Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-21
INTERNAL REVENUE STAMPS.
Satisfactory Experiment in Printing Them
by che Surface Process.

| satisfactory Experiment in Printing Them
by the Surface Process.
| THE IDEA CONCEIVED BY CAPT. MEREDITH TO RE-
| LIEvE THE STRAIN Upon THE EMPLOYEES CAUSED
| By PRESSURE OF WORKPLACES ENGRAVED IN
RELIEF INSTEAD OF IyrAGLIo-GREAr SAVING
OF MONEY IN THE WORK.
For the first time in the history Of the bu-
reau of engraving and printing the process of
! surface printing is being employed on govern
ment work. In the present instance it is only
being applied to a certain class Of revenue
stamps and not to circulating notes. The ex-
pertinent was the outgrowth of the crowded
condition of affairs at the bureau, but it has
been successful and economical that it is
doubtful if Congress would consent to return
to the old methods.
Heretofore the stamps for tobacco, as well as
all stamps issued by the internal revenue office
have been printed by the same plate process
as that used for bonds, treasury and bank
notes. Ii is a slow and expensive process. but
is employed because of the additional protec-
ton against counterfeiting. 1t will readily be
seen that there is small liability that tobacco
stamp. with limited use and valuable to no
ono except a manufacturer. would offer any
temptation to a counterfeiter when the reward
OF counterfeiting would be small and the ex-
!. VI INC AthhlilS GREAT luc
chaser Of tobacco stamps 10 required to get
them from an authorized agent of the govern
ment, who can only sell to q known dealer.
Hence II manufacturer was being supplied by
counterfeiter or in any irregular way the
revenue officers would at once detect that the
stamps used did not come from a government
agent. IL was the fact that there is little dam
ger OF the lower denominations OF revenue
stamps being counterfeited that has led TO the
experiment, which has resulted successfully.
LONG HOURS TOLD ON The EMPLOYEES.
The statutes require that the bureau Of en-
craving and printing shall keep on hand a
three months supply of stamps and treasury
notes. When the use Of steam presses was dis
continued large additional force Of hand
plate presses was put to work and the working
hours extended two and half hours per day.
This was insufficient to turn out the work
formerly done by the steam presses. and at the
same time the limited capacity of the bureau
did not afford room for additional presses
The long hours told against the workmen. and
there was more then the usual amouus Of alb
senteeism. resulting from overwork. 1t was
also great hardship to the women who are
employed as assistants 20 the plate printers to
work the extra time
Something had to be done to increase the
capacity Of the bureau. One alternative re-
manned. and that was to resume work on
enough OF the steam presses to accomplish the
surplus printing. The owners of the presses.
hO"tfcI Ntuiu UOt cOllsPNt 10 Gerulll tulS
without the customary royalty, and Congress
hal prohibited it's payment.
Capt. Meredith. chief of the bureau and al
expert i'll topographic printing, conceived the
idea Of doing some OF the steam work by the
surface process He had plate engraved for
the four-ounce tobacco stamp. Instead, how
ever, of having the design cut intaglio he had
1t produced in relief. This enabled him to
print from the surface on an ordinary press,
the steel plste being used in the same way as a
stereotype or electroplate. The design en-
braces NIgnett scroll and lathe work. equally
as difficult to counterfeit as though the plate
process had been used IN the engraving and
printing.
SATISFACTORY EXPERIMENTS WITH RELIEF PLATES.
The relief plate was put in use on a stop
cylinder Hoe press with q capacity of ], 500
impressions per hour. Specimens of the work
were submitted to the Secretary of the Treas
ury and TO the commissioner Of internal rev.
enue. Both were satisfied that il was q success |
and authorized the chief of the bureau to 60 |
ahead with his innovation. A little experience |
in the way of practical operation developed the |
fact that not only had speed been obtained. |
but the process would reduce the cost Of pro- |
duction more than one-tenth. 1t is estimated |
that more than II ,O0O, 600 tobacco stamps are |
issued annually. 10 print them by the former |
method would cost the government more than |
Sl46.OOO. The printing can be done by the |
surface process for a little more than SO 600 |
substantial saving Of S130,O00 per annum. |
The rapidity with which it can be done will |
permit the hours of the plate printers to be re-
stored and it will be possible to keep on hand |
at all times the three months supply required |
by law. 1t is the intention to have the two |
ounce tobacco stamps printed in the same way |
as soon AS the plates and cylinder presses are |
ready. One fact that makes the new process
particularly economical is that the sheets do
not have to be counted SO frequently. For the
plate presses the sheets haze to be counted |
after they are wet down and before they 60 to
the presses. and again counted before and after |
they are put in the drying frames. BY the di- |
rect process the sheets can be worked dry and
one count answers where four were previously
required
As stated, it il the intention to apply the |
topographic process to revenue stamps OF small !
only. Treasury notes viii be |
printed as before and with the work OF the |!
bureau facilitated by the departure it will be
possible to better the character Of the notes
turned out.