, 1876-11-12

PJ A3 u lEWalA Uy kuC autuQIl-
ties Of Ceuta for the apprehension OF an escaped
convict. No words OF mine can paint the dark
ness, the filth the seething corruption of these
dcns sofconvicts-dcns into which no specz OF sun
light, Divine or human, ever finds its way, and
where nothing is heard or seen but assassins
and cruelty on the one hand, misery, starvation,
and obscenity on the other.
CALIFORNIA; CURRENCY.
Amount and Character of the Coin in Early
Days-The Famous $50 "siugs.'
san francisco Czronicic.
The fact that tho immense commercial, min
ing, and general business Of California is being
dune with less than 1000 of gold coin
brings to mind the state Of Affairs III early days.
when ''dust" /" and even produce was the cur
rcncy, and coin transactions few and far be-
tween. Previous to the discovery Of gold,
and the consequent rapid influx Of popula-
tion. there WAS but little coin in California,
and that little was mostly in the towns OF
Monterey, Sup Francisco, San Diego and Los
payments were made in cattle, hides, and such
articles OF barter as were in demand. An
eminent banker, now doing business in the
city, has preserved an old account, credited
ssby two cows in full," for DOCTORS bill of
SEQ. This was given near Los Angeles, III tue
substance, in its natural state. became the rec-
ognized currency, and passed in all business
operations ut SID per ounce; Custom-Housc
duties, however, had to be paid incoin, andycrv
for it SO urgeut, that gold dust WAS frequently
offered at IS and $40 per ounce. This was par
ticularIv the case in November and December,
1913. During the same months in 1S49, the
bankers rates in coin for the natural produc-
ton were as follows: For grain dust, s1550 to
SIS Is per oz.; quicksilver dust, S14. to S14.75;
received on deposit SIG per ounce, and repaid
at the same rate: The first public meeting to
fix the price OF gold dust was held on the 9th OF.
September, 1915 It was the largest meeting
that had ever been held in San Francisco, most
Of the old inhabitants Of the then thriving vii
lage having returned for brief season from the
mines. DR.. Z. II. Lcaycnworth was called to the
chair, and J. D. Hoppe elected Secretary.
The meeting unanimously decided and resolved
that SIG per ounce was a fair price for the dust,
and that it ought to be taken in all business
transactions for that price. 4 committee was
also appointed to urge upon Congress the ncces-
sity Of the immediate establs shmcnt Of . branch
mint at San Francisco. On the 1st of December
Of provisions high, with considerable tuctua-
tion6, Flour was selling for SCI per barrel;
beef, SEQ; pork, $50; butter, 90 cents per pound,
and cheese 70 cents. Only two weeks later Hour
ticlcs had fallen in proportion. Brandy was IN
good demand at IS per gallon, and gold dust dull
Of sale at sl050 per ounce. During the flush
and exciting days OF 1850, the circulation OF mon
ey-partly coin and partly gold dust-was very
great, everybody had q sublime indifference to
The smaller pieces Of coin, and talked Of
dollars as other people would Of dimes. a
copper coin was not to be seen. For any ser
vice, however light, nothing less than four-bit
piece was received, and rs cents was exactcd Tor
the most trling article. Every mouthful Of
dinner was valued at dime. and square meal
cost from SIS to 81, according to the quality Of
the yianls. Gold dust paid for all foreign sup
plies, and filed the pockets Of every shrewd
and active man. Millions OF dollars worth OF
the 'pure stuff" in Jumps, nuggets, and dust,
reached San Francisco every month. On the 3d
Of April, 1854 the Branch Mint opened for bust
ness purposes The bill for the establishment
OF the ulucl-nccdcd institution dated back as
far as July 3, 1852, hut it not till the fall Of
1S53 That active steps were taken to construct
the cdilice and secure tine necessary machinery.
The building was situated on Commercial
street, between Montgomery and kearney,
and was torn down this last summer to give
nearly completed. When started, tho Branch
Mint had the capacity Of coming about $50, ,000,-
O03 in coin per annum, or nearly S100,00o per
day.
The silver coinage produced BY it vas t;:t1' eom-
1ncnt Of the Mint many private coming estab-
lisbmepts existed, but most of them were
crowded out nv the firm Of Moflat q Co., Tor
long time United States assay contractors, VINO
chicily supplied the lar.c gold coinage that was
mercia1 transactions Of the country. AS carly
ns 1851, however, gold dust as i currency had
long given place to coin Two years before the
buyer would carelessiy tumble out heap OF
his wefgfit and scales ready for 1t as matter
of course These weights and scales are still
In use in some Of the small mining towns where
gold-dust is purchased Or taken III exchange Tor
goods. In those days little lump more or
less to the quantity was matter OF very little M
consequence to either party. Coin was plen,
tiful. aud its fair worth was generally looked
for. Specimens OF nearly all the coinage
in the civilized world were in constant
circulation approximate vanes were t Dsa
they readily passed current. The English shil:
linz, the American Quarter Of dollar, the
Frcuch franc, the Mexican double real. were all
OF the same purchasing value, e. an1 10 laut was
the French tiyc-franc piece, and the American
or Mexican dollar were also OF the same rais1e.
it did not matter II some coins were wortlrlfom
10 to rs per cent more than others. -Four single
francs were quite as good as ttG i G.gm;n g;l, "'
whatever denomination and Of every country
were alike b;ts,'' aud passed as such without
the least objection. Copper money WIS never
seen, and paper was myth. 4 ''bit was
nrerious little that it would buy. Be-
sides the coins above mentioned, there were
indian rupees, Dutch and German tlorins anu
ruilders, and the dozen or more different coin
oges of South America, and. in fact, every
known % piece Of money that circulated in T; Er-
rope and many other parts Of the world. the
deficiency in the American proper coinage was
thus amply made up, especially, 50 Jar Us silver
was eonsernea In aie Eod teas vas
MANY European pieces of that metal wercc IN
Tic $40 and go pieces ss1se ssasd m tSy y
purposes Of standard coinage previous to 1864.
sfa 1saurs nEs Esr Es5s ssSy 0ae
LINE slme qua1s and % not %nosscssns good wearing
Qualities. These 1slugs" were OF pure
gold, made up, il the shape Of
octagonal blocks NTH sides perfectly plain. On
the top there was stamped in the centre the
figures $50, and on the other side the name q
tie assayer. Many Of these "sluss" found
their way to the Eastern States, where they
were looked upon as great e.Fioiitles oeeasion-
brokers' Office in this city, but as rule they
have almost entirely dsappesd s beiofs na19e lie
gayc way to the Branch Mint large quantities
ST gold coin we're supplied BY about dozen
4