The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-07
SEQ; II for $1,000 bills, each sheet represents

SEQ; II for 81, 900 bills, each sheet represents
a, 900; if il is for a $4,000 registered bond
the sheet represents that much in money
value, and the accounts are kept as TO the
money value of the paper received. II will
thus be seen that millions of dollars are rep
resented in this vault continuously. To show
the security in locking this vault, il may be
stated that there are three combination
locks. one is kept by the vault keeper, an
other by the accountant of the bureau, and
the third is time lock- When the vault is
locked by the two combinations the time
lock 1, set for the number Of hours up 10 the
following morning, and until that hour AR
riyoa there i, no power or way known 10 open
that vault.
The system of checks against fraud or acct
dent which is now employed in the bureau
Is believed 10 be complete and is the result Of
years Of careful experience. The paper Is
made at Dalton, Mass, and is even there UNI
der the supervision and count of government
employees. When it reaches the treasury de-
partmcut it is there counted TO see that 1t
ngrres with the invoice accompanying 1t.
When il is issued 10 the bureau upon It's
reauisitiun it is counted when delivered by
the treasury counters, and again counted
when received at the bureau 10y its employees
Every time it is issued in the bureau, no mat
ter TO what division, il is counted when gwen
out in the morning and counted when re-
turned in the evening. The other counts
during the progress of the work are stated
above. ii there is any discrepancy IN the
balances at the close Of the work, II single
sheet of paper is missing, not single en-
ploye is allowed TO leave the building until
the discrepancy is explained OF the sheet OF
paper is found.
In regard to the engraved stock there is
similar system of checks. Every plate, roll
or die, either finished or unfinished, is kept
in vault presided over by custodian APP
pointed by and responsible to the secretary
of the treasury.
CARE OF THE PLATES.
The superintendent of the engraving divi-
sion makes a requisition on TINS CUSTODIAN
every morning for the stock that he desires
for use during the day, and as each piece OF
steel is delivered it is checked by Its NUMBER
and description and charged against him.
He, in his turn, charges the stock to the en-
rravers, transformers and cleaners who use
them. Only the roll, die or plate required
for immediate use is issued, and this must be
.eturned and checked Off Immediately the
work is finished AT the close of work all
the engravers and transferrers return their
rolls, dies and plates and they are checked IN,
and the whole amount is then turned over TO
the custodian and by him checked of piece
bv piece before it is placed in the vault.
The Superintendent of the printing DIVISION
Goes through the same operation in regard to
the plates that he requires to print from, lie
makes reouistion on the custodian for those
he requires. and they are charged TO nm UNI
til they are returned at the close OF WORK anu
checked off. The bureau is n busy workshop,
and furnishes employment to some ooo per
cons The number of employees varies with
fine amount of work required. In tiines Oh
nressure. such as when there was DIG oe-
mand for four per cent. bonds some years ago,
the work is kept going constantly night ana
day without intermission. linen theIe ule
three separate forces who work eight hours
each and as soon as one finishes another Is
ready to take up the work.
There is one process which has not oeen
mentioned. and that is the final disposition OF
fine notes and securities after they have been
used and passed from hand to hand until they
are thoroughly worn out. When the DIS
and bonds are returned to the treasury as
worn out they are Cancelled, and then, under
fine supervision of a special committee, they
are placed in a macerater and ground lh'o
pulp again THIS pulp is worked into heavy
pasteboard and sold to iirin VINO mas CON
tracted to purchase it, and by them IL Is again
worked over into different kinds OF paper
So from paper it returns again, II not IN lts
original at least to q kindred state.-Wash'
inpton Gazette