyed
money from flying out of the furnace
chimney, and the odor Of the burning pa
per was an intolerable nuisance, and wa
very injurious to the health of those re
siding in the neighborhood of the plac
wheee it was carried on. This las
reason would have been sutficien
one for changing the method, if the add
tional one of making an absolute savin
to the government did not suggest itself
N. Y. Mercury.