The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-19


In printing. Then they are passed to what
IS known as the numbering machine,
Whlch impresses upon them in blue ink
the distinctive series-letter on the face
OF each note. Take dollar bill out of
your pocketbook, imagine il first as a bit
of blank paper and follow the process of
making 1t legal tender" as you read The
numbering machine is purely automatic,
as the progression numbers with each new
sheet, the machine advancing in rotation
by four.
The number of notes. still In sheets. are
now passed to Individual counters, by
whom they are enumerated and closely
scrutinized. They are then wrapped in
packages of thousand sheets each, 10
be taken to the treasury building. Thirty
days are consumed in the numerous sue
cessive processes TO which each piece of
currency is subjected in the bureau, from
the time 1t comes in as blank paper until
1t is ready for delivery to the treasury
This time Is necessary in order that the
different eolorings, each laid on separate
ly, may become dry. There are fourteen
departments in the bureau, and each piece
of work passes through the hands of thir-
ty people. An elaborate system of re-
ceiptng, checking and counter-checking
prevails; and at the close Of the day, ev-
erything is delivered into the hands of the
cutodian and every count verified and
checked before the force is dismissed or
before any person thus engaged can leave
his or her place of duty. This system is
primarily to guard against error, and is
for the protection of those engaged in the
work, as well as for the government. If
an error is discovered, it is traced back
Immediately to the place where 1t oc-
CURED, and consequently can neither es-
cape detection nor be laid to the wrong
party; and as for successful stealing, such
a thing is utterly impossible. The same
system prevails in the issue and redemp-
ton division in the treasury building and
one of the great things over which this
department especially plumes ITSELF is ITS
unerring exactness in counting and chang
ing bills in transit.
Every morning at 8 O'Clock the curren-
cy is taken from the bureau of engraving
and printing to the treasury--a million
dollars a day-in a great black wagon
built of double plated chilled steel and at
tended by a force of guards No doubt
they are armed "to the teeth" If anybody
knows just what the time-honored ex-
preston means Arrived at the treasury
the currency is delivered to the division
of issue. Here, first of ALL it is again
counted, three experts verifying the con-
tents of the thousand-sheet packages,
each sheet being composed of four notes
of uniform denomination Then the
sheets are sent to the sealing-room where
the red seal of the register of the treas
ury is stamped upon them by six presses
four of which may be seen by the visitor.
The red seal bears the legend, 'Thesaur.
Amer. Sept. Sigil."-an abbreviation of the
Latin, Thesauri Americae Septentrionalis
Sigillum-"seal of the treasury of North
America
Not only is-the process curious by which
the United States manufactures its money,
but great interest centers in the bureau
on account Of its being the source from
which emanate all the paper obligations
of this government. A sort of high-toned
aristocracy seems to pervade the building
from base to roof, and 1t is considered a
much higher honor to be employed in this
department than in the patent, or pension,
or postoffices. One noticeable circuLn-
stance is that women exclusively are en-
ployed in counting all the money in the
bureau of engraving and printing, and
also in the treasury; and the accuracy that
prevails, to say nothing of the speed is
wonderful. Upon inquiry, l find that
women are employed in counting all the
money in the various minis of the United
States-which speaks well for their hon
esty dispatch and power of stick-to-ative-
ness. the last-named characteristic being
better than genius. Another noticeable
fact is that in the destruction of all mon
ey. men alone are employed; and yet this
destruction, being done by machinery,
does not require nearly so much mental
wear and tear as does the counting. This
reminds me of the silly conundrum con-
corning the motives of the men and
women who flock to Atlantic
City-the answer being that the
women come on the wear, the men
on the tear Maybe it is entirely due to
the galantry of Uncle Samuel that in ev
erv department the weaker sex count the
money, no man being permitted to De
present while the count is being made;
] int 10 be wise
old gentleman gives them the hardest
work because he knows he can trust them
better under strong temptation. so, look
ing at the dollar bill in your hand, or at
any other currency or money obligation
of the government, you may always re-
member that no mans fingers were per-
mitted to touch 1t until II was pronounced
by women to be correct in numbers and
amount, and perfect in construction An
other fact to be remembered with patri-
otto pride is that there is no other build
ing in the world so large and SO well
constructed for the manufacture and Is
sue of obligations to pay money as our bu-
reau of engraving and printing.
The social talk of the hour is the re-
Gently announced engagement of Senator
John l.. Thurston of Nebraska and Miss
Lola Pearman of Omaha. II is under
stood that the marriage will occur al
most Immediately before the opening OF
Congress. The first Mrs. Thurston died
last year, in a yacht off the coast of
Cuba. when the senatorial party were
passing from Matanzas to Santiago. The
bride-to-be is the daughter of Represent
alive Pearman and has lived in Wash
ington several years. She has many per-
sonal and mental charms, besides a fine
soprano voice, and more than local repu-
tation as a kindergartener. Senator
Thurston's poetic ebullitlon last spring, en-
titled Rose, Sweet Rose" is said to have
been inspired by the presentation to him
of a rose by Miss Pearman, The flower
was one Of bouquet he had given to her
that evening.
Representative and Mrs. Olmstead, who
were recently married, are now in Wash
ington. in the thick of a round of enter
tainments given in their honor.