The Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1865-1870, 1870-03-01
CONGRESSMAN FITCH ON THE MINT
APPROPRIATION.

In the House of Representatives on th
10Th inst, the General Appropriation
Bill being under consideration in Com
mittee of the Whole, aud one of the item
IN that Bill being an appropriation o
S9l. 900 for The Carson Branch Mint
which appropriation was reported agains
by Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts, wbt
proposed as an amendment, that the only
appropriation be 81, 600 for the employ
ment of q wa,chman to take care of the
building, aud thai the act creating the
Mint be repealed, Mr.. Fitch made a
strong and effective speech in support Of
the original appropriation, from which
speech We make the following extracts
The mint is at last completed. the ma
chinery in place, the officers appointed, the
institution ready for the transaction of bust
ness. But . few days since the announce
nsent was made that the first money had been
coined at this branch mint. The supervising
architect of the Treasury, after a personal
examination, pronounced the Carson branch
mint to be one of the most faithfully and
economically constructed public buildings in
the country. The Director of the Philadel-
phia Mint, in his last annual report, speaking
OF the Carson branch mint. says:
Under the supervision of skilled and expert
enced men, with an honest, energetic administra-
tion If its affairs, this branch may fully meet the
expectations of its friends and greatly promote
the general prosperity Of that interesting portion
&C our country
Sir, the people of that " interesting portion
Of our country will be filed with astonish-
rnent and dismay when they shall learn of
tae remarkable act of retrogressive policy
with regard to this mint recommended BY the
Committee on Appropriations. Behold, in
the place of an appropriation Of S9l, 800, in
accordance with the estimates Of the Depart
nent, to carry on this mint during the ensu-
ing fiscal year. it is provided, first, that two
vatchmen shall have - 900 to take care of
the building, and then, in violation of usage, |
a: least by legislation in the body of an ap-
preparation bill, it is provided that the ac, |
establishing branch mint at Carson City /
shall be repealed. Sir, if this mint is to be
thus destroyed in its infancy, ask, whv was /
/. ever begottsn and brought forth: If it
shall be thus slain the interesting people of
that interesting portion Of our country"
may well exclaim:
'Since You so very soon were done for.
wonder what you were begun for"
The Government has expended ever three
hundred thousand dollars on this branch
mint, and it IS now ready for the transaction
of business. The first money has ALREADY
been coined in it, and yet it is here proposed
to strike it from existence and to put an end
to it. or at the most to make an appropriation
Of s., 900 for two watehmen to take care of
the building. I fear the Committee on Ap-
have listened to interested ad-
risers. fear that interested influences have
been busy TO prejudice the judgment of that
committee. Possibly there be those not !
privileged to a voice within this Hall, who in ,
me opinion Of the committee are more able
% judge Of the peculiar requirements OF |
Nevada, and more willing 20 admit and en-
;ourage all necessary restrictions upon pub
&c expenditures within her limits, than
myself l All not here to guess who it is !
hat has struck in the dark so swiftly and SO !;
.urely at the Carson mint 1t is enough that
present upon this floor, with all the candor I
owe to the subject and with that sentiment :
II deep concern l feel for my distan: people.
IN earnest protest against this measure of e
destruction recommended BY the Committee f
N Appropriations. Why, sir, the Comstock
cdge, which produces every year abou. twelve o
ailiion dollars worth of silver and gold bull a
ION, is within fifteen miles BY railroad of this
ranch mint which 1t is now proposed to
bolish. The Pine Grove mining region, r,
a considerable quantity OF gold, is a
bout sixty miles southeast of it. Rich gold T:
i;nes have been discovered at Mono, one Il
snGred miles south, and the Central Pacific
li!road. which passes through rich mining u
.slicts, runs but about twenty-five miles d
orth of this place.
hos foot, - ur;n y. ~oo-~ r
respect of this branch mint for business is
) fair as that of any other branch mint in the s,
1untry. while its facilities for doing business tn
! the shape OF improved machinery and u
Jmpetent officers are equal to those ot any Ia
, the country. Here the hammer fell
Mr.. Fitch I withdraw the amendment. &c
The Clerk read as follows: n
Branch mint, Carson City: n'
fpT two w.fchmen &, take re Of said .ul ling lie
200; and the act entitled IAN act to establish m
branch mint of the United States in the Terri III
- Of Nsv,Ga, approved March 5, 1863, is hereby
pes-d- IN
Mr. Fitch. l move to amend the para a,
.aph jus. read By striking out all after the
ords .'branch mint, Carson City," and
sorting in lieu thereof the following;
For salaries Of superintendent, assayer. melter
u Fsner, chief conner, assistant assiyer assist "
L meter AMI refner, assistant chef coiner, and
,rks. 81, ~ III
Far wages of workman and aljGsters, SD coo. Al
fIr chemicals, charcoal, and wood, Incidental
II miscellaneous expenses, SiI ,o00, e,
Now. sir, the prospects Of this mint for n,
isiness being fair, the Government having :.
pended over three hundred thousand dollars D
establish it, WHY should it be made focus
mere al the rays of reduction must center
ny should it be made target for the econ
nical arrows of gentlemen who find it easy q
IN hopi no hos h,e he s.