The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1881-04-30

my head was as clear rs yours I'd hire
out for church bell. You only need
four lenses and drop of rain water TO
be microscope" And Mr.. Spoopen.
dyke hurried on his clothes and scuttled
down stairs to get the morning paper
before his wife could make clutch at it.
GRINDING UP MONEY.
How the Treasury Macerator Works
Destruction of Notes.
From the "Nationai Republican"
In a bright, neat room in the base
ment Of the Treasury Department there
isa beautiful piece Of mechanisms knoup
as the macerator, and used to destroy
the redeemed national bank-notes. II
is globe-shaped, and the engineer has
painted and ornamented it in a tasteful
manner. The heavy machinery con-
nected with it is kept in perfect order.
This manner of destroying the notes is
a great improvement upon the old
method Of burning them, which was not
only extremely offensive to those en-
gagged in it, but was positively danger
Gus; and, even with the greatest pre-
caution, it was impossible to prevent
large pieces Of notes escaping. During
the process fine yellow dust was FORM
ed, which penetrated every crevice, and
was ruinous to papers. books, and funi-
ture. The present system is clean, effec-
tive and interesting.
THE PACKAGES or MONEY
come in from the banks to the National
Bank. Note Division, which has no con-
nection with the Treasury Department,
except so far as to rent and occupy
rooms in the building. They are count
ed in this Office, and the lower corners
are cut off. From there they are taken
to the Redemption Division, and are
again counted, and each package is
punched with an instrument provided
for the purpose. After this they are
counted by the committee representing
the national banks, and, If found cor
rect ard no counterfcits among them,
are ready TO be destroyed. A commit
tee of three gentlemen, representing re-
speciively the Secretary Of the Treasury,
the Treasurer, and the Comptroller of
Currency, go with them to the macera-
ting room, and they are also accompa-
nied by the committee representing the
banks. The macerator has 4 small door
near the top, securely locked
WITH THREE BRASS LOCKS,
of entirely different construction, max
ing il impossible for the Secretary or his
representative TO unlock il without the
aid of the Treasurer, or either Of them
without the aid OF the Comptroller of
Currency. II is absolutely necessary for
all three to be present. The packages
are placed in the machine while the
committee are waiting; il is then Sc
curely locked and left in charge Of the
operator for the present. Cold water is
turned in upon them, and after Office
hours--for the machine makes a fearful
noise-the engine is fired, and the re-
volving cylinder, with its double row OF
keen knives, soon reduces the great mass
to pulp. Before this is allowed to
pass out into the pit below, it must pass
through an outlet into basket Of dou-
bic wire, which can only be reached by
the same keys mentioned above. II
there are any pieces which have escaped
the knives they are destroyed. After
all these precautions
THE PULP FALLS INTO THE PIT
below, and from there is pumped into
large tanks outside to drain, and is after
ward taken to the Bureau Of Engraving
and Printing and made into coarse
wrapping-paper. The fibre is so effect.
ually destroyed that it is impossible to
use it again for bank-notes. The pro-
cess requires about an hour and half,
and from one to three millions Of dol.
lars are destroyed every week. The
notes are not always old and imperfect,
for, when bank stops business, to en-
able it to recover the bonds deposited
with the Treasurer il must bring enough
currency to cover. the amount, and
sometimes this money is perfectly new.
Some ingenious persons have utilized
TIE pulp by moulding il into various
fancy articles, such as eagles, crosses,
dogs, paper-weights, &c. With 4 touch
of humor, the engineer has chained q
fierce-looking bulldog of this material,
but Of diminutive size, quite near the
machine, who, with the stars and stripe:
waving over him, no doubt feels very
important rs Watchdog Of the es,ab.
lishment. ~