The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-01-20
From Our Regular Correspondent
Our Washington Letter.
Whence the Money Comes-The bureau of
Engraving and Printing-Eight Hun
dred Female Employes-Their Moral
Disabilities.


.-.... WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 1876
/ Everybody knows the money goes, but 1t is
not so we'll known whence it comes. In these
days of financial depression and politico-fnan-
cial schemes and remedies, Congress has turned
its attention to the discussion of war questions
and the cruelties practiced in military PRISONS,
We will hear, alas! too much of these before
the close of this centennial year, and 1 am
sure you will excuse your correspondent for
having left the reporters gallery, above the
heated arena, to spend an hour in the place
whence the money comes-the Bursan of En-
craving and Printing. This Bureau has eight
hundred female employees. There are two
things, says Jean Paul, that a woman cannot
do: She can neither train dog nor command
an army; he might have added, nor steal a
large sum of money. Perhaps this last men,
toned good disability Is what recommends her
here. One of them passed me with twenty
five millions of dollars in her little hand! What
if Katie King should find employment here
and dematerialize with that amount in her
hand!
The initial step in the organization of the
Bureau of Engraving and Printing was taken
in 1862 under the administration of Secretary
Chase. 1t was an attempt which proved emil
nently successful, to apply machinery to the
trimming and separating of the Treasury notes,
that work having been previously executed by
manual labor.
At this period the public issues were printed
by the Bank Note Companies, in New York
city, and forwarded thence to Washington for
signature by the proper officers, the Register
and Treasurer of the United States A change
OF system, however, soon ensued, for it was a
physical impossbility for the officers to per.
form SO large an amount of clerical work in
addition to the more important duties involved
upon them, and by authority of Congress they
were authorized to employ other persons to
discharge the mere ministerial duty of afixing
their official signatures. But the impractca-
bility of this system soon became apparent
Not only was the cost of issuing public securi-
ties very much increased thereby, but, in the
multiplicity of signatures, there was found an
element of insecurity seriously affecting the
public credit. Mr.. Chase gave to the subject a
prolonged and deliberate attention. 1t having
been suggested that mechanical agencies for
this work might be adopted, he was favorably
impressed by the idea, and was the first one
who inaugurated the policy of printing, to-
gether with the signatures of the proper off
GERS. the seal of the Treasury upon all forms of
i the public issue. This policy was also approved
| by an act of Congress, February 25th, 1862, and
| according to its provisions steps were taken to
| procure the necessary machinery, and quarters
\ g. H. >
| ing. There soon followed, as the needs of .he
i public service became manifest, inventions
/ which enabled the trimming and separating ol
l the notes to be performed by machinery instead
i of by hand, and with very great saving o.
l expense. Urged by considerations thus sug-
l gested, and stimulated by the success Of the
l work then prosecuted in the Department, il
l was determined that an effort should be made
to do, under official oversight, the entire me-
chanical work upon public securities. By ar
act of Congress, June IL, 1862, this was also
granted, and prior to the passage of this act
none of the public securities of the. United
States had been engraved or printed otherwis'
than by private contract. The Secretary of thu
Treasury was prompt to act in accordance will
the authority thus conferred, and at oncl
secured first class engravers and all necessary
machinery to accomplish all printing required
by the government, independent of outside
corporations Thus it will be seen that while
at the outset the Bureau of Engraving ant
Printing was an administrative necessity, it
subsequent development into its present pro
portions has resulted logically from the pressur
of public exigences and demands, especially
n bu uxzhi tv nd how haa,
demanded as chief considerations, in th,
issuance of public securities.
Respecting the relative merits of system
relying upon engraved safeguards, it seems tc
be settled that distinctive paper, similar tC
the one now in use, in the manufacture of pub
lie securities the production of which is guard
ed by governmental authority, is the mos
essential element of safety. The most import
ant feature of this paper and that by which i
is distinguished from all other bank paper, is
localized fibre engrained at the time of manu-
facture into the texture Of the article. and 81
distributed as to give it distinctive feature
This paper is easily recognized, and the sole
right to manufacture the same belongs exclu
sively to the government
The excellence and superiority of the gov.
ernments engraved work is attested by the
fact that at the Vienna Exhibition 1872, where
specimen vignettes were exhibited, the first
premium was awarded the Bureau of Engrav
ing and Printing.
The Engraving Division of the Bureau ha.
from the outset produced work of the highes
art and merit, and to this division belongs alsc
the distinction of having made several import
ant inventions whereby the art of engraving
has been advanced and signal economies intro
duced into the public service.
The following data will give general view
of the engraving process: A piece of decarbon.
lied steel, one-eighth inch in thickness, and
somewhat larger than bank-note, being Sc.
lected, the preparatory work is that of soften.
ing it by artificial meaus. This being done, il
is ready for the engraver. The principal en-
graved work by the Bureau consists of vignette
portraits and the ornamental work upon bank
notes, with which all are familiar The de.
nomination counters, consisting of variety Of
oval and circular forms interlacing each other
in series of lines and elongated dots, thus
forming curious and complex figures which are
executed by geometrical lathe, complicated
and ingenious mechanism, having almost
| Kaleidoscope power. When the engrayer' s
work is finished, the steel plate is next subject
ed to hardening process, after which 1t is
placed on transfeE press and decarbonized