New-York tribune., 1875-07-24
COINAGE AS AN ART.
PROCESSES AT THE SAN FRANCISCO MINT.
HOW THE PRECIOUS METALS PASS FROM THE MINERS


tYRoN A STAFF CORRESPONDENT OF TIE TRiBUsEl
SAN Francisco, July SIN letters from
Colorado last MONTH tried to give the reader m seeu
rate account OF the in which gold and silver are
obtsined from the mines Ono purpose OF ths was 10
correct the impression stu prevalent among large class
that the precious metal be obtained IN the Goideii
West without working for dollar for dollar and another
20 give information TO the general reader on sjec'
little understood in the East My present purpose Is 10
follow the gold and silver until they go INTO cuehtio
and increase wealth and power.
dollar made in Walist Is a dollar dug from the
ground The fciner passes from the pockets OF an u
lucky individual into those OF lncy one frequently not
existing at ALL the latter is physical substance an OK
istng fact, object within human vision lhe one s an
imagination vapOr tie other Is realty, ~hich Is
capabe OF incroa ing the countrs wealth After having
seen the Whole process Of money yseitne in THIS ah Oh
cold from the time the pick OF the prospcctcr Is first
driven into the earth until the product Of tue miner comes
from the mint . myriad OF shining jnSiinS, gterfns'
ccYeted realities I prepared TO acknowledge ''i
the real money harder 10 get than the imaginary
Indeed II Is harder te ny thinning to dig money ou' "i
the ground than it obtain il in the shop. the factory
the stOIe. the oidce.
friend who has Travelled extensively in mining coun-
tries and observed carefully said to before LETT
home If you ind mine that is good for any thing Dut
TO sell your observation viii he worth recording have
never one
Whether mining IN the aggregate is profitable or not
is auction so far know. not yet decided; but
can scarcely see what would have done a. iat"n
without our mines TIue. other countries get along
without Them as we mht have done. but one can
Genv ta much Of our prosperity duIng te past twenty
years /, due production o tue precious me'ais' As
gold is the basis Of al values in every c0unrF except
China il Is a tte dicul to see how we c"nld WI get
along without IT, something OF equal scriiy 10 lko
H., ploce Tho remark therefore that mine ia good for
inf In Iixi 1 . |.
snccoed in mining every dollar dug out cf the ground
i dollar added to the wealth OF the country ii is II
production; and after having seen the countess pro-
ccsses throueh which gold and silver pass before thty
rcach e purse Of the capitalist, surprised tha The
preans metals arc worth Ettic The wonder IS that
q dollar obtained in this wa is not worth two.
went recently 10 the mint ~ this city-ah m
po,ng structure ~ blush sandstone granite ioiuda-
tons, resembling in its General onIlne the Treasury
building ut Wasling 1t is tire largest and most I'M
portant Il int in country, ana by tc people here IA l.
soii 20 be the largest i'm the word. Shch information
tak, Ike religion with a grain Of faith Not oniJ FOR
nv own gratilcaion did want 10 see he" the crude
cold and silver were converted into coin, hut 30 folio"
te ,rcclous metals fro the time thoy IT The drifts Of
the mines sharcles portions OF rocks which to tat ~
tu,orcd eye were ordinary in a. and yaiee's
" commerce until they emerged from the mint and be-
came the source OF much good aud much OWL II IN TINS
letter should seem to bcYs extraordinary hno"i-
edp of coin and coinage and OF tho workings OF great
institution like the san Tianci,c0 Mint, wish before
hand discan any credit and refuse al compliments
therefor
found y" In1eTnar, the Director o. the N'nl
whose Office is in Washington, and who ia the head OF
tbe vpolo system IN toe United states. hard AZ work on
the accounts OF the hockkoeYcrs. liz came here 10 su
ueryi-e the counting md Weighing Of the coin AVID bat
lion II hc mimi the end OF the Escal yeir. THIS "eer
las been connected with the COMA 30 sJstem IN this
country since hc began, young man, e. perform '1e
..tics o. an under clerk i'll the Philadelphia mint. He
gradually rose to be chief clerk and subsequently, became
the Superintendent OF the mint. Two or three years AGO.
,v act of Congress, Buroau provided for IN the
II. a5ury Department end nog Office created, to DC
known rs the Director of tic Mat. To this BuI
Dr. Ihndcrrian called, and whatever credit Is due
for Il. organization should be given 20 hun. who has done
more for the country in the matter Of coinage than AL
others As often happens to Americans DR.. Lind rinan
is better appreciated alroad than at home. lilo has i
ceved many marks Oi dstiLg guished favor from foreign
Governments, aua IS ACKNOWLEDGED by them as having
no superior Ia lis profession. From him, during Dy
visit the mint obtained much Information cf his
torcal character. and have also to thank Gen Le
GRANGE She Superintendent who Las been IN office about
1 wears and Mr. Martin who is a tie head ~ thc Melt
ing az Refining Department The Latter. who seem- 10
know more Of the in It's practical workings t'Gin
rotG o Tho 0hcI gentlemen, cane te h hoy ~ -5ol
lio.h ~ Iiudc and Gen. Le Graaee tesi' 70 h.s
supc,ior ntr o9 his position Tcre has boon les }ps
undo. Ais raaac.lao1t tlan rnde, tha' of any who
ls ever occu, .sd similar position in this county!
HISTORY OF CoISAGr.
Alrer h i,Iy O. tie coinage of money for uee rs cir
ouiatn- Medium il trade and c1l1crce may rpt he un-
nfcr,ei.ng Tho 6r,t co'Da,r ~ a- Or In man
remembers although no did not par patio IN IT, 3
,e i the Iyli8Ia 900 QG years before rhe Chi ti-n
ora Tho COINS accorliny Dr.. I4rieriu4n were not
very attractive hatth h,y answered The purpose. I.c'e
Of me, ~ OF certain W, iii and rsDlr 'oil W- narsed
l., hand die which performed It's inuc. IONS 8. IL ala
cf f. ina.i, @, hammer The coin thus rlci vsh ii-
value in rude characers pa ,cd current. Ic earli 81
Cr.ci - coins Do;c clnl,ms OF sacred r. icy. or RIDE
lri4t Of TIE protecting doit..s Ias h-s cyA taiias
Inc name O. king was struck by ArNanie" O.. slacc
fon There 10 "a good deal Gt a''1ut ths period. tlEl
n.itlcr Dr. Lire .t0,i nor Nj. Martin rerruhes 1r Is
known however tbat rle FIST silver coin was snok in
Rome about 2sl De re Chris. The frf gold coined
aboaf 30 years later The Romans. when Biiain was
wi,ipied oli, in 0Guccd thcic money, ai.i Rim!
vas established for its coinage.
All coinage reaching a. far down "a TDheilis time,
was rude coarse ana irregular. und. stand thai she
introduced le mil and -crcw-of course some bT.y
w d subordinate ought have mad he credit bri cycf
thing was IL tho name Of Elizabeth. Improve
Inonts in coinage began from ths date. and
1t tie present time the general method
CT rcanDg and coming tie precious mctnls
is. in practice in all countries issuing their
coins. tho oIiy difference being the machinery TO
accomplish tho object Civilization is soon followed
by metallic curI anoy. IL is only the prcieuGer
among nations aud peoples who he, anything
bit gold basis L. POrt-au-Prnce. II I iori,iabor
aIzli, took $50 in native currency fOur years ag9 TO
bry ne chip lat which could have paid FOR IA to
American halfdoars; that s 70 say tha. ihc hat Did
$40 for in the Iie money Hn.ti could BE bought in the
same shop Tor 81 OF American coin.
The Argentine Republic has minta bat has law fry
ulating the coins OF other countries upon which she
places value The only coins Of Brazil are peco Gi
nickel met Al ercsenng about z cents AMI double
that value Tue general currency Is paper which nobody
expects VIII ever be redeemed. IL Is Therefore nearly
worthless Honduras las coin of . national character.
The Sandwich Islands have mint bat tie Government