The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1907-02-07
'G4lakine and Destroying 1Honev.

Sans pretty promises to pay is done
in Washington. A very important
part of it is done in paper factory in
Massachusetts where, behind closed
doors and under strict guard, is manu-
featured by secret process the odd
paper on which all our currency is
printed. All these precautions are
necessary in order that 10 person may
learn how to insert the little silk
threads that appear in all the paper
money which Uncle Sam issues. If
counterfeiters knew the secret of how
these silk threads are woven into the
paper, they could make their imitation
money much more deceptive than it
can possibly be under present condi-
tions. In this connection it is stated
that "the nearest they have come has
been to paste two sheets of thin paper
together with silk threads between
them. Anything better than this has
always been stolen, not manufactured"
Every sheet that is made is counted
and receives as much care as tho
it was thousand dollar bill. Any one
having this paper in his possession is
liable to long Jail sentence.
In Washington the first step in the
evolution Of our lightweight money
comes with the cutting or engraving
of the dies or plates, which are used in
the printing of greenbacks. Before
work upon the die is actually COM
menced the head of the engraving
division has made little water-color
drawing that shows as nearly as may
be just how the new piece of paper
money will look when completed
This sketch is submitted to the officials
of the Treasury Department in order
that they may make any suggestions
if any changes in the design are de.
sired.
| When a new die is to be cut the work
is divided among number of different
engravers. Each man is an expert, as
may be imagined from the fact that he
receives salary of from $4,000 tC
$4,000 year, and yet not one among
the entire force of workmen would bt
able to carve out of the metal com
plete design for new bill. Instead
each man is specialist in some ont
particular class of work, and it is thi
portion of the task of which he ha
exceptional knowledge that is en-
trusted to him. These men are assisted
in their work by wonderful machine
known as geOmetrical. lathes, whicl
engrave by mechanical means the web
like designs that form the background
of almost all United States currenc
and that help to protect it from sue
cessful imitation. The men who opel
ate these machines have made lifelon
study of it.
AS has been explained, there ar
, hundreds of printing presses. il
!, the big money factory, and in orde
to turn out the currency rapid
enough it is necessary that lsrg
number of them should be busy at tn
same time printing one style of note
;. or course, it would not be possible {
:, do this were there only one plate {
engraving, and so, instead of actual
|printing from the original plates CT
by the engravers, this initial piece {
metal is baked in furnace at whi,
heat until it is as hard as diamond
and is then used to make, by the ord
= nary transfer process, number {
similar plates which are the ones act,
= ally used for printing. More of thel
. plates are made than will be needed {
= any one time, for printing plate I
this kind wears out after about eight
r. thousand specimens of paper none
# have been struck off.
10 It surprised me to learn that all O,
,s paper money is printed on old-fas
# ioned hand presses, not very differel
le from the first machines of the Italif
n inventors of centuries ago. Sever
:" times the government has proposed
r put in presses operated by machi
N cry which would do the work mo
10 rapidly; but the labor unions whi
r desire to secure employment for q
re- greatest possible number of person
have always objected. Two persons q
le required to operate each Of these hal