El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-10-07

pure water, adjoining, and therein all
the chemicals are got rid Of.
As above stated, there are two end
less blankets-top one and bottom one
between which the bills are held The
top one goes back over the upper. part
Of the machine to start again. the
action being continuous; but the bot
tom blanket returns through the
cleansing tank to be washed on the
way, because it has been in contact
with the green backs Of the bills,
which stain it.
On coming out of the rinsine tank
rollers, by which nearly all Of the
water is squeezed into the fabric of
the cloth belts. To separate them from
the latter, tneey next pass over
perforated roller of brass through
which a blast Of air blows. This
blows them off Of the top blanket,
blows them off Of the bottom blanket.
literally dropping them into the hands
of the operator extended to receive
them
Dried on Racks
The bills are then dried on racks.
This, however, is a primitive method,
and before long the racks will be re-
placed by machinery suitable for the
purpose. When dried, the notes are
like so much blOtting paper, all the
Sizing" having been washed out OF
them by the chemicals, and so 1t is
necessary to put them through a siz-
two endless blankets saturated with
sizing solution. and are delivered by
rollers at the other side One Of
these sizing machines can turn out 100
notes a minute or about $4,000 in
working day.
Finally the bills have TO be ironed
and for this purpose they are carried
by blankets over q steel roller heated
money are ready 10 go back into cir
culauon-as crisp and seemingly as
new and fresh as when first they left
the presses at the bureau Of engraving.
$50 long as they are not torn should
not be repeatedly washed, thereby
lengthening their Lives" greatly.
One of the difficulties that had to be
overcome was a tendency on the part
Of the belts in the washing machine
to twist themselves into ropes.
This was overcome by causing them
to pass at one stage of their
provided with ridges so arranged
spirally as to push the edges
outwards both ways. Then there was
the possibility that notes might fan
from the belts into the tank. and so
be lOst-a serious matter, inasmuch
as every piece of money put through I
the apparatus must necessarily be ac-
counted for. This part Of the problem
was solved by building the machine in
such a way that all of the belts and
other working parts Of the apparatus
could be lifted out OF the tanks, and I
lowered again, by turning a crank.
Gets Rid Of Microbes.
An accidental and decidedly import
ant advantage Of the laundering pro-
cess is that 1t gets rid Of the mi I
crobes- Tt has long been customary 70 4
accuse paper money Of harbOring I
specially those Of infectious (
diseases. Perhaps it is not altogether I
guiltless in this respect. But a special /
series of experiments made BY a /
treasury expert has appeared to prove /
that such currency. even though much !
sOiIed. does not in reality carry any
great number Of bacteria.
As matter Of fact, the note or 4
certificate. as it comes originally. from
Uncle Sans money mill is about as
nearly sterile. e. -free-as
anything can be Incidentally TO its /
it steadily acquires dirt
The eXperts have identified this dirt /
as chiefly pocket dirt and hand dirt
There is very little grease, such as
would afford food to germs; and IT
Is interesting to learn that bacterial /
cultures made from quite a number Of 1
exceptionally dirty notes showed rath-
7r a scarcity Of microbes than other
wise