The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-02-19
IMPROVEMENTS IN TIE UNITED STATES MINT:
MINr or THE UsIrnD STATES,

IMPROVEMENTS IN TIE UNITED STATES MINT.
MNr or THE United STATES,
Philadelphia, February l6 1851.
The following communication resolutions and report
contained among the proceedings of the board of assay
commissioners which recently the mint Of the Uni
ted States.
The board was composed Of the following gentlemen,
viz Hon. John X Kane, judge of the United States dis
tric court for the eastern district of Pennsy Charles
Brown esq, collector of the port of Philadelphia commits
sioners ofeoj and DR.. Aug A. Hayes of Boston Prof
Socrates Maupin of the University OF Virginia. Major A.
II. Bowman, United States army and Hon. John X. Find
ley OF Philadelphia commissioners specially designated by
the President of the United States.
The following communication received from the d.
rector of the mint, viz
MINT OF THE UNITED STATES,
Philadelphia. February 8, 1867.
DEAR desire to call the attention of the board of
assay commissioners convened to the circumstance
that within recent period important and material i'm
provements have been made in the mint edfce for the pur
pose of rendering ii entirely hreproo and TO give addition
al security to the Treasure deposited in its vaults
These improvements have been made in consequence OF
ton of the Hon. James Guthrie Secretary of the Treasury
to whom it suggested that the building insecure
and the arrangement of the rooms appropriated TO the diff
erent branches Of business might be materially improved
In view of this subject respectfully suggest the board
whether it might not be advantageous and proper that
examination of the mint building be made and inquiry
render the mint efficient give additional secur
ty the bullion and coin deposited therein and whether
additional facilities required for the annual assay
at the mint
have the honor to be- with great respect your obedient
servant JAMES ROSS SNOWDEN,
Director of the Mint
Chairman of the Board of Assay Commissioners.
Which communication having been read was motion,
referred committee composed of Dr. Hayes of Boston,
Prof Maupn of Virginia. and the chairman of the board of
commissioners, Judge Kane. .....
Subsequently-on the Ith of February-the committee
reported the following resolution through Dr. Hayes
which was notion unanimously adopted by the board,
viz
Resolved That the committee to whom referred the
communication from the director of the mint be allowed to
report after the adjournment Of the board and that the
port tken made be placed upon the record
Report Of Committee.
The committee TO whom referred the communica ton
addressed by the director of the mint to the chairman of
the board of assay report that in accordance
with the suggestion of said communication they have ex
ained the mint edfce and the interior arrangements for
conducting the coinage
They have witnessed with satisfaction the changes and
improvements recently made in the building. They appear
to have been udciousy planned and executed in such
manner to give the highest security against fire from
within without Iron and brckwork have been substi
tuted for wood in almost part OF the building Thin
board floors have been laid in most of the from
sderations Of comfort and convenience but they d
recty upon iron and bricks in the of thick
pet and every safeguard has been added to render them
cure from fire.
In its present condition the edfce may justly regard
ed emnently fre-proof.
The for receiving depostes for melting
separating, rolling and cutting, adjusting coming and fin
ishing visited and found highly satisfactory in all
their arrangements for the DESPATCH economy and
cy of the operations conducted therein Very per-
feet ventilation and abundance of light also secured in
all the in which the nature Of the operations carried
renders these provisions necessary An apparatus for
warming which during the late cold weather has proved
satisfactory has been substituted for former imperfect
rangement and which also secure, while various
niences essential to health are complete.
The several vaults for the deposite of bullion and coin az
pear to be securefrom fire they certainly and with
single exception they may defy the ingenuity and perse
d the burglar and with respect to this exception
about being taken to render this vault entirely
secure.
laboratory the mint is now being fitted up in the
basement of the building and, when completed will leave
nothing he desired for the present to render the building
complete in all its arrangements for the efficient
the various and important operations directly connected
with the coinage Experience the progress of discovery
invention and the exgences of the public service it
may be expected will from time to time suggest further adj
ditions and changes but the enlightened po icy
which has dictated the recent improvements will doubtless
be directed in future continue the institution in the re-
sponsible position of high efficiency aud reputation it
occupies in giving uniformity to the coinage of the
The committee deem not inappropriate to give express
sion the present occasion to the high qualification they
experienced in witnessing the evidences afforded by the
assay of the SKILL accuracy, and fidelity with which
the various departments of the coinage appear be
Quoted. In regard to the annual assay, may remark
that proper facilities provided for conducting the same
and that the committee cannot suggest anything further
which is desirable this point In the assays made in
corance with the rules adopted by the board the samples
selected in such that the officers of the mint
unacquained with the from which they
TAKEN the carried under the constant
inspection of the members of the commission. The results
showed correspondence with the legal standard and the
trials highly satisfactory In conclusion the commit
take pleasure in stating that the institution in their
opinion conducted and maintained in such manner as
merit the highest confidence of the and the
public
AUG. A. HAYES
S. MAUPIN, Committee
J. X. KANE,