American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-06-06
THE NEW GENTS ISSUED.
From the Philadelphia Bulletin, May 20.

Nine o'clock this morning was the
hour fixed for--as Mr.. Tittlebat Tit
mouse elegantly phrased it. scatter
ing the sinners but when the morn
ing sun had first reached the caps of the
marble columns Of the Mint, long be.
fore nine o'clock, he cast his benignant
rays upon numerous crew of persons
who gathered under the portico wait
ing for the doors to open, that they
might get their small silver and their
large copper exchanged for the bright
little strangers who were so anxiously
looked for. Every man and boy in the
crowd had his package of coin with
him. Some had their rouleaux of Span.
ish coin done up in bits of white pa
per or wrapped in handkerchiefs,
while others had carpet bags, baskets,
and other carrying contrvances, filled
with coppers--''very cheap and filing"
like boarding house fare.
The officiating priests in the Temple
of Mammon had anticipated this grand
rush and crush, and every possible pre-
paration was made in anticipation of
it. Conspicuous among these arrange.
mcnts was the erection Of neat wood
en- building in the yard Of the Mint for
the special accommodation of the great
crowd of money. changers. This tenn.
porary structure was furnished with
two open windows, which faced the
south. Over one of these windows was
inscribed the words "Cents for cents"
and over the other, " Cents for silver"
Inside the little Office were scales and
other apparatus for weighing and test
ing coin, a gcodly pile Of bags contain
ing the newly struck compounds Of
nickle and copper, and detachment
of weighers, clerks, &c. .....
The bags containing the 'Nicks' were
neat little canvass arrangements, each
Of which held five hundred of the d.
mlnutive strangers, and each of which
bore upon its outside the pleasant in
scription, "$5." Just as the State
House bell had finished striking nine
o'clock, the doors of the Mint were
thrown open, and in rushed the eager
crowd-paper parcels, well filed hand
kcrchcis, carpet bags, baskets and all.
But those who thought that there was
to be grand scramble, and the bold
est pusher would be first served, reck-
Oncd without their host. The invading
throng was arranged into lines which
led to the different windows; those
who bore silver had the post of honor
assigned them, and went to the right,
while those who bore nothing but vul-
gar copper were constrained to take
the left. .. '...
These lines soon grew to an uncon-
scionable length, and to cconomize
space they were wound around and a.
round, like the convolutions of snake
of whimsical turn of mind. The
clerks and the weighers cxcrted them.
selves to the utmost to meet the de-
mands of all comers, and to deal out
tho little canvass bags to all who we're
entitled to receive them; but the
crowd grew apace, and we estimated
that at one time there could not have
been less than one thousand persons in
the zigzag lines, weighed down with
small change, and waiting patiently for
their turn.
Those who were served rushed into
the street with their money bugs, and
many Of them were Immediately sur
rounded by an outside crowd, who we're
willing to buy out in small lots Mt an
advance on first cost. We saw quite
number Of persons on the steps Of the
Mint dealing out the new favorites at
an advance of from thirty to one hun
dred per cent, and some of the out
side purchasers even huckStcred out
the coin again in smaller lots at still
heavier advance. The great majority
Of those who came ont "made tracks"
with their bags Of money, and not an
omnibus went eastward past the Mint,
for several hours, that did not, like the
California steamers, carry "spccie in
the hands ofthe passengers"
Those who made their way home.
ward afoot attracted the attention Of
passcrs by their display Of specie bags,
and we doubt much whether in the his,
tory of the Mint there was ever so great
rush inside the building or so ANNA.
ted o scene outside Of it. 1t was in
effect at once the funeral Of the old
coppers and Of the ancient Spanish
coins, and the giving Of practical
working existence to the new cents.