The west Tennessee star. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1888, 1888-08-31
ENGRAVING GREENBAcks.


killed every man in the party.-M Y.
San.
ENGRAVING GREENBACKS.
How the Coveted Bits of Paper.Are Printed
Under Uncle SANS DireetiOn.
The stranger in Washington saunter-
ing along the streets in the early
morning in the neighborhood of the
Treasury Building is likely to be at
tracted by the sight of a curious,
heavy vehicle, which is being awk-
wardly trundled along towards the
building of the United States Bureau
of Printing and Engraving. This
strange looking vehicle is not unlike
huge iron safe on wheels, and the
spectator, not unnaturally, forms the
opinion that its contents must be of
great value to render necessary this
unique method of protection. If,
however, it were possible to unlock
the safe and examine its contents, it
would be seen that they were merely
numerous sheets of blank paper
Then, why this precaution?
The paper, which is regularly taken
every morning from the treasury to
the bureau in this way, is brought
back at night as legitimate United
States currency. The entire lot CON-
prising thousands and thousands of
sheets, is counted-and counted care
fully-at the treasury and is charged
to the bureau. Every one of those
sheets must be returned as perfect
money, or if any are spoiled in the
printing they must be satisfactorily
accounted for. In the process of maxi
ing, before the bills are finally turned.
out as finished, they must pass
through the hands of a great many
different persons. and so it is necessary
to have a variety of clever devices to
prevent any of the money from being
dishonesty distracted. Owing to
these devices and repeated countings
fraud is rendered almost impossible
In order to follow the process of the
making of these greenbacks, as they
pass through the various stages in the.
Bureau of Printing and Engraving one
needs to 60 in the first place to a room
on the first floor. Here are about
twenty engravers, the most clever art
isans in their line of work in the coun-
try. They are seen bending over the
plates of steel, putting on the fine
delicate touches which it requires so
much experience to do well. They are
seated under mellow, milk-white
shades, which are said to throw the
best kind of light for the process. :.
Few people realize the immense
amount of work and skill required to
bring one of these money plates to a
state of perfection. 1t is estimated
that when finished one would cost
about fifteen hundred dollars. OF
| course the Government is obliged to
pay the engravers high salaries, and
perhaps this is one of the reasons why
there is not more counterfeiting done.
Around the walls of this room are hung
some fine specimens of the engraver's
skill. Here, also, stand several great
safes, in which the plates are kept at
night. The locks of these safes are
/ so constructed that they can not be
opened until seven o'clock in the morn
| ing, and even then several keys are
required, each of which is held by a
different official. -
On the floor above the pressmen will
be found at work. They are paid by
the piece and acquire wonderful dex-
terity. There are in all about one
hundred of these engraver's presses,
which are worked by men, while the
feeding is done by girls. The press
men are required by law to pay these
| girls 1925 per day, but so rapidly do
they work that they can make very
| fair salary at the business. -
The bills are printed by the sheet
each turn of the lever on the press is
registered. Then, at the end of the
day, each pressman is held responsible
for the number Of bills recorded by
the machine. So great is the heat re-
tquired in the process Of printing that
| the bills fairly smoke as they are taken
from the press. Next, they are num-
bered and after having received the
seal they are taken into another room
and placed in a drying machine. When
| thoroughly dry, each sheet of bills is
placed under a pressure of six or eight
tons. This gives the paper its stiff
ness. As the last step in the process
the bills are severed and done up in
packages of one thousand, when they
are taken into still another room for
the final counting. These professional
counters are nearly all women, and
their dexterity has often been, COM
nented npon. II this final counting
Italics with the original counting the
bills are an placed in the big safe-like
vehicle and are carried back TO the
treasury, where they are stored in
\ vaults until needed. -Anaer1caN MeT-
chant
"A Boston leather merehant who
was in Ireland last year, was accosted
one morning by, a native or the Green
i Isle: Good morning, sorPn The
same 20 you. sir You're an Ameri-
can" How do you knowP" s'By the
shoes yez have on yez; America is a
foine country; it is aisy to make
money there .'Well. some make
money there and others do not" ''Ohl
they all make money there; I have q
cousin WIG has just come home. and
he is living on the interest Of what ne