The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1908-09-19
THE TERMoNAN AND COLORADO CATHOLIC: SEPTEMBER 49, 1908
whsre Bank Notes Arc Made.

Where Bank Notes Are MADE
Of all places in Washington, the bu'
reau of engraving and printing is the
the most remarkable thing about the
place is the ease with which access is
had to the building. Visitors enter
without being challenged, and are
shown through without being watched
| 1t looks as if there were nothing to pre-
vent any one from pocketing two OF
| three million dollars, and when the Wis
| itor is ushered out by the polite guide
| he generally leaves with the idea that
Uncle Sam is very careless, in deed.
But he isn't. The visitor is watched
from the moment he sets his foot in the
building, and if the guide did not ac-
company him to the door. the visitor
could not get out without a written
pass. The visitor is a prisoner. and if
he touches plate or note he will sure
ly regret it.
All the employees, without exception,
are prisoners during the day, having no
freedom to leave the building until they
has been placed in their keeping by
the superior.
In the corridor at the main door,
where the watchmen sit silently all day,
there is a metal plate set in a frame in
the wall. In this plate there are twelve
round holes one under another. Each
hole is labeled with name, as wetting
room, messroom, vault, and so forth.
Each hole represents one department
of the bureau, and as long as the hole
remains empty the watchmen will per-
NIT no one from that department to
leave the building unless he has sDe-
cial permit.
When the force of one department
are through work for the day, and all
have rendered their account straight
the superintendent in charge of that
branch marches down at the head of
the whole force, and, while they wait,
places a little straight key, with but
ton at the end of it. into the hole de-
signated as his division. Then there Is
loud ringing of an electric gong that
sounds throughout the building, and the
watchmen seeing the key in the hole,
permit the men to pass out.
This is repeated as the days work of
each division is done. The last key to
be put up is that of the custodian of
the vault where the plates are kept, and
when it is there the building is supposed
to be empty except of watchmen. Any
one found in the building after that
would have to remain there until there
was an order from the proper authority
to let him out.
The closing scene at the end of the
day in this great money factory is in
teresting. In the morning each man
and each woman has been given the
proper assignment of work. The women
are the counters, testers, wetters and
helpers to the pressmen.
Each employe on taking the material
Nt-hofhny- IL ic ne IT MATES
gives a. receipt for it to the custodian
No one ever gives anything to any one
else without receipt
The paper on which the money is
printed is counted as so much money,
and every time it changes hands must
be counted and receipted for. Even the
girls who act as helpers, and carry the
paper from the wetting room, have to
count it for their own protection. and
give a receipt to clear from responsible
ity the superintendent of that room.
At the end of the day, each must re-
turn in one form of another all that his
receipts show him to have had during
the day. and until he has a check show
ing that this has been done he cannot
leave the room.
When the paper and the notes and
stamps have all been turned in by those
working on them, they are taken to the
custodian of the vault, in whose pres
,nce everything is counted and checked
off. Every scrap of paper, blank or
otherwise, which was given out in the
morning must be returned. This being
lone. the custodian puts it all in the
vault.
Then the keeper of the inner door of
he vault must pull that door to with |
1ut as much as putting his foot inside |
he vault, and, while the rest stand |
apart from him, so as not to see the |
must lock it securely.
The custodian of the vault then locks |
he outer door, which is provided with |
| time lock. so that, being once fastened |
t cannot be opened before the next |
lay at the hour set.
This being done, the custodian and |
lis assistants are free to go after the |
,ey has been put in the board at the |
main door.
Then all the plates which have been
n USE and all those which are in pro-
ess of engraving, and all rolls and
,arts of plates, have to be returned to
he custodian of the plate vault.
No man can leave the room until !
very bit of engraved metal has been
eturned to the custodian. If one of
hese plates should be missing. not
oul would be permitted to leave tbs
uilding until it was found.
1t is almost impossible for anything
o go astray, as nothing changes hands, |.
ven for moment, without the change
eing made of record. Each man takes Il
ole responsibility for whatever he is