Union and American. [volume] (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1875-1877, 1876-01-13
MAKING MONEY.
TPhiladelphia Times.

tuiioeip"he ~
The general public, while capa-
BILE Of recognizing any flaws in the
impress of bank notes or fraction
al 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 the
various stages which greenbacks
undergo before they are placed in
circulation. Every possible con-
tingency is 81 surrounded with
strict enactments, and 50 much red
tape is necessary, that the expense
of printing Treasury notes is
enormous. In the first place, man
utacture of the peculiar paper used
is supervised by Government In
spectors, against whose integrity
numberless checks and counter
checks have been devised and are
strictly inrorced. In the next
stage, printing the backs of notes,
the most close supervision is ex-
ercised and the strictest account
required. For instance, in print
ing the backs of titty-cent notes,
which work is done by the Phlla-
delphia Bank Note Company, IN
the United States Appraisers
Building, Second street, above
Walnut, the sheets are counted at
least eight times, and a register is
kept of each count. LII this es-
adjustment over forty presses are
continually employed in printing
the backs Of notes required to re-
place a worn out currency. The
paper is received in sheets of suf-
ticlent size to make an impression
from plates on which sixteen en-
cravings of the note have been
made. The number sent 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 furn-
lshing and the party receiving the
paper of the exact amount without
the knowledge Of each others
count, so that the possibility OF
any fraud upon the Treasury is
prevented. AS soon rs each sheet
is accounted for the paper is sent
into the wetting room. The chief
of that department, before he &C
knowledges the receipt OF any
package requires that the number
of sheets be ascertained by one of
his assistants. After the paper
has undergone the soaking pro-
cess, it is again inspected, and an
account opened with each printer,
who, in turn, must furnish a re-
celpt for every sheet thus furnish
ed him. Then, on a hand press,
with a girl adjusting the sheet to
the plate and to the press, the
printer strikes off the impressions
one By IL until one hundred have
been printed. The sheets are then
transferred to the drying depart
ment and again counted. Racks
are arranged in q warm room so as
to expedite this work, and 10 a few
hours the sheets are taken to the
countirg-room, being twice count
ed in the change. Then they are
returned to the superintendent OF
the printing department, 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 u ffty-cent
note reaches the public it will have
been counted at least twenty-five
times. go it is with all the cur
rency aAoat. The appliances for
carrying on this work must be com
plete, and nothing but the best OF
workmanship isgaIlowed by the
Govtrnment in printing the circu-
lating medium. The designing
and engraving rooms, with their
delicate machinery and skilled Ia
Dor. are marvels, and the system
of checks employed throughout the
yariotb branches is such as to rem
der the conSumation Of any frauds
upon the company or the Govern
lncpt an utter impossibility,