The Daily state register. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1870-1872, 1872-02-21
WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.
WASHINGTON, D. c.
Jan. a, 1872. ,
THE CARSON CITY MINT.

pay OF a 10 take care oi
the building. Yesterday the subject
came up for consideration, and an
amendment was offered. which finally
passed. as follows: For salaries OF
Superintendent, Assayer, Meter X
Retiner. Coinerand four clerks, ST.
500. For wages Of workmen and adj
busters, S54, 1000. For chemicals,
charcoal, wood, etc, S17,6 SOC.
The discussion which ensued was
participated in by Messrs. Willard,
of Vermont, F~arnsworth, of Illinois,
and Dawes. of Massachusetts, against
the amendment; and Nessrs. Ken
dali, Sargent, Maynard. of Tenn,
Niblack, of Ind, and Garfield, of
Ohio, in favor of it.
Mr.. Garfield, who represented the
Committee, stated that it had been
the intention to turn the building
over to the Government, and strike
out the appropriation for the Mint,
but that the delegation from the Ter
ritories appeared before the Commit
tee. and several gentlemen from
other parts of the country who had
visited Carson, and were familiar
with the Mint, showed them that the
work of the institution had increased
very rapidly that two and a half
millions of dollars had been coined
there during the present year. With
this explanation he favored the
amendment.
Mr.. Farnsworth opposed the
amendment, and remarked that if We
are to take what the Delegates from
the Territories and the Representa-
tive from the State of Nevada say
upon this matter as the law and the
gospel. of course YOU will never
abolish this Mint. 1t would be bet
ter for Congress to appropriate $50
900 and give it to the people of Car
son City than to be engaged in the
farce of building up a great Mint in
that section of country.
Mr.. Sargent stated that it was
shown at the time the Mint was es-
tablished, i'll a veryable report by the
late Thaddeus Stevens, that the com
mercial necessities of that section
required it. There were at that time
special reasons why the Mint vas
demanded. There We're then no
means of communication between
Nevada and California except by
stage or wagons; so that the cost of
transporting bullion to San Fran
cisco was a heavy burden upon the
people of the Territories. Those
reasons do not now exist in great
force, but new reasons demand the
continuance of the institution there
railroad facilities for transporting
bullion from Virginia City to Carson
had increased its business, and he
had no doubt the business would
soon justify its establishment.
Mr. Kendall who has sufficiently
recovered from his recent attack of
sickness to take some part in the
House discussion, but had really
made the fight" before the Com
mittee, said:
Mr.. Chairman, I beg the indulgence
of the committee tor one moment. |
regret very much to see this oppo>i
ton to the continuance Of our mint in
the far West renewed here at this
Congress. | beg the indulgence OF
the c0mmittee, therefore, | say, for a
few moments, if my Voice will permit
me, while i explain briefly and As sue
cInctlE as l can, some considerations
why | believe this appropriation
should be continued.
Mr.. Chairman, what are the facts in
regard to this measure? What is the
bullion product i'll my own State of
Nevada? over tweniy-one millions
for the current year. and if the opera
tons of this mint be discontinued,
what will lie the result? 1t will
amount, Mr.. Chairman, to "A tax of
nearly four hundred thousand dollars
10 the people OF the State, which will
90 into The hands OF private a>>ayers,
who will assay all the bullion of our
miners and nillInen.