The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-13
BANKS MAY WASH MONEY TOO.
would Be Cheaper Than Expressing y
10 Government Laundry.

would BE Cheaper Ahah ~NfA~~s
to Government Laundry.
Uncle SANS money laundry for wash
ing soiled paper currency has been the
subject Of much comment. The general
opinion seems 10 be that the govern
ment scheme will be initiated by the
banks. which win find It cheaper to DO
their own washing than to pay express
charges on money 70 and from the Wash
ington laundry
The cost Of installing money Washing
plant Is not expected to exceed from $500
10 500 in most cases. The government
4 planning to give the bankers the bene'
1t Of what Il learns from It's own ex'
pertinent. The whole process IS quite
simple. According to Moody's Magazine
Il has been found that the best medium
for cleansing The bills is soapsuds made
from almost any good grade potash soap.
Following a vigorous ehurning in soapy
water and bleaching the bills are rinsed
in warm water. One stage where care
must be exercised i In the bleaching
operation. and Il Is not yet determined
lust what ingredients in a bleaching
powder give fullest assurance Of inhiet.
ing no injury TO the bills. All the bills
Of lower denomination have been found
to launder satisfactorily. but the ink
employed in the printing Of some Of
high value shows tendency to run
when washed However there is little
need Tor laundering these longer lived
bills.
After tho washed bills are dried by
artificial heat they are put through a
sizing machine, which by means Of
bath Of alum and glue restores the finish
Of the paper. Finally the bills are pack
ed between large sheets Of cardboard
and run through a press, which in ad-
dition to the application Of great weight
imparts a peculiar clougating motion TO
each package, with the result that the
crisp appearance and body Of newly man
uiacturer currency.
II has been suggested that the iaun-
dering include sterilization 81 the
money. either in conjunction with or
Immediately following the washing Of
the bills, but the officials have not yet
decided whether or not there is necessity
ior such chemical publication.
Only a banker can appreciate what
express charges for the money haulage
TO the treasury department might
amount to ia the course Of a year. OF
course in the case Of small bank To-
Gated near the point Of exchange the ex-
pense is nominal, but such Is far from
being the case with the large banks,
some Of which send in hundreds Of
pounds Of bills at time for redemption.
The renovation Of currency which has
thus far been accomplished, and it has
been ample in scope and volume to dem
onstrate the praetieability and economy
81 the project, has been carried on BY
means Of comparatively small washer
operated BY an electric motor Of one
eighth horse power, but ere the summer
81 1910 has closed there viii be in full
operation At the bureau Of engraving and
printing At Washington a specially de-
designed laundry capable Of cleansing
100000 notes day.
The cost Of installing this plant will
not greatly exceed $1,000 and the Off
Gals are confident that when experience
has pointed the way to its most eeonomi-
cal operation it can be conducted AZ an
expense not to exceed $40 day This
would mean cost Of only about one.
fftieth Of cent bill Numbered.
IN the preliminary work that has been
done the cost has never exceeded one
tenth az 4 cent per piece Of currency, and
what saving can be affected even at
this maximum figure viii be appreciat-
ed when il is explained that Il costs
approximately one and third cents for
Tie manufacture 81 each bank note on
treasury certificate turned out at the
money factory.
If each bill in circulation is Numbered
but once il would double the life Of our
paper medium, but the tests which have
been made BY the treasury lauuderers
demonstrate that The currency Is not
injured and suffers no deterioration in
the washing process, and there would
seem 70 he no reason why bin should
not be laundered several different times.
Exchange.