Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-26
MORE NEW oliver NorEa
An xstissly New ssrses Of silver Certificates
to Ne lssued soon.


to Ne lssusd soon.
THE nAcks or rHu PRESENT. OWES ARR NOT sAr-
fsyacroRs Bxcacss TEsy no NOT arrow THr
DISTINCTIVE rrnER-A xILLIoS rouSps OF INK
THAR TO raIST UNCLE SANS noSKl AND Rk,-
xxux srAxPA
A CoMPLETR NEW SET OF SILVER
"A certificates win soon be placed in circula-
ton BY tine United States treasury, so a srAn
reporter ID informed They will all be printed
ON the new distinctive paper, which the en-
craving Of their backs viii be expressly designed
70 display - advantsgeously as possible. II is
not likely that the faces will be altered, al
though some changes may be made.
The first of the new two-dollar certificates.
which are the most beautiful pieces Of paper
money ever issued by this government. will be
in the pockets Of the people some time in Mo-
vember. Blank spaces have been left upon its
reverse for the purpose OF showing the bands
OF red and blue fiber. The paper is made 90
that this fiber only shows on the back OF each
bill, being only contained in the outer layer of
Its substance on one side as the sheets come
from the mill. Now. il happens that al the
other silver notcs Of the same series of 1890 are
| so covered with engraving behind that there 10
no chance whatever for exhibiting the
distinctive popularity which Congress
has declared shah be made a conspicuous
feature. Accordingly. there 10 nothing for il
but to make new plates for the backs of the
others, including those for 81 .0O0 $500 siOO
s5O, go. el0. % and 81. There will he no
mourning for the old backs At the treasury
,hey have never been regarded with very tu-
muituous approval Officials at that institution
commonly refer TO the denominations repre-
sentinR $1,000. $500 and SlO0 as ''watermelons."
because OF the striking resemblance which the
huge Us bear TO the juicy vegetable in
question. They believe that the genius OF Chief
Engraver CASTELAR, can produce very superior
substitutes Certainly note that is not en-
graved all over is haudsomer and the best ex-
perts are of the opinion that a few scattered de-
signs, very elaborate and executed in the high
est style OF art, are most difficult TO counterfeit
successfully.
THE DISTINCTIVE rlBrR.
IL Is the running out Of patent that has
rendered the adoption Of this new distinctive
paper possible. The notion Of running band
OF scattered fibers through a sheet was orig
inaily proprietary one. II was used for q
number of years by the government but was
discontinued in 1877 because the People who
owned it demanded an exorbitant royalty for
its employment Only a single band was
utilized formerly, and in the issue of United
states notes Of 1869 the ingenious scheme was
originated OF placing it on the left-hsnd side of
denominations under $40 and on the right
hand side OF the higher denominations. The OBJ
ject Of this was to beat that enterprising gen.
tleman, Pete Mccartney, who had developed a
fad Tor washing the ink OF the
the blanks thus obtained SO to secure the
real government paper. Because such thing
as this is possible. and for other reasons. those
who know most about sucn matters assert that
distinctive papers are of very little use
There are several ways of initiating them, but
the most important objection is that people
have TO be educated up 20 understanding them,
and only one person out Of hundred ever
comprehends the point.
THE INK USED.
4 million pounds of ink are required every
year to print Uncle SANS paper money and
revenue stamps. IL is all manufactured on the
premises Of the bureau of engraving. the Treas
ury Department buying the materials in the
shape Of dry colors" and linseed OIL For the
greenbacks $50 900 pounds of the finest chrome
green are needed annually. OF other supplies
Of this sort the quantities consumed are:
Paris white, $1,000 pounds; vermilion, deep
shade, 800 pounds Venetian red. 500 pounds;
Prussan blue. 1000 pounds; chrcme-y elbow,
lemon shade, 1000 pounds; orange mineral.
1000 pounds; Indian red 500 pounds; Italian
bnrnt sienna, 500 pounds: Chinese blue, 100
pounds; hard black, G., 900 pounds; soft black,
81, 600 pounds.
All these materials come in the shape Of fine
powder, and are stored in a great room in the
basement OF the bureau of engraving. AT one
end there is a huge box, the lifted top of which
discloses tons of an intensely black substance.
pinch Of il feels and looks like so much pow
dered charcoal. This IL the soft black. and,
Tor the purposes OF the printer, il is mixed with
hard black, many barrels OF which stand
cicse by. With the mixture of these two is put
u certain proportion of Prussian blue to give
brightness, and all three are stirred together in
big sheet-iron receptacle by a machine. This
preparation. in the slang OF the bureau Is called
legal tender" because with it the faces Of all
the notes and certificates are made.
MIXING THE ooLoRs.
The green for the backs is close by in casks
each Of them filed TO the brim with q beauti-
full emerald powder. National bank notes, of
course, have brown backs, and the tint for
them is composed of Venetian red, orange
mineral, vermilion-the very best quality
from quicksilver ore-and some hard black
For the golden figures which adorn the faces
of the gold certificates chrome yellow is
mingled with yermilion and white lead The
tint for the backs Of these same certificates is
produced with different mixture Of the same
ingredients There is one big box of seal
red--a preparation OF carmine, carmine lake
and vermilion-with which the bureau used to
print the seals upon paper money. Now how
ever. the seals are always put on afterward at
the treasury building with typographical ink
Whatever the mixture made. IL Is sifted,
thoroughly stirred combined with iinseed oil
and sent upstairs by elevator to q room where
several machines with steel rollers are contin-
ually grinding. On one Of these the stuff is
thrown with a scoop, and after a while the re-
voiying cylinders reject il in the shape Of beau
tifui, smooth printing ink. One machine does
green. another black. another red and SO on
Finally the finished product is put aside in iron
buckets, which stand in rows on the floor.
Each bucket is labeled. One bears the inscrip-
ton. Customs Wines and Liquors" another
National Bank Brown" another Legal Ten
DER" and SO on. Half q dozen pals are filed
with o preparation Of chrome-yellow and YER I
million for post Office money orders. Others
are marked 100 Cigars Blue" The customs
and internal revenue stamps have ali their
peculiar color mixtures. An inferior grade of
black is used for printing the revenue stamps,
because they are not expected TO wear for any
length Of time, and the ink for them is made
thinner, to suit the paper. As fast as requisi-
tions are made for ink it is supplied to the
printing division. Each printer receives every
morning his allowance in a tin receptacle and
sharp account is kept Of every bit thatis used.
nxPERNESTs IN DRYING THE NOTES.
The bureau of engraving is at present max
ing experiments in the direction Of drying the
paper money, after it has been printed, by
natural method instead Of artifcially, as hith-
erto. To ave time the freshly made sheets OF
bills have always been dried by coils of steam
uipos but il has been shown that this process