Evening journal., 1912-05-20
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The Woman Who Solved a
Grave Problem Of
Mar Days
By Holland

FRANCIS ElloS spinner was treas
urer of the United States from 1861
until old age compelled his retirement
sixteen years later. His mysterious
autograph. sort OF symbol OF cipher,
which was attached to all of the gov
ernment paper money issues during
his treasurership. caused him to be
far more widely known than would
have been the case had he signed the
notes in a plain. ineligible hand.
General Spinner aided in the reor-
ganization of the bureau of printing
and engraving at Washington This
was a bureau OF the Treasury De-
partment which was greatly enlarged
after the national banking act was
passed. From II came at first almost
all of the government bonds Skilled
artisans and engravers who we're real
artists in the engraving field we're
employed by the department. General
Spinner devised an elaborate plan Of
checking and counterchecking so that
It was practically impossible for any
dishonest employe to steal money or
TO aid counterfeiters in making fac
SMILES of the plates.
In the fall of 1862 General Spinner
was summoned by the Secretary OF
the Treasury, Salmon P. Chase, to the
latters office.
General Spinner" said Governor
Case, 81 am in great perplexity. The
employees OF the bureau OF printing
and engraving are enlisting so rap
idly that II looks to me as though we
might have 10 shut up the bureau"
"I suppose there are no men com
petent TO take the places Of the en-
ployes who have enlisted?' General
Spinner asked,
That Is the fact have caused in
quiries to be made in New York and
Philadelphia and find that it is with
the greatest difficulty that the COM
panies who do engraving and printing
are able to keep employees in sufficient
numbers to do their work Secretary
Chase replied, adding II have sent
! for you, General Spinner. TO ask you
II you can suggest any way by which
we can replenish the bureau of print
ing and engraving with competent
men"
!
own office and as he sat al his desk
woman who was employed in the
Treasury Department, and who had
become wonderfully skillful in the
sorting Of notes. stepped into his office
TO ask him a question. But she did not
have a chance to ask question. The
instant General Spinner saw her the
thought flashed through his mind,
why not send competent women TO
the bureau Of printing and engraving
If We can fill with women the places
left vacant by employees who have
enlisted, then we shall no longer
have any trouble at the bureau" Cen
eral Spinner was so excited over the
idea that he Immediately returned into
the office of the Secretary Of the
Treasury.
MIR. Secretary he exclaimed. "lei
men go We will I'll their places with
women. have observed that the wo-
men in my department become Won
derfuliy sldllful in the handling
counting and sorting of money. They
will very speedily learn what is ne
cessary to be done at the bureau oi
printing and engraving and in some
respects they will make better EN-.
ployes than men"
Secretary Chase was a little doubt
full al first but he said at last to Gen
eral Spinner: well, we'll try the
experiment Let me have tomorrow
some Of your most competent womer
and I will see that they have place:
in the bureau of printing and engrav
ing"
The experient was made in th'
course OF a day or two The test wat
most satisfactory. Both the Secretary
Of the Treasury and General Skinner
we're persuaded that women would
make highly accomplished. skillfu
and rapid working employees of thu
bureau, and In the course Of a few
weeks all the places left vacant b,
men who had enlisted we're. occupie'
by women. And the great bureau o
printing and engraving at Washington
has been ever since the workship o
as slillful and competent working wo
men as the government has ever EN-
ployed.
Copyright. 1912. by r. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
7or,o orrouv Mr. Edvardc will fell n