Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-09-11
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ART IN PAPER MONEY
THE DELICATE WORK DONE BY UNCLE
SANS ARTISTS.

Care and Caution That Prevail In the Bu-
per Tint IL Used For All Government
Issues-A Complicated Process.
The making OF the artistic grcon and
black notes is more complcut,.! than
! might be imagined from II casual glance
ut their gracefully lined surface. Tho
lengthy process Is most unique and inter.
cstin., and I. visit to the bureau Of on
craving and printing in Washington
whore it may be seen, is II very entertain
ing one. There is ~ great deal of work
accomplished here, us this bureau issues
the government bonds, legal tenders, sill
vcr certificates bunk notes and internal
revenue and postage stamps The largest
face value Of any issue is II registered bond
OF $4,000 and the smallest l cent stamp
All OF the cngravcrs are specialists in
their particular department., and tho deli.
cate figures and intricate designs of their
work are often 1nnryclS of artistic skill
| Portraits OF living persons are never put
cn tho notes. and all the figures. yigncttes
borders, etc, arc engraved separately be-
fore they they are put on the plates
Tho enEr;,vers sit, each one below a
window, with II screen of ground glass
around them, and another OF white linen
AtH'Nc lii'ii i!c't'ls uclT WoTk Is So lille
and delicate that the greatest precision
and care are required, and the room in
which they work is not open to visitors
First the enGrlver works out his design
of face Or figure, and after transferring it
by hand to plate Of soft steel tho plate is
hardened and u soft steel roller takes the
impression from it. After this roll ia
chilled another impression is taken upon
another steel plate, and after this latter
has been hardened it is ready for use. H..
| The sseomcsric lathe which makes the
borders Is So complete and wonderful u
piece of mechanism as to seem almost
alive The graceful lines for tho borders
backs and other conventional desig nS seen
on the notes made by this machine ii
indeed it ulnx.he.s4ill4y 'ls'Acy MI motion
hy steam power, the tiny diamond and
steel points begin their work, and tho re
| sult of this mathematical calculation
shows Oh tho small section of steel an in.
trl';;ttc border of the undllating, circular
lines, with their strange effect of light and
| Shade This lathe work is one of the
! surcst guards against cnuntcrfciting, for
| each hit nj work represents an abstrusc
| Urublcm
| IN the engraving room are two large
vaults, III whc! are Kept all the plates,
| rolls and either supplements, the position q;
|
| p"rtnnt and trustworthy one, rs it is one
ot the f," offices where great confidence
| Is ri'"'c, in the honesty of ono man.
| Tho paper for all the iss.:rS is rn,nl.fac-
| tlred NJ Dalton, Mass. under the super.
! VISION of government officials, and that
! used for he bank notes, silver certificates
t etc, is sent cut in sheets large enough to
contain four notes In appearance it is
! like amy other Very heavy linen paper, ex-
! crpt that ii has two r;r1rndicalnr lines Of
/ short uneven silk threads running
7, through it.
| On being received it is taken with the
blue and white papers for tho Internal
revenue and postage stamps (hoth water
! MARKEDLY tc the 'werting department." as
| IT. Is called, where it is counted and re-
counted, and u receipt given for it. Then
j III Is put .tetwcen wet cloths and pressed
: being shifted about every six hours 70 in
+, sure each sheet an equal amount Of. mois
| turc This PROCESS lasts about three DAVIS
| then, after another counting, it is deliver
cd t" the printer, who must give IA receipt
for the sheets given him. At the end OF
I the day he returns another check stating
the quantity received, the number OF notes
| he has printed and the blank or spoiled
| sheets to be returned
| The printing room is II scene of great
| activity, with its many presses and work.
| erS. Here the paper is again lnoistcncd by
/ applying II II u Wet board, then it is laid
on n steel plate that has been carefully
prepared with the ink, which also is made
| on the premises. There are two workers
Mt each press, usually I. man and IL woman
The man fills the plate with ink from u
; roller, then wipes it off and finally, after
busting his hands with chalk, he gives it
last polishing. Then, after wetting the
hsr I'm. l.,,,k -
tho press is applied, and behold tho
clear, clean back of the notes. which mus,
be carefully examined before they leave
the printers hands This process is re
p&htca each time. Tho press is u self reg
lsscring one, and tho employees are ul-
lowed 10 spoil IL certain percentage of their
work, but if they exceed it their labor is
deducted
Then the notes are sent down stairs, ana
Tor II hours are subject to great heat In
an alright room. In the room adjoining
they hrc again examined, assorted and
sent buck to receive their face value
from the plates prepared showing the do
nomination and tho fncsimilgs of the sig.
natures of tho proper officers
Then comes the "vpct count" as it is
called, and after being dried the notes are
put in u solution of sizing, which gives
greater durability to tho paper. After this
short process they are again sent to the
numbering ROOM where tho edges are
2l::ocd. and tho number is put on by
nacn'no whose every revolution auto
1nntlcally throws the figures enc digit
higher. In this room they are givon tho
last count and arc then sent to the treas.
tlry department, whore the red seal of tho
United States treasury Is affixed and tho
single sheet cut into four notes
Nehr CHS room is q great vault with @
aouhie time lock, where all tie work, no
matter what its stage of development, is
sent Tor the night. 1t must ali be in and
~! 'he accounts must balance or no one is
allowed to leave the building. The supply
IN ti!ls vault is always Il little in advance
~ INC demand OF the treasury, and once
IA thcre lSnn getting it out, except on the
rc4"lsltlon OF the chief of the division. |
ohc man Is never allowed alone in the |
vault There must always be two or more |
il, :is-4 -lhiladclphia TimeA