Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-10-12


Mr. Millward was not confirmed and
Gov. Pollock is serving his second term.
The first money coined by the authority
of the United States was in 1898; the coins
first made were copper cents. In the fol-
lowing year (1794) silver dollars were made.
Gold eagles were made in 1895. The
machinery, as well as the metal first used
was imported, and great trouble was ex-
perienced in procuring supply of copper.
The first copper used by the mint came
from England. That now used is procured
from Lake Superior; but the finest is found
in Minnesota. Up to the year 1916, the
work at the mint was done entirely by
hand or horse power. In this year steam
was introduced. All the machinery used
in the mint is manufactured on the premi.
ses, and is of the finest and best quality.
The corner stone of the present building on
Chestnut street, was laid July 4, 1929, but
the building was not ready to be occupied
until May, 1888. The structure is of mar
bic, and of the Grecian style of architect
ure, and was made fire proof in 1854.
Compared with the present, things were
done in a rather primitive way in the earli-
er days of the institution. Among the ac
counts of 1923, there were bills for rum,
cider, hay and pasture. The following is
found among the rules of a latter day: alt
is understood that in future workmen and
laborers find themselves in diet, drink and
lodgings" Liquor was allowed in plenti-
full quantities; and it is mentioned as fa-
tigue ration" Provision was also made for
the care and feeding of watch dogs. OF
course all these ''peculiarities' have long
since ceased to be fostered or even counte-
nanced. It'll estimated that about six
hundred million dollars worth of gold has
been received at the Mint. OF this sum
probably nine-tenths has been received
since the first discovery Of gold in Califor-
MIA, in 1848. Previous to that time, the
gold came from different places, but princi-
pally from Virginia, North Carolina and
Georgia. Most OF the gold which now rea-
ches the Mint, comes from Montana terrific
~. Nearly all west of that goes to the
branch Mint at San Francisco. Before the
discovery Of the immense veins of silver
which exist in the Territories of the United
States, the silver used by the Mint came
principally from Mexico and South Ameri-
ca. The nickel is principally from Lancas-
Ter county, Pennsylvania. In regard to the
discovery of gold in California, the follow
ing extract from letter from the Director
of the Mint to the Secretary of tho Treas
ury, dated Dec. IL, 1913, will prove inter
esting:
"On the 9Th inst. we received the first
d post of gold from California. 1t was
deposited by Mr.. Daniel Carter, who
brought it from San Francisco by the 18th
mus route. 1t weighed 1S04-59 ounces
troy. On the 9th, another de-
canf Nv n SonraForry Of NO.
which weighed 228 ounces. The
average value per ounce of the bullion be-
fore melting is $1S.053 " ..-.
The purest gold is this country is found
in Georgia. The largest nugget Of gold ever
brought TO the Mint came from California
in 1852, and was worth nearly $1,000. At
tempts have been made to deposit spurious
or manufactured nuggets, bnt no matter
how nicely the fraud has been concealed,
the cheat has always. been detected before
the "stuff'' was melted. The total coinage
of the Mint, to the present time, amounts
no nearly nine hundred million dollars
in money value, including gold,
silver, nickel and copper. When in full
| operation, the Mint can turn out about
forty thousand dollars per hour of gold and
silver coin of mixed denominations, and
it is claimed that it is capable of making
enough coin to supply the wants of all the
nations in the world. The Branch Mint at
San Francisco coins gold and silver only.
None OF the other Branch MINIS, of which
| there are five, make coin; their operations
are confined to assaying and refining. The
| Mint is kept at work constantly, and makes
a large amount of gold and silver coin, and
it is curious what becomes of it, especially
| the latter, as we never see any of it used in
| commercial or other transactions between
citizens of this country. 1 was told that
| the mint had coined large amount of five
and ten cent silver pieces on SltuS
day last, to fill an order from
| South America. These pieces
pass there for six and twelve cents. Per-
haps this transaction gives a clew to the
destination of much Of the coinage of the
| Mint-it goes to foreign countries.
A WALK THROUGH THE INSTITUTION.
| Polite and courteous ashers meet all Wis
itors at the door, and accompany them
through those departments of the Mirt
which are open to the public. Owing tC
the immense quantities OF the precious
metal which is constantly in course oftrans
ition from one form to another, and the care
and watchfulness necessary to a correct
transaction of business, there are depart
ments from which visitors are excluded
yet they are allowed to see the work
carried on in these rooms from DO
sitions outside Of a low partition. AL
metal received at the Mint is weighed so
often. aud so nicely that the purloining of th
smallest piece would be detected in a few
minutes after the act had been perpetrated
Passing through the melting room, we wer
shown a number Of solid bricks of gold anC
silver, which were soon to undergo tn
process of being melted. There are fou
furnaces in this room, and the metal afte
being properly mixed with borax, or othe
fuxing material, is placed in pots al
melted in these furnaces. The moltel
metal is then poured into iron moulds an
cast into bars about twelve inches long, an
of certain thickness and width. These
bars are subsequently taken to the rollinj
room and passed through the rolling ma