The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1910-05-12
MONEY WILDE WASHED
6Oiled United States Currency
VIII Be Laundlied and Reused.
SAVING Of $4,000 A YEAR
Nest Of the Paper Currency Rasarned 70 the
Treasury ier Redemption Comes From
the South and west.

Washington, D. c.--Uncle sam, Dy
reason of necessity, has been forced
into adopting methods whereby the
expenses of the government are cur
tailed. His latest scheme, watch it
is thought will effect a saving Of from
100000 to 100000 annually, Is to
wash all currency issued by the Blu
reau OF Engraving and Printing that
finds it's way back to the treasury for
redemption Heretofore all forms OF
"greenbacks' and 'yellowbacks" have
been macerated after redemption BY
the treasury department. Now, how
ever, it is proposed SO that 1t may be
turned back into the channels of trade,
and at the same time be just as, GOOD
as the new paper currency which
comes fresh from the bureau OF en-
craving each day.
The obstacles which at present pre-
KENT the installation of the system
are merely incidental, SO that it is
only a matter of short time before
the process of washing old currency
will form q part of the regular routine
of the bureau
The idea was suggested to the treas
ury 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 necessary work in perfecting
a system of laundering old money. Fl
nally, the plan was considered pEacti-
cal and a, committee of subordinate Of
fcers of the treasury formed for the
purpose of looking into the subject
Director Ralph says that Uncle Sans
present laundry is not quit in per-
feet working order. The mechanical
equipment now installed performs the
work, but it is thought a more salts
factory system can be devised. For
that reason, Mr.. Smith has been plac,
ed in charge of the experimental work
and has been assigned to work out
not only 8 practical system but one
that will safeguard the handling OF
soiled currency. The practical side
of the matter has, it is said, been at
tanned, but the other side remains to
be developed.
Uncle Sam will employ enough laun.
dresses to rehabilitate his WORKOUT
currency as fast as it is turned into
the treasury department, making II
again the equal of fresh bill and
at the same time saving the govern.
ment much money.
At present no attempt will be made
TO revive the completely WORKOUT
bills. 1t will, however, wash and re
size all notes that. are received at the
treasury department from banks and
other financial institutions for re.
demptiop, the fiber Of which has moi
been broken. When the notes are
counted in tae treasury, the complete
ly worn out notes will be placed in q
separate pile from the merely dirty
currency. The latter will be sent ia
the bureau and the other notes Ia
the redemption division, where they
will be macerated. Director Ralph ca.
Inmates that fully 40 per cent Of the
notes returned to the treasury about
$2,000,000 day-will be sent to the
bureau for laundering. This will
mean saving of $1,000 a day with.
out taking into consideration the cost
OF operating the laundry. At present
1t costs the government one and a
half cents to print the bill, but in
washing the currency the cost will
be very small
To wash the currency thoroughly
operators will have to sort out the
paper money, place it on the copper
screen trays, which in turn are piac.
ed in copper cages and then placed in
q solution of soap and water. AS
soon as the bills are thoroughly sat.
urated they are taken out of the so.
luton and subjected to an antiseptic
bleaching process. They are then re.
sized, rolled and placed in packages
for their return to the treasury. After
passing through their bath, the bills
present nice, clean appearance and
look and feel ike new crisp tender
All stains are removed and small
holes in the paper are filed 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 Conductive
these experiments show that most II
the paper currency returned to the
treasury for redemption comes from
the south and west. New York. Bos-
ton, Philadelphia, Baltimore. Wash.
ington and otner eastern cities send
back very little currency for redemp-