Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1895-02-06
OUR NEW BANK NOTES.
They are Creditable from an Aes-
thetic Standpoint.
SMALL PORTRAITS OF GREAT MEN.
They will be Artistic, with Allegorlcal
and Historical Designs-0ne. Five
and Ten-Dollar Certificates,

To most men the beauty of a United
States note depends less ON the artistic
value of the picture engraved upon it
than ON the size of the plain number
stamped upon its faoo. But persons of
artistic sensibilities have long desired
change of the designs that would
make our currency creditable from an
aesthetic standpoint. Among those
who share in this desire is Chief Claude
M. johnson, of the Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing. After many months
Of effort he converted the Secretary of
the Treasury to his views.
Mr.. johnson believes that the United
States notes of issue should in each de-
nomination represent in their designs
some idea typical of the Republic. or
illustrative Of its growth, power, his
tory, or resources. He therefore OBJ
tanned from leading artists designs for
new style of notes. All of our notes
are very plain. Their designs consist
for the most part of portraits of Presi-
dents, generals, statesmen, and promi
nent officials, in combination with
more or less elaborate scroll work.
There is nothing characteristic about
them except plainness and paucity OF
design.
Chief johnson has already secured
designs for the new one, five, and ten
dollar certificates, and the plates are
being engraved. The present 81 silver
certificate has on its face the portrait
of Martha Washington, Zone Silver
Dollar" on scroll in lathe work on
the left, and another scroll in the GEN.
ter. The new 81 certificates have been
designed by Will H. Low, the New
York artist. The engraving represents
History and Youth.
History is represented by beautiful
woman, who sits at the left upon the
ledge Of great window adorned par
TALLY by the American flag. She
points to the Washington monument
in the distance, across the Potomac,
River, and to the Capitol, still farther
away. A youth, enoircled by her
other arm, follows her gaze with ambi-
tion stamped upon his features. On
the opposite end of the ledge stands q
printed book, on which, with strong
glass, one can read the first paragraphs
of the constitution of the United States.
The whole is framed in a series of
small portraits Of the great men Of the
Nation, among whom are authors and
inventors, as we'll as those who have
attained fame in the public service.
Fully as great change will be
made in the design of the S. silver GER
tiflcate. 1t now has portrait of Grant
with lathe work on which is printed
the denomination. The new design is
by Walter Shirlaw, and is considered
the strongest of all SO far approved.
1t is allegorical and represents the
power, genius. and strength of the
country. Liberty is represented by
beautiful woman in graceful robes
standing upon the globe, with her feet
resting upon North America. In her
raised hand she holds an incandescent
light, from which a ribbon runs to
lightning torn clouds at the left.
Clutching those clouds is Force,
powerful man, who also controls three
terrified horses hitched to chariot.
At the right Of Liberty the dome and
the Senate wing of the Capitol can be
seen in the background. Partially
hiding it is another female figure
holding aloft a dove, and below
scroll. This represents Peace and
Law. At the left of Liberty typical
American eagle is poised, and on the
other side sits Fame, third female
figure, proclaimipg the glory of the
country through trumpet of great
length.
Thomas F. Morris, of the engraving
bureau, desinged the new ten-dollar
silver certificates, but his design has
been elaborated by Mr.. Shirlaw. 1t
represents the new American navy.
Two white cruisers are seen upon the
ocean, one coming bow on at the left
of the note, and the other showing her
port side in the center background. A
large sitting figure leaning upon a
hammer at the right-hand corner repre-
sents the shipbuilders. Two infantile
Neptunes with tridents, dolphins, and
shellfish grace the lower left-hand COR
ner of the note. This is such good
design that it may be used for notes Of
higher denominations than $40. Por-
traits of public men are henceforth to
be put in on the back of the notes, and
not on the front, where they now ap-
pear. Y. World.