Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-11

In dealing with the producing centers
which exist in Washington it Is impos-
sible to fail to recognize the
Valuable bureau of engraving and
prodnct printing, particularly when
AA""0'' taken in connection with the
manufacture Of paper money. as the larg-
est plant which annually produces
approximately a billion and a half dol
lars in money. and taking last year as
an example. bonds to the value Of more
than $75.0OO,O0O. Is an enterprise which
commands serious consideration.
And this consideration. the more Sc
rious and deep 1t becomes. tends to en-
large the estimation in which the plant
is held. The production Of money. even
when treated in what might be consid-
cred ocular manner by some. still re-
mains monumental proposition. For ex-
ample. the yearly output may said to
average 900 bills A single little
crisp one-dollar note is seven and one-auar
ter inches long. Multiply this by the fore
going set Of figures and you will have
the awe-impelling total Of 2.325.OoO.OOO
inches Even when changed into miles
there would be. roughly speaking. 10000.
Now. then. take that 10000 miles OF
money and see what you can do with it..
Take New York as a base and see how
many cities could be reached, each held
together with a ribbon of precious notes.
First go to San Francisco, which is
$3.50 miles away. Then to Portland.
Greg, which is 3,24S, and
Miles of then to Seattle. which is
31S4. That total is $685..
noAey. Then carry the chain to the
popular Reno. to Los Angeles, Cal, and
to Phoenix, Ariz., their respective dis
tances from New York being 1885. 3.1O6
and 2.724 miles And now. with the two
totals thus obtained, the number of miles
used would be little more than 10000, or
only half the number to be disposed Of.
Thus it can be readily understood that.
were such a feat possible, Liberty, from
her statue in New York bay, could hold on
leashes Of f1uttering greenbacks, and yell
low ones, too, at least dozen Of the
most distant cities. Or. if she chose,
she could hold in her fingers reins Of
notes the other ends of which would
touch hundreds of nearer cities and
out lines of notes which would reach
every state In the Union. And even the
great. wide. wonderful world could be
encircled more than once and a half.
BY laying the notes manufactured in
one year side by side the superficial area
thus covered would amount to more than
800 acres. or about two and "a half
square miles. Taking these same notes
and placing them one upon the other YER
tically, their height would be twenty
vail Lit
arranged in a large pile, would be al
most 1000 feet. or an amount sufficient
to make a wall 100 feet long, ten feet
thick and seventy feet high.
Considering this same proposition Of
manufacturing money in a more serious
vein. the immensely Of the
Time Taken enterprise is more fully
m.l realized. The process of
IA A6' manufacturing single
note requires a months time, that
length of time, allowing, of course, for
the delays necessitated by the waits be-
tween the numerous operations. Only
nineteen days are required for the actual
work of manufacturing a note.
The blank paper upon which the notes
are printed comes to the bureau In sealed
packages of 1000 sheets. This paper Is
made out of linen. and when received con-
tains the silken threads. noticeable part
Of every note, which are for the purpose
Of making counterfeiting more difficult.
The paper is manufactured In Massa-
chusetts. under bond, and the manufac-
ture of this paper for any use other than
that Of printing money Is considered as
a crime equal to that of counterfeiting.
The paper is taken from its wrapping
in what is known as the wetting room.
There the first step is taken toward con-
verting it into redeemable cash by put
ting it through process of dampening.
which makes it ready for the. printing
presses. 1t remains in the wetting room
four days. During that time it is first of
all counted, having been counted before
leaving the factory and each package
bearing the name of the counter there.
After the count is verified the paper is
put into machines which dampen it. I'm
der the old method the paper was wet by
hand, ten sheets being placed under a
damp cloth. ten on top Of that and then
another damp cloth, and SO on. This
method is employed now to a certain ex-
tent. but is far less satisfactory than the
newer process, by which each sheet of
paper is dampened by passing through a
trough-like machine. and then the excess
moisture is removed by rollers. Follow
ing the wetting the paper is again count
ed. IL IS pldCcuS pies OI 1OUU
sheets. in a compartment which is a cross
between a refrigerator and a humidor. 1t
is left there for certain length Of time,
after which it is sent directly to the print
ing room.
Paper money is printed from hand-en-
graved plates. four engravings constitut-
ing single plate. In order
Printing that the paper will take an
p... impression, it must be pill
1AV0oSs' able enough to sink into the
plate lines. 1t is for this reason that
the paper has been moistened. When first
received the paper is stiff and wiry. but
becomes soft upon being wet. The first
printing is that OF the backs. At each
machine are a printer and a helper. the
former being a man and the latter a
girl After a sheet has been printed it is
removed from the plate and placed. print
ed face down, with the sheet coming next
placed printed face up. Thus the two
imprinted sides come together. and It's
sues are placed between every two sheets
to prevent smearfng.
When 200 sheets have been printed they
are removed and taken to the drying
room, where they are placed loosely In
shallow compartments, and at the end or
the working day heat is turned on this
room, the doors of which are securely
closed. The heat is turned on during the