The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-20
GENERAL WASHINGTON DISPATCHES.


wAsHl.GroS, June 10, 1877.
THE BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE OF 1NvEsTIGA-
TON.
The Committee Of Investigation appointed by tho
Secretary OF the Treasury to examine the affairs OF tho
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing have made their
report The Investigations show that the force Of tho
has for many years been in excess OF the re-
qurcments Of the work, and tina. this the
when the work was greatest. The committee be-
lieve that force employed IN some divisions was
for a number OF years together twice as great
as was required for the proper performance Of
the work, and that In others 1t was three times
great necessary. In of these divisions sort Of
platform had been built underneath tho iron roof,
about feet above the floor, to accommodate the
surplus On this Shelf, on parts OF which
person of ordinary height could not stand erect, do
prved OF proper ventilation and exposed 10 summer to
Tho joint OF the heated roof above and tho umcs
Df the wettcd paper beneath, were placed some
thirty or moro women who had received appointments
and for whom room must be found II now appears
that the OF ample size without this con-
tr!vancc to accommodate all OF the persons really
needed that the surplus force slowed away IN the lott
was entirely unnecessary, and that some Of
them ut times, for lack OF occupation,
whilcd away tho time in sleep. Regarding
tho policy which overcrowding bureau with
needless employees, and IN pursuance Of which tho
enormous appropriation tor the last hscal ycar OF
81 600 900 spent in little seven months in
printing public securities and 700 people thrown out
Of employment the committee says
The apparent causes which have led to these
fortunate results each oil which IS the compile
ment OF the other:-Lavish appropriations and ap-
polntments through political influence The whole
system seems to have revoved in VICIOUS circle. APP
propr iatons have been secured by making appoint
ments Tor Congressman, without regard 10 the MT
of the appointees The necessities OF the work.
ana when secured they have been expended in such
manner as TO retain the good VIII OF those already
friendly or to secure that OF others More
serve to great extent the purpose
Of almshouse asylum by outside parties, and the
committee concur In this conclusion.
they recommend that ut least one plate printing on
MI legal tender notes national bank notes and United
states bonds executed by capable, experienced and
respoas bank companies. and that II II should
be thought advisable TO have greater number oil
pr,ntings done outside OF tho bureau no company be
permitted to execute more than one Of them
upon any obligation. lhcy do not consider
that the rule need necessarily apply 70 the print
ing OF the internal revenue stamps They do not cir
cuatc money or as representatives OF value, and
their (witn the exception oi the check sampsl is
confined certain classes OF manufacturers or dealers,
all OF whose operations are open 10 inc inspection OF
officers OF the government In contracting win
securities great regard should II seems TO
US, be had to tier standing, experience
Tor the work. ana
company which has gwen evidence Of s ability
produce hrs class work s IN our view entitled 10
n our opinion IT is very desirable that
settled policy concerning the method OF printing tho
public securities should be adopted, and that the
Bureau is to continued with Its present functions
permanent DIVISION OF work should be made between 1t
and private companies to remain IN force so long as
bc work shall be satisfactorily performed at reason
iblc rates.
Some space in the report is devoted to the policy
heretofore pursued in the bureau which Is considered
lo.p lla
anu brief history is given OF the different methods
which have prevailed at different times. according TO
the various OF the heads OF the depart,
mcnt and oil the committees oil Congress who have in
vesgated the subject OF engraving and printing, and
gives interesting history OF the issue VI postal cur
rcncy aud OF United States notes aud bonds
Upon subject OF the distinctive paper used for
securities tho committee say
on May there hand in the department tho
enorn Gus quantity Of 266 sheets OF the distinc
tive paper, weighing 1000 pounds and costing
than $780, 600 Oi this amount nearly three and half
million sheets, having neen mace 30 ior issues
ablo for any other purpose, VIII DC total
loss to The government. A large part OF the check
paper also, Is OF KIND longer used for checks and
Is good Tor nothing else. At the present rate OF print
ing the national bank note paper, amounting 10 more
than .our million sheets will last Tor yearly years,
while the United states note paper, amount
ing to than seven million snects will
last for more than SIX years. the making
OF both these classes OF paper has been Tor the
present discontinued by order OF tho Secretary The
quantity OF four and halt per funded loan paper
on ma nd amounts to more than two million hun
nred thous aud sheets and u greatly lib
eral estimate OF the number OF sheets required Tor
The whole loan would not exceed three hundred thou
sand, whereas more than times that quantity
made ana paid Tor. The requisions Tor all OF tho
shove mentioned paper were made by he Bureau vi
engraving aud Pruning We have no hesitation III
snybg that the ordering or such nordnate quantities
oil distinctive paper, available only io special pur-
poses was in reckless disregard oil the interests oil the
government. Whatever may have been the motives,
certainly fortunate circumstance Tor the man
uacturer that the making OF tue orders was Entrusted
to SO liberal hands.
They further say -
1t Is doubtless true that the risk OF detection and
punishment would be increased II the counierieitcrs
plates 10 manufacture spurious paper but iu we"
the great extent OF msdrcctcd skull and talent here
toforc displayed by them we do not think that the
difficulties OF initiating the fibre paper are insnperabe
As oi fact the recent dangerous
counterfeit OF the 500 legal tender note
and counterfeit fractional notes have found an extern
svc circulation the nJrc winch was initiated sini-
ply by scratching the plato from winch the notes
printed III the case vi the national bunk notes the
value OF the distinctive character of the paper
pctey destroyed by the fact that the hbrc implicitly
covered Uy the craving.
Their views concerning the paper may be summar-
tied follows:
First 1t is a check upon the printing establish
menL
lyecond-It may add TO tho difficulty OF counterfeit
Ing but IL does not make the difculty insupcrable
Third-It 10 much inferior In quality 10 hrst class
bank note paper.
FourM-To be Of value the nbre should DO exposed
uGan the noteS- nat covered BY printing