The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-05-05
HOW GREENBACKS ARE MADE.
A CO.resp0nsient'sA Account 81 = Visit "a the
xureaa ar Printing nnd Engrnsfn Ing.


A CO.respOnSsemt's Account 81 = Visit 20 the
asureaa ar Printing snd Engraving.
Washington Letter In the Atlanta constitutional
None Of the public institutions of the
capital has the fascination Of the Bureau
of Printing and Engraving. 1t is here
where greenbacks-t prettiest and The
finest money in the world-are made.
When you enter the Bureau You are
politely bowed to sitting room, where
you register your name and occupation,
if you have any. In few minutes a
guide comes and calls: "This way,
please" Every morning heavy box OF
vehicle, looking like a huge iron safe
on wheels, trundles from the Treasury
over to the Bureau, bringing the paper
destined To return US money. Every one
of these myriad sheets is counted at the
Treasury and charged to the Bureau.
Every one must be returned in perfect
money or even if spoiled by some un-
lucky accident. The careful account
thus begun continues through the many
landings of that precious paper, guard
ing every avenue of fraud, making every
human being who touches it honest as
the conductors bell-punch is honest, be-
cause it is impossible to be otherwise.
In room on the first floor are the
engravcrs, aboIt score of them bend
ing under mellow, milk-white shades,
patiently putting features, expression,
grace and language into the resisting
steel. On the walls hang some rare
specimens of their cunning. A finished
money plate is a work of art, and would
cost about $1,000. The government
pays skilled engravers so well that
counterfeiting loses much of its charm.
The great vaults in this room hold the
plates. and there they rest every night.
The locks are set so that they cannot be
opened until seven o'clock every morn
ing, and then only by the presence and
aid of three officials, each with different
kew.
Up stairs we see the plates III use on q
hundred engraver's presses. The men
run the presses while the girls lay the
paper in place and take it away with the
clear impression on it as it smokes from
The heat necessary in the process. The
pressmen are paid by the piece, and
some of them acquire wonderful
dexterity. They are required to pay the
girl 81. % n day ont Of their wages, but |
saw one who had So. 80 left for himself
on an average days work. Every turn
of the lever on the press registers and at
the days close each pressman has TO ac-
count for every sheet he has handled.
The money is printed from bills on
the sheet. After being numbered and
receiving the seal it goes to another
room, where it is counted again and
placed in drying machine. very much
like a patent peach dryer. When
thoroughly dry the sheets four bills
each are put under pressure of six or
eight tons, and this gives new bill its
Independent stiffness. SO that it wants
to get right out of your pocket. The
bills are then severed and done up In
packages of one thousand each. These
are carried to room where the final
count takes place.
All the best counters are women.
Most of them are paid by the number
and some of them have fingers OF wonder
full limberness. One woman is pointed
out to everybody. She has national
reputation. She can count a thousand
bills in six minutes, the fastest time on
record, and in all the millions she has
counted, has never made single mistake!
When the money is finally counted it
goes to the vaults and thence to the
traocrru