Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-08-13
THE annY PRINTING FRAUD.

no WOree-hnu IL ~ hnOWn lnut IL WA
no better-abouts s12, 900, 900 have beer
wasted or stolen. The ddry printing
frand was an effort to print fractiona
currency on dry paper by hydrostati'
pressure. In this attempt 100000
were wasted by a professed inventor
named Stuart Gwynn, and it now
turns out on inspection Of the secre
archives of the Patent Office that thu
then Chief of the Bureau, Spencer M
Clark, was part owner with Gwynn il
the worthless patent, for developing
which he paid Gwynn much OF thlt
money. The "waterproofng" fraut
was a pretense to make greenbackl
and fractional currency waterproof by
dipping the paper into mixture o
water, CASTLE soap and some other in
gredients. This bath bad no good ef
feet, and the mixture cost about
cents gallon, while from 80 to 95 cents
a gallon was paid for it. For the rec
ink used for printing the seals on notes
from two TO twelve prices were paid
The Internal Revenue Bureau of Sta
tlstics, the offices OF the Marine Hos
pital Service, the Lighthouse Board
and other parts of the Department
have at times been crowded out OF the
Treasury building by the wholly un-
necessary enlargement Of this unnec
essay Bureau, which has no authority
of law (beyond yearly appropriations
for its existence. This crowding out
has made the Government pay large
sums in rent for outside accommoda-
tions, which were superHuous, because
the Currency Printing Bureau was
not needed at all, responsible parties
having always stood ready TO do in a
way, safer, cheaper and finer, ali that
the Bureau has done. For the same
reason no new building for the Bureau
was needed, and the appropriation Of
1927 ,536 which was forced through
the House under the previous ques
ton without debate in the confusion
attending the close of the session in
June 1873, is a clear waste and loss,
as is also the $4,000 obtained by the
same means last February for moving
the Bureau from the Treasury into the
new building. For the first half Of
the fiscal year 1879, ending December
81, 1878, the expenditures of the Bu-
reau were nearly 100000, or about
double those OF the previous year; and
the Bureau by misrepresentation OBJ
tained appropriations of about mill
ion for tho present year. This pre-
sents strong contrast to McPherson'i
claim to have spent but 100000 Q
year and to have made large savings
Large sums have been yearly asked
and obtained for "new machinery,
and some of this machinery is stored
as useless, yet the demand for fresh
appropriations goes on yearly, though
the Bureau always claims to be better
equipped than any private establish
ment. The Bureau also has on hand
engraved work enough to supply, in
printing notes and bonds, the Govern
ment's needs for fifty years TO come
yet large sums are yearly spent on en-
craving, though the engraving divis
ion of the Bureau is practically use
less.
ExTRAvAGANT AND CORRUPT OFFICIALS
Among the very first reforms mad'
after the reorganization" Of the Blu
reau in May, 1877, when Edward Nc
Pherson took charge, was the pur
chase of an expensive carriage ant
horse, (s450 for the former and 1921
for the latter and he employed maj
as driver, whose pay Isl so per day
was increased by an allowance Of 81
cents each day as extra time, and thu
cost of the carriage and horse, a
well as the monthly livery bill o
the latter amounting to $40 pc
month";, were paid from tho appropri
alton for labor and expenses of on
} craving and printing the securities o
the Government; the whole reserve'
: exclusively for the private use of th
Chief Of the Bureau, except for the few
: hours the driver acted as messenge
in the Office.
When Mcpherson entered on hi
duties he made requisition on the Gus
todian of the building for the construc
tion of q new office and fittings for tn
same. A portion Of the money spprc
priated for "labor and expenses of en-
craving and printing" was diverte'
from its legitimate channel and dis
, bursed under the direction of the Gus
todian for this purpose.
The printing of bank notes has bee
taken IRON the Comptroller Of tn
, Currency, in violation of law, and pu
: into this corrupt Bureau. The print
ing of the backs of greenbacks, fraC
! tional currency and bonds has bee
taken from responsible and skillful en-
gravers-also in disregard and violi
Q ton of law--and is now all done i
: 3 that concern; and the Revised Stat
) utes have been tampered with to max
5 il seem lawful. This concentration Q
= = the printing in the Bureau has bee
condemned "a every way wrong b
! repeated reports of investigators.
a has been excused by false pretenses {
cheap work.
September 20, 1877, in response
0 advertisements inviting proposals 10
' printing the black backs on nations
I bank notes, bids were received irol
! engravers, and when opened wer
T. found to range from Siz TO $500 Pc
l,OOO sheets. Inc Chlef OF the b' ~
4 reau offered to 90 the work Tor so,s'
+ two cents lower than the least Oh m
: ana tne worN was ""a'"'u W '"' ~
: reau. ..,, A.. I'm. u..aor,
an ,hsPeo',o" . =, ',a,aaO, Sau ' showaS ~,
a while the Bureau charge $500 ps
/ /, 900 sheets for the first printing,
r charged sl4 for the green printing O