Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-27
NEED OF SMALL BILLS
UNUSUAL RUSH OF WORK AT
PRINTING BUREAU.
Daily Output Of SIS and $2's-Need
of New Building EN-
phasized.

The famine of small bills. which has been
causing the treasury some trouble recently,
is causing the bureau of engraving and
printing good deal more trouble of the
same sort and has emphasized the need Of
new building, which the bureau has want
ed, without much prospect of getting It,
for some time past. OF course, the bureau
has nothing to do with the matter beyond
the mere mechanical end of furnishing the
bills; but this work has increased enorm-
ously.
The treasurer of the United States, who
deals principally with the denominations
of 81 and 81 bills, has put in acquisitions
for 10000 sheets daily instead OF the 10000
that he has usually required. There are
four bills to the sheet, so that it is seen
this alone makes a considerable draft on
the resources of the plant. And the requi-
sitions of the controller, who deals in the
s. and $40 denominations for tine bank
currency, are requiring $4,000 to SO. OtO sheets
daily, instead of from 10000 to 10000 re-
Quired in ordinary times
The bureau of engraving and printing
will be able to meet these calls all right,
but it will necessitate keeping up the night
shift that has been running for some time,
and which it was hoped could shortly be
dispensed with. 1t will also be necessary
to increase the mechanical plant some
what. The bureau is putting in five new
numbering machines for the bills and has
in course of erection nearly 100 new hand
presses. This will make a total Of over
SEQ hand plate presses in the building, and
despite the several additions that have
been made to the original building, will
crowd the bureau to an uncomfortable de-
gree.
Under Consideration.
The question of a new building has been
tentatively considered almost ever since
the bureau moved into its present quarters.
The building was authorized in 1878, was
begun in 70 and completed in 1850. But
between the time the building was au-
thorized and the time it was first occu-
pied the work of the bureau Of engraving
and printing had doubled. This entirely
discounted the provision that had been
made in the building for taking care OF the
bureau for five or ten years ahead, and
though there have been three additions
made since, the presses are packed on
every floor from the basement to the at
tic. and the time has come when a new
house throughout is almost indispensable.
There Is no definite idea yet just what
new building will cost, but as soon as the
plans get up to the architects office def
mite estimate can be made.
Use for Old Building.
There is abundant use for the old build
ing for government purposes. 1t Is fine
building in many ways, and Is the best fire.
resisting building, either government or
private, in the city. 1t Is built entirely of
brick and iron, all of the iron being brick
and cement cased and the probability Is
that when it Is finally abandoned by the
bureau it will be used for the storage of
documents. it being peculiarly adapted for
that purpose.
The present increase of the force will be
not so much in the printing and engraving
departments as IT will be in the force of
examiners for counting and handling and
examining the bills These extra employees
are already being selected, but their hous-
ing will cramp the bureau great deal.