Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-14
NEW ISSUE OF NOTES.

There Will he Eight.
baltimore American.
An entire series of new ,"''cs Is W 20
issued by the Treasury Detartmont, 70
be designated tho issue OF lS9o. Inc
new notes will replace the old ones OF
the denominations Of 81, ~, 3d. Sio,
500. $50. SlOO and $500. While IL IS
customary for each administrator W
leave its imprint on the currency Oh
tho nation by making an issue OF notes,
in this instance it is intended the cur
roncy shall be greatly simplitied by the
issue of 1899.
Prior to this year each one, OF tine
three kinds of notes - legal tenders, OF
preepbacks, silver certificates ana
Treasury, or coin, notes--had a sepa-
rate rlate and design for each 1enonl'
nation, As result for the denomlna-
tions from 81 to $500 there we're elght
different notes for the greenbacks,
eieht for tho silver certificates ana
eight for the Treasury notes. Ii IS now
proposed to have only eight designs,
one for each denomination, distinguish,
ing between the silver certificate and
the greenback, or between the green
back and the Treasury note, by the
printing on the note and the color oil
the Treasury seal.
All that the public is at present in
terested in is the denomination OF the
note, 1t wants to be sure that a note
purporting to be 50 note is really 30
note, and not ono raised from 81 note.
With "a different notes, or three for
each denomination, the average man
may find it somewhat hard to remem.
| Der the general appearance OF note oil
any denomination. and thus it is that
by skilfully raising tho figures on q
rote it is frequently passed for one OF
higher denomination. When these "a
notes are multiplied by the different
administrations it gives bewilderinR
| variety. Secretary Gage hopes by re-
| placing the present issue with new
| one, with only eight different forms Of
notes instead Of "a, the currency will
be simplified to that extent and the
people protected to a greater degree
against cnunterfeiters.
One. dollar notes of the new issue are
now being printed and the plates for
the new 50 notes are being prepared
Designs for the new S. notes were sub
mitted to the department recently by
the Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
At the department such designs are
carefully exmained, not only from the
standpoint of beauty, but also. from
that Of utility. The question Of the
beauty of the design is decided by
Secretary Gage and the desirability OF
the design by the Sesret Service
officials. Experts in the Secret Ser
vice give their opinion as to whether
tine proposed design is or is not easy
to counterfeit and changes are otter
made or their recommendation,
Two designs for the 50 silver certifi
Gates were before the department re-
Gently. One, bearing the head of Hamil
ton, was rejected. The head OF Wash
ington has appeared on 81 notes SO lont
that it has become identified with tina
denomination. Its presence on the new
fives would also be an aid to thu
counterfeiters in raising 81 notes TO 50
In the new issue the engraving con
tains more open work than in any o
: the old notes. 1t has argued there wa
no reason tor the government to adop
S distinctive paper for its money an,
r then cover it with engraving to sucl
an extent as to hide the character o
: the paper. The designs for the nes
' notes will be prepared so as to leav
. open spaces at each end OF the note
/
, paper can be distinctly seen. Will
j, this is not an absolute pracautio
= against counterfeiting. 1t helps yer
o materially in that direction, for, al
8 though counterfeiters will take tn
risk of manufacturing this paper, the
can make only very small quantities q
time, and the paper manufactures
= will have nothing to do with it,as hay
| in ,tfr
o even though perfectly plain, enders tn
% possessor liable to o. sentence of /
years in the penitentiary.
y On the face of the new s. note wi
!. appear a portrait yet to be chosen
tlanked on either side by an alleguric,
y figure To the right of the preser
/, design appears figure of man nuo
but for the cloth about his Joins, 4,
y Ginning and apparently engaged
h reading scroll. To the left is II
figure of another man, also reclinin
in an easy sitting posture, with h
right hand at his left side, as thong
81 in the act of drawing a knife or
;. sword.
~ This picture is peculiar. 10 that Il
y figure, intended, it is believed, TO re-
~ resent an old frontlersman, shows
u man naked to the waist and LEI
u clothed in deerskin trousers, fringed
'r the knee and bound with thongs fro
s. the knee to the foot. On his head is
y coonskin cap, and his bearded fa,
y y needs only pipe TO make it fine ri
W ture of the old frontiersman. The il
/ congruity lies in the fact that the o
u frontiersman is wearing q pair
er Roman sandals. This part of IL
u design will probably be altered. II
ny figures are supposed to typify the wa
~ rior and the student.
le Under the picture will be print,
o the character OF the motto, silver certi
'ts cate, legal tender, &c. In each of d
VI corners is figure "5," the lower on
50 smaller than the upper, each one bel
IN surrounded with elaborate lathe wor
~ 70 the right of the centre the Treasu
u seal will appear and to the left a lar
~ v. In order to render the character
VI the notes easily distinguishable t
=, number, the seal and the Roman nur
Ia eral, V, X, L. &C., will be printed in
ne different color for each class OF notes
The silver certificates may have I
number and seal in red, the Treasr
i, notes in blue and the greenbacks
an brown or black, although the COLI
he have not been fixed as yet. BY II
:, means bank cashiers will be able
la' separate the notes rapidly into gree
tiy backs, silver certificates and Treast
~ notes without looking at the wordi
,;s of the notes. The figure ''5'' appel
he in the four corners of the back vii
an out the lathe work, which, howev
av extends around the edges of the no
~ ~ leaving most Of the centre open. Z
mn handsome lathework oak leaves are
~. the sides.