The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-11-19
NATIONAL INSTITUTION.
,crs ABOUT THE BUREAU OF EN-
CRAVING AND PRINTING.

,,,d Presses Are Used-An Inter-
esting Social Event-other Matters
of Interest.
Wellington. Nov. 1S.-Since it was long
.no decided. in spite of the prophets de.
.lorations. that it is not money, but the
1.,rt Of If. which is 1.-The root Of all evip'
.,srybodv is naturally interested in the
manner of it's making. Whatever the Wis
,or II, washington, who comes to see ''the
s,,bts" may miss, it should not be the
tnraau of engraving and printing, which
,rrrs out the bank notes; but as the great
hrilding occupies an out-of-the-way situ-
alton half a mile or more from the treas
rrv and not reached by street car, the
majority of patriotic Americans who make
an occasional pilgrimage to the national
Mecca. fail to find it. Less than twenty
wears ago this bureau was located in the
attic of the treasury department, with
only 1OO-horse power engine and 500 men
and women, for the final printing and en-
craving of all the United States bonds
and other securities and notes, fractional
currency and internal revenue stamps; but
10 such an extent has our country grown
within the last two decades, that now a
building large as the treasury itself is re-
oulred. with FIVE times as many employees
as formerly to keep Uncle Samuel supplied
with pocket money, at the rate of a bill
lion dollars a day. besides his bonds and
stamps and securities.
The old red brick building stands long
,,-,r. t,o,ly ~ tho NVIaffa IIOlIea in fba Az
rcutura grounds, midway between the
Smithsonian Museum and the Washing
ION monument 1t was built by the gov
eminent, especially adapted for the WORK
20 be done and neither care nor money
was spared in its construction. 1t is pur-
posely isolated, though believed to be az
solutely fire-proof; and SO well locked and
sealed and guarded is it, night and day,
that were regiment of burglars to bur-
gle their worst in concerted action they
could not get so much as pins worth
0us Of it. Here is received all the raw
material, so to say, out of which green
backs national bank bills, bonds, and all
the paper currency are manufactured, to-
geher with postage and revenue stamps,
Il military, naval and diplomatic commits
4 sions, passports and many other things
i which properly pertain to the treasury de-
q partment and tend to increase our national
wealth.
No "a milling about this bureau at will is
81 allowed, as in other government buildings;
81 but all corners are very courteously re-
eeyed and shown everything they should
II see by persons employed for the purpose.
Parties of not more than ten or twelve
are conducted together through the build
n ing-ostensiby so that each may be near
81 the guide, to see and hear under his direc-
ton but really because, larger groups
might prove unmanageable. You are first
SHOWN into a reception room and request
ed 10 wait your turn to join a party; and
meantime you may be pleasantly employ
Cd IN inspecting specimens of the work OF
& tne bureau which adorn the walls, in
trames' under glass. Among other IN
sung exhibits is a series of the old
He fractional currency "shin-plasters
%nd confederate script, of which latter a
lousne would be worth about l cent. its
Nelgnt IN waste paper There is also a
,en-lnousand-dollar silver certificate. the
aIsest now issued, and a series of cur
ieuCy IN present use, in, the various stages
Of completion.
me actual work of engraving and print
hs IS never shown. For manifest req
Suns these are surrounded with the ut
4 most precautions, the plates are closelv
i watched and guarded every minute. night
and gay, in addition to being locked in
stei vaults from sunset to sunrise; for
saoutd they be stolen or DESTROYED. where
eouiu our national credit be "at" in the
VInacular of the surrounding region? I'm
Hesslons are not made from the original
Na'e' put replica, or copy of IL Is made
gl actual use In printing money. This is
t ~e governments device to guard against
tlhs a counterfeiter of its own currency
an accident should happen to the plate
would have 10 be replaced bv a new
We ana no matter how nearly like the
IslHal the new one might be. it would
on.y copy after all, and a
n ~" printed from the new plate would
~ De an original" according to law,
oul copy of that original, and therefore
Il $50 Cou te'telt whereas, if the replica, or
4 ttoY' should be injured, a new one could
W Inade from The original plate. It seems
4 p nue. far-fetched and confusing, since
aopoay on earth but their keepers can tell
is in H. '4e ie''eA VI Tue Id"
+. specimen plate Is shown of the por-
Il LaUS OF one or two old bills which have
~ discarded and do not now belong to
r9} treasury notes. You can also see the
NJ ''I used to transfer the engraving from
"a l5ihai Pate to the plate to be print
DIV the rest ma 'i0i iii'St sup
clfr,yn you are taken to the top floor (rner-
H ~ in an elevator), where 500 men and
i ne g'i zen are engaged in printing. The pa
~ Csed IS the peculiar silk-fiber. made at
i ero tl Idne Mills, in Dalton, Mass. These
4 nerroi. e only mills in the word that are
n nen ,,l' .ea 10 manufacture it--and a pretty
i oIr ,I lAey have made out of the monop-
Il tbis IN NE process Of the manufacture of
u tra5. sAk-hber paper is a closely guarded
forti secret, and the law Is very strict in
na,au o'hs possession by others OF such
q brr', &c its imitation. 1t comes TO the
q conn m packages of 1000 sheets. This
4 Me-. uegnnlng at the paper mills in
Il dsn,r,,g.Ih lsetts, is carried throughout every
81 ois. +t NJ Of the bureau. and is continued
i5s me notes reach the treasury build-
8 elya, 10 each pressman 1000 sheets are
IN NJ. at time, being counted out TO him
Il oniro5 presence, and for which he is re-
NJ 10 give a receipt.
II rrsS. printing of the notes is done an hama
n an 49, Tor 1t Is contended by experfs tbat
n toi,o51 sAy perfect product cannot he On
81 mar rom the steam press. Each nress-
n sbes, woman assistant, who laws the
4 MAJ on the press and removes n No
81 a. permitted to handle a sheet. WHY
q args, "ol know, unless it be that female
s. ioas me better adapted to the light del
Tba wy X. Each sheet makes four notes