Ten years in Washington : Life and scenes in the national capital, as a woman sees them . separa-ting and trimming room. This used to be done by scis-sors, and gave to women, I believe, their first work inthe Treasury. This room is one of the largest and busi-est in the Bureau, and second only to the printing-roomin interest. The wheels, straps and pulleys reaching tothe ceiling, with which its air is perforated, give it, atfirst glance, a complicated atmosphere, till the eyes restupon the many ladies sitting serenely at work below. This work being all clean, and some of it dainty in itscharac
Ten years in Washington : Life and scenes in the national capital, as a woman sees them . separa-ting and trimming room. This used to be done by scis-sors, and gave to women, I believe, their first work inthe Treasury. This room is one of the largest and busi-est in the Bureau, and second only to the printing-roomin interest. The wheels, straps and pulleys reaching tothe ceiling, with which its air is perforated, give it, atfirst glance, a complicated atmosphere, till the eyes restupon the many ladies sitting serenely at work below. This work being all clean, and some of it dainty in itscharacter, the result is visible in the tasteful attire of theworkers, whose snowy aprons and delicate ribbons are indirect contrast to the worn and soiled raiment of theweary sisterhood of the tubs, and the inky presses ofthe wetting and printing divisions. Part of the womanswork of this room is to needle the sheets, which must bedone so accurately, that when hundreds together are laidin the cutting machine, the glittering blade will strikethrough a single line, not wavering a hairs width. I womens woek m the treasuet. 323 through two hundred sheets. The room is throngedwith those little guillotines, whose gleaming blades are inconstant execution. Each Treasury note sheet whichpasses under them is cut into four notes at once, eachsliding down, correctly sorted, into its own little box wait-ing below. Excepting the fractional currency cutters,all these exquisite machines are worked by ladies, whomanipulate them with unerring accuracy. In this Bureau but one more thing remains for our dol-lar, that it should be laid in its little bed, before itgoes down to the Treasurer. This is speedily done, andits bed is a very dainty affair,—a pretty box, made in anadjoining room by pretty hands; and pretty hands layour dollar away; indeed dollar on dollar, so many in abox, which shuts them in—fair, tempting, tantalizing—outof sight, to await the call of the Treasurer and the mandateof Uncle
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidtenyearsinwa, bookyear1876
