The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1897-03-23
MAKING MONEY.
HOW UNCLE SAM TURNS OUT HIS
PAPER CURRENCY.
Live Men's Portraits are Never Seen
on the Notes Work ofthe Artists
and Eugravers Can't
Counterfeit Faces

| OF EngravinR and Printing
viii ask him for one of his photo
graphs, says the Philadelphia Public
Ledger From this they will make a
beautiful engraving, which may some
! time be put on the money of this
country. However, Major Mckinley
will never see his picture on the cur
reucy because it will not appear III his
lifetime. 4 print Of it will be put in
| large frame in the corridor OF the Bu-
reau OF Engraving and Printing, which
contains the portraits oi every Chief
| Executive from Washington to Cleve-
land. Anybody who desires can see
| these likenesses. the original steel en-.
cravings OF which are safely stored
away in the building, ready to be used
at any time.
The Bureau otEngraviDg and Print
ing will not be particular about the
| position in which President Mckinley
has his photograph taken. 1t can he
profile or full face, whatever he thinks
! handsomer Some OF the chief execu-
/ tiyes have several Of their likenesscs
in this collection. Grover Cleveland
and L. ). Grant both have number
of their portraits in big frame.
These engravings are the very finest
that can possibly be made. There is
an expert who does all of this work,
and he spends from six TO eight weeks
on every picture, and does it all under
magniiying glass.
! No live mans portrait is ever put on
the money 1t is considered iniudI.
cious to do SO, Just as no statue is made
! of man until after his death. This
| used not to be the case, and in war
| times the heads OF several living men
| appeared on the currency. General
| Spinner, who WAS Treasurer OF the
! United States ut that time, had his pic
turo on the fifty-ceDt pieces and other
| fractional currency. He had the Wig
nette that had up 10 that time APP
peared in the middle OF the notes
taken off and bic likeness inserted in
| its place. This was done to prevent
counterfeiting, as it is almost impossi.
bic for forger to reproduce "a like
| ness.
1t 10 most unlikely that Mr.. Mckin.
ley's picture Will ever appear on any
of tho coins of the United States.
Washington is the only President TO
whom this honor was given. His head
was on one-cent piece. This coin was
only in circulation very short time,
when it was withdrawn. Monarchies
very generally have the portraits of
their sovereIgns ON their metal money.
but as this country is Republic, and
therefore, has no king or queen, it
was thought better not TO have like
nesses of the rulers on the coins. That
is the reason the Goddess Of Liberty
or some other fancy design is employed
for the purpose.
The lew notes recently put ia cir
culation are the first ever issued by
this Government on which artistic
designs have been attempted. They
were drawn by artists who competed
for the honor. Heretofore the money
| has had wholly conventional designs
upon it, with nothing more elaborate
than portraits and vignettes But
now the pictures on the notes are
purely fanciful aud very beautiful
The new 81 has tho head of Washing
ton and mis- wife on its back The de.
sIgus for the notes are usually made
by the Chief Engraver OF the Bureau
OF Engraving and Printing, under the
authority Of the. Chief OF Che Depart
| ment.
The Secretary OF the Treasury
generally decides what designs shall
! be employed for new money. In fact,
he has an enormous power If na
chooses to use il. He is authorized
by law to make 50 notes il he wants
! to. Perhaps the member of the
Cabinet who holds this position under
! Mr.. Mckinley will make money OF this
| denomination. But it is not likely.
All the secretaries up TO this time
have had too much sense 60 take ad.
vantage OF this law, because 50 bills
are very awkward. They are hard 10
| count not making even numbers, and
| are most announcement in giving
| change. The threc.cent pieco which
| used to be iu circulation was never q
success; that ia why they are no
longer coined one of its great faults
was that people constantly mistook it
for % iivo.cCut piece, az 1t was almost
! as large But apart from that it was
| not found very manageable
Ile fret requisite of % note BE- Chat
| thc design shall Zoe yerv hard to- imi.
| tate, $50 as to make 10 safe against
couutcrieiters This is why portraits
! are used SO much on the bills The
least little line changed will alter the
whole expression of the face and so
! spoil the resemblance 60 the original
that the fraud can bc easily die.
covered
If, for any reason thc Treasury dc.
| sired IN great hurry to have notes
oil nm entirely now design produced
l fLD Huvauu q, Tu,,rn ft,,, d, al prtrt.....