The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-04-14
Silver By The Ton.

1he Consoldated virginia Company took
possession of their new assay office, on the
site of their former office at the mine, last
Sunday. The building is 45x95 feet, and
two stories in height. The melting room is
233x49 feet, and is open to the peak of the
roof, in order to allow of the free ascent of
smoke and fumes. To render the room still
more healthful, a ventilator will be placed
in the peak of the roof, that will run its
whole length, when the arrangements of the
room will be perfect.
Last Sunday all the apparatus was moved
from the Savage assay office, and besides
making this transfer, they melted 1000
pounds of bullion, and had it all in the
shape of bars before 5 O'Clock in the eve
ming. In addition to doing all this work
they made over sixty ore assays
On Monday last they melted and assayed
over ton ofbullion, and considered it moth.
ing more than holiday. Yesterday there
were melted 500 pounds, worth about $l6O,
600. There are eight furnaces in the melt.
ing room, and they devour the crude bull
lion very rapidly. A "melt" is now made.
in an hour and half, whereas the usual
time in ordinary Offices is two hours and
half. The cupel room is 1924, and con-
tains two furnaces OF three muflers each.
In the same room is the sand bath and APP
paratus connected Herewith. The weigh.
ing room is 12xl5, and the Office and calcu-
lation room 12x24. In these two rooms the
assays are weighed and all the necessary cal
culations are made.
In the ore assay department there are two
crucible furnaces with capacity of twenty
crucibles each. In addition there will be
scarification furnace, containing from twenty
to twenty-four scarifers. These will be used
in making assays of very rich ores, as the
method is more speedy than by the use of
crucibles. In this department there will be
cupelling furnace containing two muflers,
weighing room and, &c.
There is hall ten feet in width running
through the melting room and the rooms in
which the bullion assays are made, and in
this hall there were on Monday piled up sill
yer bricks worth $l25,OO0. In vault ten
feet square, at one side of the hall, lay 800,
900 in bricks, while $4,000 more stood
cooling in the melting room; in all, $265,
900 in sight at one time. This, with the
$4,000 melted, nodded into bricks and
assayed yesterday, makes grand total Of
$4,000 stored in the Office during the past
three days.
Besides the rooms we have mentioned on
the ground floor there is store room 1Sx20
bathroom and wash room; also, a large
room in which will be set up an apparatus
for making humid assays. All the assay
ing is under the superintendent of Cham
bers G. Davis, late melter and refiner at the
United States branch mint at Denver. 1t i,
intended that their silver bars shall go in all
parts of the world for just what they are
stamped.
Mr. Davis says the Office is capable Of
melting and assaying SIC, 200, 900 per month
Once in each month-at the time a genera
cleanup is made at the mills--he says h,
will do bigger work than has ever been be
fore seen on the Pacific coast. At thes,
times he will probably melt and assay il
one day bullion to the value of $500, 900
The upper story of the building contains
the main business Office of the company
24x30 feet in size two private Offices abou
14xlS; aspacious hall, in the side Of whicl
is strong vault for coin and other valua
bles, Sxl0, with one or two sleeping rooms
bath rooms, closets, &c.