Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-01-11
How Paner Money is Made.

If you will look at the pictures upon a |
one-dollar bill, says a writer 10 81. Mich
olds. you will see that the portrait of
Martha Washington or of Stanton is CON-
posed altogether of curved or straight
lines-the only kind of engraving that Is
allowed to be done in the bureau; because
unless it is done in this manner, and unless
the lines are cut very deep, the engravings
cannot be used. Now this portrait was
engraved in piece of steel by the
use of very sharp little instrument
known as graver.
Every little scratch on the steel plate
will in printing, show black line, so you
will see how very careful the engraver has
to be that he shall not make any false
scratches, aud that the lines shall be just
so long and just so broad.
Now, steel-engraving is the direct oppo-
posite OF wood-engraving. The scratches
and cuts made on a wooden block will be
white in the print, and 1t is only the uncut
portions of the block that print bl ack;
while on the steel the unscratched portion
leaves the paper white.
When a design has been cut on steel
plate and it is ready to be printed, the ink
is put on the plate or block. aud all the
cuts and scratches become filed with Ink.
Then the ink is carefully rubbed of the
surface, 50 that none remains except what
is in the lines. When piece OF dampened
paper is placed on the plate aud subjected
to very heavy pressure, it sinks into the
lines; and when 1t Is taken off 1t draws the
ink out with it, and thus the picture is
printed on the paper.
1t takes an engraver about six we eks or
two months to complete one portrait. aud
man who engraves the portraits never
does any other kind of engraving. Each
engraver does only a certain portion of
the work on note; no one Is permitted
to engraye an entire note; so that besides
the p,rtralt engravers, there are some who
do nothing but eugrave the figures. the
seal, the lettering, the border etc. Ia this
way it would be impossible for an engrav-
er TO make complete engraving for his
own use, IL he were dishonest enough to
want to do such a thing.
Beside this manual work some of the
engraving Is done by machinery, as for eX
ample the background of the portrait and
Of the )r.lrr-. an 4 the shading OF the let
trrs this being done by what is known a
the ruling IN ichine, which can rule several
hundred perfectly straight lines within an
IuCh. The intricate scroll and lace work
around the figures on the face aud the
back Of the note are done by wonderful
mschine known a. the geometrc lathe.
49, I.
OF heels OF sill sizes and IN all sorts OF
arrangements. together with a complica,-
ed mechanism Of eccentrics and rods, all
Of which is incomprehensihe 90 any one
bat an expert machini-t.
By proper adjustment of its parts, the
delicate di imond point tina. moves about
over the face OF the steel is made Ia work
out perfect and artistic pattern with
greater accuracy and much more spec
than could be done by hand; and hence
this delicate and intricate part Of the en-
craving j. one Of the greatest obstacles
aith which the counterfeiier has to con.
tend for he dads it next to impossible to
initiate il correctly
Fortunately for Uncle Sam the geometric
lathe i very complicated aud very ex
/ Peusive machine, and the counterfeiter i
generally poor man; and even II he d d
mamsge tp lAv up enough IN 1ney - bny
the lsthe il i hardly likely he would live
iung enough 10 learn how to use il proper
IT,, fur there are ouly four men In the
world who understand how 20 operate il
iudr,-d the man who now has charge OF
the gs-ptneiric lathe at the Bureau OF En-
gyaIiu. aud Printing i the only unc IN the
+ Juitcd state, a. the present time Who
/ knows hos T. manage it; sud Il ANYTHING
I should happen 10 him. II might tangle