The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-08
ulu MONEY WILL
GO TO LAUNDRY
United States Currency Will
be Used Over
- -
SYSTEM OF. CHECKING
Plan Adopted In Department of Print
Ing and Engraving for the Man.
.ufacturc of MOney-Money
VIII BE Washed
BY SIDNEY EsPEY


100000 to $4,000 annually, is to wash dill
currency issued by the Bureau of En-
craving and Printing that finds its way
back to the Treasury for redemption.
Heretofore all forms of "greenbacks" and
"yellowbacks' have been macerated after
redemption by the Treasury department
Now. however 1t is proposed to vitalize
some of this currency SO that it may
be turned back into the channels of
good as the new paper currency which
comes from fresh from the Bureau OF
Engraving each day.
While this latest plan has not been put
into general use by the Treasury depart
ment, its practicabilty has been demon
strated and its adoption only a matter of
few months. The obstacles which at
present prevent the installation of the
system, are merely incidental, so that it
is only matter of a short time before
the process of washing OLD currency will
form a part of the regular routine of the
bureau,
The idea was suggested to the Treasury
department officials by Director Ralph of
the Bureau OF Engraving and Printing.
He detailed Burgess Smith, a chemist IN
his department to carry out the necessa-
~ work in perfecting a system of laun-
derfng old money. Finally, the plan was
considered practical and q committee of
subordinate officers of the Treasury
FORMED for the purpose of looking into
the subject. Director Ralph says that
Uncle Sans present laundry is not quite
in perfect working order. The mechani-
cal equipment now installed performs the
work but 1t Is thought a more satisfac-
tory system can be devised. For that
reason. Mr.. Smith has been placed in
Charge of the experimental work and
has been assigned to work out, not only
q practical system but one that will safe
guard the handling of soiled currency
The practical side of the matter has, 1t
Is said, been attained, but the other side
remains to be developed.
In making the paper currency at the
bureau system of checking is employed
which is as complete as human ingenuity
can devise. Each die, roll and plate has
number In sequence stamped upon It.
Each employee receiving a piece of steel
to work on is charged with the same
until 1t Is returned to the custodian of the
vaults. In the office Of the custodian
complete records and the history of is 100
dies, 1890 rolls and 1900 plates are
cords are checked by committee from
the Treasury department. 1t usually
takes three months to accomplish the
task, After the records are audited all
obsolete dies. rolls and plates are called
for and ordered destroyed. The same
minute. system of checking obtains in
every. department of the bureau and only
| twice in the history of the constitution
have plates and unfinished bills been re-
ported missing
As one dollar bill passes through
about 500 hands before 1t becomes legal
tender, a system of checking is absolute
ly necessary. The same system. 1t is
said. will not be required when the BID
reau starts laundering currency. While
the Incentive to steal an unfinished note
is not as great as it would be to obtain
a real note. it is all the more necessary
that great safeguards be taken when the
orc ratives handle the real money. In
washing the legal tender transferring ii
from one room to another and from one
operator to another, Director Ralph be-
lieves that greater safeguards will be i'm
pcrative Just now the committee of the
Treasury and Mr. Ralph are planning a
system whereby it will be impossible for
a bill to go astray while being handled
by the operatives, AS soon as this Is
perfected and the mechanical devices in
stalled, Uncle Sam will employ enough
iaundresses to rehabilitate his worn out
currency as fast as 1t is turned into the
Ires sury department, making it again
the equal of a fresh bill and at the same
time saving the government much money.
The estimated cost Of installing the new
machinery for the laundry Is only $7o0.
The equipment will consist of copper
screen trays. holding a dozen bills; a
rolling machine. sizing vat and a cop
per cage. Several girls employed in the
laundry will receive the money when it
comes from the Treasury department and
will be responsible for 1t until 1t leaves
the bureau on its way back to the
Treasury.
At present no attempt will be made to
revive the completely worn out bills. 1t
will. however, wash and resize all notes
that are received at the Treasury depart
ment from banks and other financial in
situations for redemption. the fibre of
which has not been broken. When the
notes are counted in the Treasury, the
completely worn out notes will be placed
In a separate pile from the merely dirty
currency. The latter will be sent to the
bureau and the other notes to the re-
demption division where they will be
nincerated. Director Ralph estimates
that fully 40 per cent of the notes return
ed to the Treasury-about 100000 a
day-will be sent to the bureau for laun-
dering. This will mean a saving of 1920
day without taking In to consideration
the cost of operation the laundry. At
pre- sent it costs the government IA cents
to print a bill, but in washing the cur
rency the cost will be very small.
10 wash the currency thoroughly oper-
ators will have to sort out the paper
money. place 1t on the copper screen
trays, which in turn are placed in copper
cages and then placed In a solution of
soap and water. AS soon as the bills are
thoroughly saturated they are taken out
OF the solution and subjected to an anti
septic bleaching process. They are then
res!zed. rolled and placed in packages for
their return to the Treasury. After pass
ing through their bath. the BILLS pre- sent
a nice clean appearance and look and
feel like new crisp tender. All stains
are removed and small holes in the paper
are filled up with the sizing The ink
is not harmed a particle in the washing
process.
Reports from the committee of the
Treasury experts who are conducting
these experiments, show that most OF the
paper currency returned to the Treasury
for redemption comes from the south and
Baltimore, Washington and other eastern
cities send back very little currency for
REDEEM pion.
One new feature will be put into oper-
alton when the laundry plan is In work.
ing order. Secretary MacVeagh of the
Treasury will ask all banks. national as
well as private. to return all money to
the Treasury which shows the least ef-
fe,,t of hard use. In this way currency
will be kept in sterile condition and a
gre ates' percentage of returns can be
made from the notes sent to the Treas
,,-,r than obtains at nresenf