Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-10-04
NEW BANK NOTES.
Designs That win Puzzle Criminal
Engravers.


fact copies of the designs were printed
in that color an3 submitted, to show
what they would look like. Unfortun-
ately for the plan, the tint suggested
confederate shinplasters to somebody,
and that settled it.
Accordingly, the color will not be al
tered, but the design on the back of
every one of Uncle Sans bills is to be
promptly hanged-eXcepting only the
new two-dollar certificate. Treasury
notes, as well as silver certificates, are
all to assume a novel aspect on the re-
verse side. The patterns are completed.
and have been officially approved. En-
graved plates will be ready to print
from, and three months later the fresh
money will be in the pockets of the
people. at least that length of time is
required for properly drying the sheets
of paper cash.
These changes are made chiefly il
order that the designs may show plain
ly the bands of red and blue fiberS
which run through the new distinctive
paper. This paper is made SO that the
hbers only show on the back Of each
bill, being contained in the outer layer
OF its substance on one side, as the
sheets come from the mill. Unluckily,
all the old-style notes and certificates
are so covered with engraving behind
that there is no chance for exhibiting
the popularity which congress has de-
clared shall be made a conspicuous
feature. Accordingly, it was found
necessary to make an entirely fresh set
of plates, which have occupied the ardu-
~ Is
ing and printing for some months past.
Incidentally it was sought to make
the new patterns more highly orna-
mental that any which have hitherto
adorned paper money. Not only are
they of unequaled beauty, but the
secret service declares that they
will make countcrfeiting a more diff
cult art than it has ever been mp 10 the
present time. No two of them are at
all alike. Furthermore, no portion of
design is repeated on the same bilL as
used to be the case when the skillful
imitator could copy one small bit and
by simply multiplying it with u transfer
press or small battery reproduce
large part of q note. 1t was very easy
for criminal engraver few years ago
to make n little section of border read
ing: Omitted States treasury, So"
and redupIicate it by mechanical proc
ess at sufficient length to extend fnom
the white house to the capitol.
Instead of covering the backs of new
notes and certificates with maze Of
engraving too elaborate for the eye to
follow, Chief Engraver CASTELAR, has
made the designs as open as possible,
the white background of the paper
showing the patterns in such conspicu-
ons relief us to render any error OF the
countcrfeiter readily detected. No such
exquisite and complicated geometrical
lathe work as appears on these bills
was never seen before. 1t is the one
thing which the forger cannot success
fully initiate. Toproducc single but
ton" of it-meaning q bit of tracery,
circular, oval or otherwise shaped, COM
plcte in itsclf-sometimes requires two
or three days of preliminary figuring,
merely to compose the mathematical
formula. Even with this formula at
hand, the criminal engraver could not
set the machine SO as to copy the pic
ture.
An admirable example of this sort of
lar silver certificate when it is issued.
In tho middle of the back is n beautiful
piece of lathe engraving, which looks
like one of the dissolving Kaleidoscope
patterns thrown by the magic lantern
upon white sheet. But the most. OK
quisite Of all the designs is the treasury
note for one thousand dollars, which
has wheel that is u marvel of decora-
tive intricacy. The fifty-dollar note is
sufficiently ''snalsy" in the manner of
its adornmcnt to excite n trefa6r in the
topper who would change it FOR drink.
In collaboration with the lathe
worker, the cngraver Of letters and the
ornamental cngravcr have expended
their best skill upon these new bills.
Each is II separate branch Of the pro-
fession, which has been 50 highly
specialized that man who can do
more than one of them Will is very
rare. The making of small ect1ar3 md