The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1865-12-16
Idaho Currency.

or the earth that In Idaho Terrltory We nave
the most eccentric ideas about wealth and
the modes of getting it. 1t is probably not
known generally that for the first time on the
Pacific coast and 70 doubt for the first time
on the continent we use for = currency the
two articles of dirt and gold mixed, and that
We value this stuff at two dollars per ounce
more than it is really worth when cleaned
Several years ago in different portions of.
California, gold dust was used as currency;
but where so used it was always understood
to pass for two dollars per ounce LESS than
its real value, instead of that much more as
at present. In T1olumne county where gold
vas really worth eighteen dollars per ounce
twas used as. a currency at sixteen. In
Sierra county where it was worth seventeen
per ounce 1t never passed current for more
than sixteen. Thus it has always been on
this coast until Boise turned up.
Even in Florence, in this Territory the dust
ofwhich would coin thirteen dollars, it was
only counted at twelve in all business tran
sactiohs.
Bat in the Boise Basin rich as it is. and
contaihing as it does, a people with at least
an averageof intelligence, everybody except
the miners, has allowed himself to be thor
oughly and completely imposed upon for the
last two years BY taking dust, very dirty in
the FIRST place, and allowingtwo dollars more
for it than it was worth in the second place
Why is this? Because there has been a rn-
inors and bankrupt competition for trade,
and each and every body who has had pound
of tea or a sack. Of -four to sell, has been in
such hurry to remit cash to the real owners
of the "truckr below that he would sell, the
articles at any sacrifice, and give any price
demanded for dirt and sand rather than allow
his creditors to think he was not doing bust
ness. sesa
Its a shame and disgrace to have to re-
peat such things of acommunity like this, but
is nevertheless true of the past as well as the
present.
miserably deprecated article of gold,
with red sand and dirt mixed in, is now the
currency of the Boise Basin. a.sss
A gentleman of our acquaintance not long
since in thisvery city actually passed at six
teen dollars per ounce quarter of an ounce
of clean unadulterated RED SAND WITHOUT ANY
GOLD IN. 1T AT ALL Merchants and all take
it, everybody wants it !; nobody pretends to
blow your dust, nobody pretends TO examine
whether it has been we'll oiled and sanded or
not, nobody knows or cares whether it is
Florence dust or 0wyhee, or South Boise.
Whateyeris offered is taken and the con-
sequence is that wares and merchandise, in
GLIDING all the staples, are rated much high
or tbanthey should be, and that portion of
the community who, really have an honest de-
sire to deal on. the square with their neigh
bors, are being swindled nearly to death.
The facts are plain The argument is tan
gible one, and scarcely needs discussion
We think it high time the practice was
stopped high time thatmeasures be taken to
reduce CLEAN Boise dust to maximum value
of fourteen dollars per ounce as general
currency. We thiak anybody who opposes it
is a fool, or a knave and works against his
own interest. 4s,s g
If the thing were once put in, such shape
that all could seeit as some now do, we feel
certain the time night Immediately come
when this reduction would bemade, and when
there might be little brighter spot of hope
discernable in Idaho's future, and when this
suicidal course might be looked upon by our
people as it-really is.
Netonly are brass weights bored aud neat
lyflled with lead to make up losses, but red
sand from certain districts, brings high
price as a commodity, and all the meanest
tricks that we're ever invented in the world
are resortedto for thepurpose of keeping up
The equilibrium. = la 4sas5 Sc
THERE Is WAY NOW to abate the nuisance.
The time has been when there was no easy
cure for in Ybnt Nowelet twenty Of our lead
ing business. houses sign and live upsto q
pledge not to pay more than fourteen dollars
per ounce for clean Boise dusB inteyery tran
saction great and small. and let the weights
bearranged according W hat ar no elready,
and you will see that ID len days dust will
come dowato Somewhere near its approx.
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