New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-07
For the new dollar bill a head Of Wash

For the new twO-doar bill head Of Wash
nlgton has been chosen Professionally. On either
side of it two classical figures Of the allegorcal
sort will recne. Thus something will be done
Tor art incidentally. 1t would be mistake to
suppose that the hew money is to be executed
In a spirit OF commercial phstnsm; the
contrary. it will be very handsome indeed. One
thing very noticeable about ii is the broad blank
spaces which are left on both face and back OF
each bill Something like one-third of the en-
tire area OF the note in each case is blank. The
back has not so much one-half of the usual
amount Of athe-work engraving. The purpose
OF this modification is twofold 1t will show
the distinctive fibre in the paper much more
plainly and the eye in examining bill will be
less confused.
Secretary Gage has been evolving this scheme
ever since he first took charge of the Treasury.
IL is safe - say that the present alleged ar
tistlc patterns Of currency would never have
been adop,ed under the authority OF an Off
cial graduated from commercial life. Mr. Car
Isle, who is responsible for the patterns of the
notes and certificates in use. is better
cuantcd with politics than with business. Ever
since the art money came into circulation
bankers and merchants all over the country
nave been complaining Of it, Bank cashiers es
pecially have found its ObScurity very serious
Inconvenience one notable advantage of the
new plan is that it Will do away entirely with
the industry of raising bills from small to large
denominations. This kind Of fraud has grown
Of late to an extent that proves its profitable
ness. only the other day prisoner in the
Tombs Jail in New-York City. actually passed
he had raised from a onc-dollar during his leis-
ure hours.
Half a dozen years ago the Treasury officials
We're seriously considering the idea of making
the backs of some of the notes sky blue. De-
signs in that color were prepared at the Bureau
Of Engraving and submitted for criticism
Somebody, however. suggested that they looked
like Confederate Shinplasters. and that settled
it. Recently merchant of Clean. y. Y, offered
to the Treasury suggestion to the effect that
nine different colors should be employed for the
He urged that thus distinguished they would
be much easier 30 count, and that raising
would be out of the question. He proposed that
one dollar bills should he tan colored that twoS
should be orange fivcs golden ochre. tens lemon
colored, twenties heliOtrope. and iifties rose
colorcd The 500 bill was to be turquoise blue,
the 500 pea green and the ~ "" GafS S tmi
was by no means a bad idea. but secretary
Gage thinks that his plan is simpler ana better
one of the largest items of expenditure In 'he
Treasury Department Is for coiored INKS uSeo
i'm printing the paper money. revenue stamps
and hostage stamps. Nearly 2OUO pound
Of these inks are required annually
The fibre paper is to he retained in me new
currency 1t j. deemed an extra safeguard
against counterfeitng. though criminals nave
found several ways Of getting over the dllii'
culty one of these methods is TO WASH the llh
from one-dollar bills with chemicals ana prin'
he designs Of higher denominations on the paper
thus obtained. Another is To initiate the APP
pearance of the dbres by printing plank papel
with plates engraved with irregular cuiIilu ~.
/
treated is then used for printing IN" COUNTER
r,it designs unon. As far back as lNo? the
Treasury printed it's notes On paper Whicn han
. sin.,le band " fbres instead IF two bands as
,,,v TN. single band was placed on the leit
/ 80 denominations under $50 and on the rieht :
nand end IF higher denominations inc "pJeC.
ni,,,, a. nr,vent raising. The trouble was tha1
r.nul. could hardly bc educated up 10 me luSA
Tho use of fibre paper was StopP'n III 49,
b....,l,s. th, idea was patented ana thc o"nel'
~ il demanded an excessive royalty ior us en-
,I,,n,.ut But the patent ran OUT hNe E'd' }
AGO and then the Treasury went naNh !" ina
nm Tn. nbres are silk threads cut Ht.u
l',,r,. inch lengths and introduced INTO th'
Manor min as the latter runs upon tile WV
rlnth # the machine. No paper - NM IN tba
more carefully ma H. thar th"'
,,,,,,,c, or me United states. .... ,bo,
Ut is considered 10y the Treasury eNper.s ,nii "a,
, hin is handsomer for not beng eilsldtt 49,, a." ~
nver That is the idea, at all events MN, o,,
to lao carried ont in the new money NV! 80 t!
maj a few scattered designs very el"ou ~
~FFcurcd in thu. highest style OF the ART ri, ~ ,
,,nst ditricult To counterfeit succesSiuiS ,1,.
nntcs NJ The Eank OF England are aStoi''S''iiSly
i,,,l. having nothing on them nut SOM i'sn
XXI, lettering the water marking 81 wv pr,
tt,,, -,li.l an chiefly as prott'lloh "N". :
,,,,i.,,f,u one of the queereSt pieces oi '
-, 49,, ,,.,,ld is an Irish note Tor one po"i''' =.
,b words "One pound printed aC'o
-. t.;,, i.,tars To the naked eye, even vi -,
a., mis- has no speri Al Significance pu. " ~. =;
VI ,y,nifvinr glass is used the one pouiu 90
= 1 ~ he made up wholly OF the "oiuS O
,',ri, in microscopic letters.