National Republican., 1880-08-10

=
the strongest protection against counterfeiung
that has ever been devised. Tho lathe is au-
tomato in its combination, and comblna-
ton Of the interlacing lines once destroyed
can never bo reproduced. Hence counter
| fciter might work at n geometrical lathe Tor
years without hitting that peculiar combina-
| ton Of uot-like moShcs he wanted to copy |
| Not every transferer can work gcometri'
cal lathe. 1t .akcs years OF special labor TO
qualify him for this survicc These separate
dies to recur again to the dollar note, are
each made on separate roll, then all are
put on a big "bcdpioce" and roll taken
| from that, OF course n separate one IS re-
Iuired for both front aud back OF tho note.
| In tho engraving room, but not Of It, and, In
fact, not of tho bureau, are located tho stock
vaults. In these arc kept all the dies, rolls,
plates, ETC., which are used IN tho bureau.
| The vault to tho east Is called tho
United States vault, and in II arc kept all the
various devices used in printing and onsraY'
| ing United States notes, internal revenue
stamps checks of all descriptions, bouds and
all manner of government work. Tho west
one is called the national currency vault, and
contains all the devices uscd in national bank
note work. These two vaults contain about
$4,000 different pieces of steel. II will bo
seen therefore that the bureau of engraving
and printing has a multiplicity of tools.
These tools are all under the control of n Gus
! todiau with two assistants, appointed by tho
secretary of the treasury, aud responsible only
! to him. They are distinct from tho bureau,
aud in fact, are the check upon the bureau.
| Tho custodian of tho dies cannot issue single
plate for printing without the express au.
thority &C tie secretary. Mr.. George S. Bell
is the custodian, Messrs. Charles G. Evans and
John \. Webster his assistants.
THE PRINTING DIVISION.
From the first floor you ascend to tho third
floor, where the printing division holds undis-
puted sway This is the largest of all tho di-
visions, aud has oveihowed the floor appro-
pratcd to it, extending TO the ono above,
where are the dressing rooms of the printers
and their lady assistants; aud to the basement,
where is tho Surface branch" The whole
printing division is under the general super
/ vision OF Mr.. Ward H. Morgan, the most able
aud courteous of superintendents. 1t is sub
divided into three branches, tho "plate
bmnch," tho "wetting branch and the "5ur.
face branch" in the basement Tho voting
branch Is under charge of Mr.. o. T. Edgar.
Here the paper is first wetted then put be-
tween Sheets" aud pressed, then taken out
and sliftod-that is to say, theuppor sheet is put
in the centre, tho centre ones on top and bot
tom, etc; then iii sufficiently dnmpened 10 bo
issued to the plate-printors. 1t requires much
iulgment and skill to get the paper just right
for It's purposes. II it is too dry the ink will
not take good impression, if too wet tho ink
will sniouCh. From this room, where somo
thirty ladies and gentlemen arc employed,
tho paper Is delivered through large win
dow To the plate-printors.
The plate branch occupies nearly all of the
en- tire third floor. As you stand IN tho hall
and look down the thrice-trpe rows OF
hsnd-presses the first idea suggesting itself is
that OF a forest OF press-handles. The scene
, il varied aud interesting in tho extreme
Over 200 printers and their lady assistants,
moro than 400 in all, are kept busy as boos
=. "A. La. TnnN.N l,
gas.stovcs which each printer must use Is Sc
we're. You gaze throegh the high iron railings
at tho men and women within, each tco iu-
tent upon tho work 10 notice you, and see
how greenbacks are quarried in the rough
Tho division Is divided into three apartments
+ by tho ratings. Tho object of this is to pro.
| vide that no man who works OH the back
, of treasury or currency noto shall
, work in proximity to ono who is engaged
, upon the "tnt." This is TO avnid all possible
/ coluson. Tho superintendent of the plate
b branch is Mr.. John r. White, gentleman
1 thoroughly master of his business and gifted
f with great executive ability. In the main
e apartment there are eight rows ofpresses one
\ way by nineteen the other, and tho work is
(. done here is of internal revenue stamps,
0 .backs of United States notes, black backs of
=: national currency, "tints" OF national cur
/. rency and tho faces of both kinds OF notes.
| The printer inks his plate with roller, then
the ink remains only in tho engraved limos.
lIO then covers his hands with whitening aud
polishes the plato until IL Is us smooth and
clean as II mirror, except III the lines. lie
then heats the plate over his gas stove puts
it on the press aud draws il back. His assis-
tant puts tho sheet Of paper on the plate and
takes IL OF when the impression is made. Tho
= printer cannot lay OH tho sheets because,
among other reasons, his hands are full of ink,
I, 1t Is very hot work necessarily, aud much
y soap and water arc used after the work isdone.
Tho Surface branch" is located in the base.
. mcnt, and in charge of Miss Harriet q. Stick
: moy. There are ten Hoo cylinder presses in
this room. All national bank notes have
.. .. their charter numbers and seals put on by the
suriass process. At tho present time all
: United States notes have the seals put oil by
4 tho surfacs printing. 1t is claimed that by
= this process ofputtingou seals thoy can neither
" be rubbed out nor photographed. Every tint
. of internal revenue stamps is done by this pro-
= + cess except taX.paid stamps,
q THE NUMBERING DIVISION
o is In charge of Miss Annie II, Roe. Tho notes,
# aftor being printed examined, sealed, char
n tered and numbers put on, are brought here,
/ numbered, trimmed, separated and packed
!. away ready for delivery, the United States
y notes to the treasury, the national bank-notos
# to tho comptroller of tho currency. An OK
{ animation Is made of the notes after every
i process, to detect any defect Of said process.
a The numbering is done by machines, and is
r on tho Same principle as that Of paging book,
+ only the machines are more delicate aud can
number up to millions. Eghty.fve persons
a are employed in this room with sixty mum
. boring machines, four separating and four
n trimming machines.
|. THE EXAMINING DIVISION,
I in charge of Miss Annie L. Bealle, Is on the
g second floor. All tho impressions as soon as
/. printed are counted by wet counters" then
L placed on tracks," and put into q "dTy-bOX'
: somewhat after tho fashion of bricks in q
II klln--and when finally driod are taken oil
= the racks, counted and put under hydrostatO
4 presses to have tho wrinkles taken out,
;. There are seven Of these presses The inn
IS pressions are then subject to press count
}, then thoy go to tho examiners, who count IL
}. carefully aud 500 il IL is up to the standard,
Il All defective sheets are thrown out. The
n binding aud psrioratiug division, under
4 charge Of Mr.. Thomas p, Sparks, is located
i iu tho basement. Horo all tho binding Is done
o The work flushed aud unfinished is put away
5 every day in tho stock division" There is
c an inner door with two locks, combination, the
Q secret of which is held by the accountant, Mr.
}, Thomas Sullivan, and two combination locks
/. on the outer door aud "time-lock," good fol
k sixtoon hours the combination OF which !;
o held by the vault keeper Mr., j. w. Moore
@ Tho building is really the great "money.milP
!. of tue world,
- Another Chance FOR Senator Davis to "In
. NestiGato,"
: The treasury department is in recent o