The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-06-14
WASHINGTON LETTER.
United States Treasury Department.

WASHINGTON, d. c. June II.
Correspondence Of the SOMERSET PRESS.
The Treasury Department is situated
just east Of the White House, Executive
Avenue running between them. The
building is the most imposing and sub
stantial, very properly, Of any of the pub
lie buildings in Washington, except the
Capitol, being built Of solid granite, and
in the Grecian Ionic style Of architecture;
three stories high, with two Easements
and attic. 1t is four hundred and sixty
six feet long, exclusive of porticos, and
two hundred and sixty.six feet wide. The
granite OF which il is constructed was
brought from Dix Island, on tn. coast Of
Maine. The old Treasury was burned in
1888, the nav one built in 1886, and an
addition made in 1855. The old portion is
very corimned colonnade, and its mon
atary was broken and the whole appearance
Of the building improved by the extension
which Aanks the old part at each end with
massive granite masonry and makes
beautiful terminations of the north and
south fronts. The steps, platforms and
particians are all very grand, some of the
columns, which are solid, being thirty feet
high and four feet in diameter. In the
courts are fountains and flower plats, a
large garden occupying the court round
which the Treasury is built. The objects
Of most especial interest to visitors, are the
cash-room and the vauls; although there
are many other points of interest that
will repay q visit. The cash-room is in
two stories, divided by an intsroir balcony
OF iron from which the last view of the
room and the business going on therein
may be obtained. The room itself is mos
beautiful, built entirely of fine marbles
from Vermont, Tennessee, Italy, and the
Pyrennees, arranged in stiles, mouldings
conicies prlasters. and panels. The floor i
tessellated in red and white marbles. Thi
room is the one in which packages OF mon
ey are received and examined, prepared
and sent away; and where all the money i
paid out that goes from the United State
Treasury. Men sit locked up there in wir
cages with small openings through whicl
TO pass the money after being counted O
stamped or put into packages. Huge bag
OF money stand in the corners of some G
these cages, and the whole appearance
that Of a msnagerie or prison as far g
close confinement goes.
The vaults Of our Treasury are said
be among the most secure in the worl,
They are fire proof with double walls II
spaces between which are filled with ire
bullets, SO that were holes drilled throug
they waved Immediately fill again. The
have double clock locks which are so III
manageable that their manipulators then
selves can only operate them by followir
set wheels-no key can unlock them aft
they are wound up for certain number
hours until that time shall have passe
One of the vault contains great bags
gold and silver and copper coin and pill
and piles Of bank-note while the 9th
literally vault within vault, contai
bonds. In the first could hardly lift f
hundred dollars with both hands, while
the other l could put fifteen millions in Il
pocket The Bureau of Engraving a
Printing is in the upper story of the Ire
ury. The engrayers occupy a room
themselves aud their work is of the fine
most trying enduring sort. 1t is all dc
by hands, of course, and the engravi
simply Of one of the heads upon the pl
for common one or two dollar bills Of
takes one person months to accomplish
This system Of hand engraving is
only safe and against counterfeiters.
two persons can make two engraving W
every line precisely similar. The Print
department, is dirty and hot and unheal
as such offices always are and the labo
entirely mechanical. The bank notes
ceive fine seperate impressions betw
each Of which they have to soak in W,
twsnty-four hours and dry the same ler
Of time in a warm oven. Then they b
to be pressed and counted many til
stamped, numbered, signed and pacl
The process is q. very long one.
The Redemption Bureau Ia an intel
ing one, where redeemed currency is
s,royed. II is counted, printed, Gu
two, counted again and placed in me
rator which grinds il into pulp from W
common brown wrapping paper is IN
factured.
In the basement is the healing appar,
and various Offices. Here also is a clu
ed carpenter shop, / saw the two ST
flags that draped the theatre box
evening Of President Lincoln's assassin
The holes are just as the spur on Bo
heel tore them as he jumped upon the
shouting his "Sic semper tyrranis." l
cd, in surprise; why these flags were
in such place, and was told in reply
they could not De put in the Ca
or any public place as they wave
carried off pieeemeal by relic hunters
NJ. M.
JAWS Of IRON