The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-05-31
DESTROYING BANK NOTES.
A Difficult PrOblem-MethOd Adopted
by German Imperial Printers.

A Difficult PrObIem-MethOd Adopted
by German Imperial Printers.
From st. Martin le Grand
AS the great difficulty which most
people meet with IN regard TO bank notes
is that Of being able to keep than. it
Will probably come as a surprise 10
many To learn there are yet others for
whom the difficulty is how 70 get rid Of
them Yet this is quite true in the case
OF those who have to destroy in bulk
paper which has been used as represent
ing money values. The difficulties en-
tailed f. destroying such paper are well
illustrated In a very interesting article
upon paper destruction by the German
imperial printers.
In the case In point the difficulties ex-
perienced by the imperial printers are
further Increased by the necessity Of cop
Ing with very large quantities of waste,
for in addition 10 that arising from print
Ing there is also that of stamp paper
spoiled In tho cumming as well as faulty
water marked paper.
The methods previously available were
three-burning. boiling and pulping IN
the first process it has been found that
even where a special furnace has been
used II has not unfrequently happened
that while the outer parts OF the packets
were destroyed some OF the contents
were not even slnged- In the case OF
stamps or gummed paper the matter was
gether into solid blocks, the interiors OF
which We're quite intact
In the second process tho paper for de-
structon is placed Ia iron boilers; I've IS
added and the contents then subjected 10
the prolonged action OF steam. AS a de-
structiye process for small quantities this
is quite efectual. as is also that Of pulp
| Ing, a process In which the paper IS cut
up by revolving knives in water. In both
OF these cases there IS, however, another
difficulty that Of disposlng Of the
product II cannot easily be sold, IL Will
| not pay 10 transport and on hand the
sodden stodgy mass quickly goes bad.
| The German imperial printers therefore
decided 10 try a new way-grinding Il up
/ dry. To this end they installed a 40
/ horsepower Schlagkreuz MILL which by a
process Of hurting, crushing and tearing
/ reduces the paper to an almost powder
Ike form IN which It passes through a
sieve into a collecting chamber beneath
/ the mill ready for packing. This, how
ever. was accompanied by very OBJ
I 5ectionable feature especially when deal
/ Ing with gummed paper in the grinding
such q dust was created that though
/ the wOrEmen engaged wore protectors. It
yet persistently filed and blocked their
/ eyes and uostrlIs.
/ As the work OF packing was on this &C
/ count not only unhealthy, unwiuingly
/ performed and also uneconomIcaI, efforts
were made 20 fad some mechanical means
| OF doing IL. staple as this had seemed
/ at the outset. later II appeared a problem
! almost insurmOuntable. Difficulty after
! difficulty arose. Among such may be
/ mentioned that a spiral feeder having
/ been devised Il was found that the paper
/ would sometimes form into balls solid
as blocks OF wood. which deded the ef-
forts 10 move them OF a % horsepower
motor. Nevertheless this difficulty was
/ ultimately overcome.
/ Tho imperial printers. therefore. are
/ now 20 be Congratulated upon possessing
a machine perfect In its kind. Il takes
the paper, grinds IL up 20 any size de-
sired and bags IT, Finally though the
paper In this form fetches but little on
/ account OF its consequent shortness OF
fiber, the mill IS yet not only paying on
the initial outlay but Is also saving some
$50 year in workmen's wages.