The evening times., 1899-08-26
THE NEW issue OF notes
Current to Be Simplified by the
Series Of 1899.
Plans to Protect the Public Against
Coanterfeits-Twent ty-four Designs
Open Work i'm the Engraving-Ro-
man Numerals TO Appear in CoiOrs.

The entire new series of notes to be is
sued by the Treasury Department is to be
designated as the issue of 1899. The old
ones CT the denominations of 81, 81, s., $40,
$40, $50, S100, and $500 are to be replaced
by these of the new issue.
While il has been customary for each
Administration to leave its imprint on the
currency of the nation by making an is
sue of notes, in this instance it is intended
by the issue of 1899.
Prior to this year each one of the three
kinds of notes-legal tenders, or green
backs silver certificates, and Treasury, or
coin, notes-had separate plate and de-
sign for each denomination. As a result
for the denominations from 81 to $500 there
were eight different notes for the green
backs, eight for the silver certificates and
eight for the Treasury notes. 1t is now
proposed TO have only eight designs, one
for each denomination, distinguishing be-
tween the silver certificate and the green
back, or between the greenback and the
Treasury note, by the printing on the note
and the color of the Treasury SEAL
All that the public is at present interest
ed in is the denomination of the note Ii
wants 10 be sure that note purporting TO
be a 50 note is really So note, and not
one raised from 81 note. With twenty
four different notes, or three for each de-
nomination. the average man may find il
somewhat hard TO remember the general
appearance Of note of any denomination,
and thus IL is that by skiilfully raising the
figures on note it is frequently passed
for one CT higher denomination When
these twenty-four notes are multiplied by
the different Administrations il gives a be-
wllderlng variety. Secretary Gage hopes
by replacing the present issue with a new
one, with only eight different forms of
notes instead of twenty four, the currency
will be simplified to that extent and the
people protected to q greater degree
against counterfeiters.
One-dollar notes of the new issue are
nov being printed and the plates for the
new 81 notes are being prepared. Designs
for the new S. notes We're submitted to
the department today by the Bureau o,
Engraving and Printing. At the depart
ment such designs are carefully examined
not only from the standpoint of beauty
but also from that OF utility. The ques-
tion OF the beauty Of the design is decided
by Secretary Gage and the desirability of
the design by the Secret Service officials
Experts in the Secret Service give their
opinion as 10 whether the proposed des gn
Is or is not easy TO counterfeit and
changes are often made on their recon-
mendations.
Two designs for the S. silver certificates
were before the department today One.
bearing the head OF Hamilton. was reject
ed. The head of Washington has appear
ed on 81 notes so long that it has become
identified with that denomination Its
presence on the new fves would also be
an aid TO the counterfeiters in raising 81
notes TO s..
In the new issue the engraving contains
more open work than in any OF the old
notes L; was argued there was no reason
Tor the Government to adopt distinctive
paper for its money and then cover it
with engraving to such an extent as to
hide the character of the paper The de-
signs for the new notes will be prepared
SO as 10 leave open spaces at each end of
the note, where the lines of silk thread in
the paper can be distinctly SEEN While
this is not an absolute precaution against
counterfeiting, IL helps very materially in
that direction, for. although counterfeiters
VIII take The risk of manufacturing this
paper, they can make only very small
quantities at time. and the paper manu-
facturers viii have nothing to DO with il
as having such paper in ones possession
even though perfectly plain, renders the
possessor liable to a sentence of fifteen
years in the penitentiary
On the face of the new S. mote will an
pear portrait yet to be chosen, fianked on
either side by an allegorical figure To the
right OF the present design appears a fig
ure of a man nude but for the cloth about
his loins, reclining and spaprently en-
gagged in reading scroll. To the left is
the figure of another man, also reclining in
an easy sitting posture, with his right
hand at his left side as though in the acr
of drawing knife or sword
This picture is peculiar in that the fig
ure, intended, it is believed, TO represent,
an old frontiersman, shows a man naked
to the waist and his legs clothed in deer
skin trousrs, fringed to the knee and
bound with thongs from the knee to the
foot On his head is a coonskin cap, and
his bearded face needs only a pipe to make
1t a fine picture Of the old frontiersman
The incongruity lies in the fact that the
old frontiersman is wearing a pair of Ro-
man sandals. This part of the design will
probably be altered. The figures are sup
posed TO typify the warrior and the stu
dent.
Under the picture will be printed the
character of the note. silver certificate. le-
gal tender, etc. In each of the corners is
Inquire IS, the lower ones smaller than
the upper, each one being surrounded with
elaborate lathe work. To the right of the
centre the Treasury seal will appear and
to the left large V. In order to render
the character of the notes easily distin-
guishable, the number. the seal, and the
Roman numeral, v, X, L, ETC., will be
printed in a different color for each class
of notes.
The silver certificate may have the num-
Der and seal in red. the Treasury notes in
blue, and the greenbacks in brown or black,
although tn colors have not been fixed as
yet BY this means bank cashiers will be
able to separate the notes rapidly into
greenbacks, silver certificates, and Treas
ury notes without looking at the wording
of the notes. The figure IS" appears in the
four corners of the back without the lathe
work, which, however, extends around the
edges of the note. leaving most of the CEN
tire open. Two handsome lathework oak
leaves are al the sides.
A Brutal Fight Over Cards.
CAMBRIDGE, Nd, Aug. e6.-In a fight
sn Ne.