The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1878-07-12
OUR WASHINGTON LETTER.

0
engraving and printing, in his aTgu-
ments before the committee on banking
and currency, last February aud March,
resisting the efforts Of private corpora
tions to again secure to themselves a
portion Of the printing and engraving
of the public securities, pointed to the
continuous Improvements in our cur
rency, and the high rank it has taken
among the nations, yet scarcely led us
to full conception of the cOnsummate
art displayed in the new silver notes.
We called upon him recently, and it
was with justifiable pride he exhibited
to us the $500 and $1,000 notes, yet in
proof. Since the world began, no ma
tion has given to its people, as the in
signia' of its Indebtedness, SO fair a
"promise to pay" and in whose perfee-
tion is shadowed the permanence of its
institutions. AS it is yet some time be-
fore these notes will appear, a short
description Of the $500 denominations
may not be uninteresting to your read
ers. II there is any difference, this one,
taken altogether, is, perhaps, the finest
OF the two. As if to add that sense of
security which comes from looking on
a great man, the embodiment of bold
and pure principles, the artist has set
the face Of Charles Sumner IN the upper
right corner Of the note, where it looks
from a most perfect likeness into the
depths of his own seriousness. Upon
the extreme left coils a beautiful oval
counter" the work Of the wonderful
geometrical lathe, which so successfully
defies the counterfeit. Embedded in
the center Of this are the figures $500"
in fine artistic design, each of which
has the appearance of having a recess,
in which NEUROLOGICAL characters have
stationed themselves in the attitudes Of
their peculiar Specifications. In the
lower center is series of five Joined
geOmetrical lathe Counters" in each
Of which appears a letter making the
word 'silver." Just above this traverses
the denominational words "five hund-
red" which, to the naked eye, show
only an artistic blending of lights and
shades, but, under a magnifying lens,
disclOses In each letter the words, 'The
] United States Of America" These, with
/ the additional necessary wording, repe-
titions of the $500" and handsome Dor.
der, made from woven flowers, vines
and scrolls, make up the face of the
note. But if the face be a elimination
of art and beauty, not less so is the
back. Here the artist, seeming TO free
himself from the restraint Of a business
contract, fairly leaps into the open field:
of flowers aud vines, and the poetry oi
architecture, and blends together in q
| border, twined vines, and flowers, and
scrolls, upon which the eye may feast
Then from the word "silver'' he takes
the sound Of coin, aud leaves, instead oil
the freshening kiss Of flowers, and the
cool shades of twining foliage, as across
the note from left to right most exquis.
ite chase, the ample floral letters. A
bed of flowers and scrolls invite the eye
to the upper left corner, in which is 3
shield bearing the motto, ''E pltTi5u,
lntDl." Just above this, and belonging
to the group, as if not to be entirely for.
gotten of the commercial interest, is &
denominative $500" Continuing thii
same thoughtfulness to the right han(
corner, an inimitable Counter" presents
the numeral 81" which seems to smil,
in the utmost sense of security. At
tached to the left border are three circles
containing stars, while corresponding
on the right are three hearts, enclosing
each an oak leaf. These, with mucl
more equally fine, make up this rea
piece of workmanship, which is tn
, crown Of the bank note engraving act
, and sets at defiance the highest skill o
, the counterfeiter. The engraving-room
in charge Of G.. w. Casalier, is the fin
art department Of the bureau. Here /
: collected the finest skill in the countr,
in the engraving art, the result of man,
years of "culling" and education. Thi
, is one Of the divisions of public affair
not affected by political changes. Tn
: passport here is talent which politician
cannot afford to tamper with. Venel
J able gray-haired men, and youthful
: faces, alike feel the glance of the visitor
which again suggests the two avenue
to the upper rounds Of the ladder-labO
q and genius. One of these is a youn
man whose aptitude as an engraver {
heads astonishes their older artists. A
! though but twenty years of age, thre
Of his heads have been sent as a part (
e the exhibit of national currency 10 Pari
e this year. The most interesting featul
; Of this department is the geometrie'
l lathe, which is separated from the mair
, room by screen, and requires a specii
5 permit to see. It would be useless
: attempt description Of it in a lette
Suffice to say, it is more simple tha
one would suppose, considering tt
; work accomplished. By referring
! any piece Of our present currency, yoI
{ readers will understand the nature
], the work of this machine by examinin
] the beautiful "counters" in which al
= ! the UNCONVENTIONAL numbers, made U
Il of fine lines. When it is set in motion
n it works out some beautiful pattern
. lpartially independent of the operate
He can only give it general direction
and never can exactly reproduce a pa
n tern. 1t is the work of the machiI
d that counterfeiters cannot initiate, al
is looked upon as the most valuab