The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1876-04-27
SILVER EY THE TON.
How it is Worked Up by the Bonanxa
rr - =. 6molters -

NOW 1t IL worked Up by the BO0anzn
From the Virginia Chronicle
The Consolidated Virginia Cempa-
ny took possession of their new aseay
Office, on the site oftheir former Office
at the mine, last Sunday.
The building is 1895 feet, and two
stories in height. The melting room
is 221ax49 feet, aud is open to the
peak Of the roof, In order to allow the
free ascent of smoke and fumes. To
render the room still more healthful,
yentillater will be placed in the peak
Of the roof, that will run its twhsle
length, when the Arrangement. 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 il all in shape Of bsrs before 8
O'Clock in the evening. In addition
10 doing all this work, they made over
sixty ore assays.
On Monday last they melted and as
sayed over a ton Of bullion, and con-
sidered it nothing more than holiday.
Yesterday there were melted 800
pounds, worth about $l60.OO0. There
are eight furnaces in the melting room
and they devOur the crude bullion
very rapidly. A "melt' is now made
in an hour aud 4 half, whereas the
usual time in ordinary Offices 1is tive
hours and half. The cupalo room is
lSx24, aid contains two furnaces OF
three muffles each. In tine same room
is the sand bath and apparatus con-
nected therewith. The weighing room.
is 12xl5, and the office aud calculation
room 12x24. In these two rooms the
assays are weighed and all the neces-
sary calculations are made.
In the ore assay department there
are two crucible furnaces with cap
acity of twenty cTucibles each. In
addition there will be a scarification
furnace, containing from twepty to
twenty-four scarifiers. 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 cupelliDg
furnace containing two muffiers, a
weighing-room. &c. -T- BG IA
There is hall ten feet in width run
ming through the melting room and
the rooms in which the bullion assays
are made, and in this hall there were
on Monday piled up silver bricks
worth $125,OO0. In vault ten feet
square, at one side Of the hall, lay
100000 in bricks, while $4,000 more
stood cooling in the melting-rosm in
all, $265, 900 in sight at one time. This
with the $16OOO0 melted, nodded into
bricks and assayed yesterday, makes q
grand total of $425,OOO stored in the
office during the past three days.
Besides the rooms we have mem
toned on the ground floor there is q
store room 1920, q bath room and
wash room; also, . large room in
which will be set up an apparatus for
making humid assays. All the assay
ing is under the superintendance of
Chambers G. Davis, late melter and
refiner of the United States Branch
mint at Denver. 1t is 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 Sl0,O0O,0O0
per month. Once in eech mOnth-.-at
the time general cleanup is made at
the mills-he says he will do bigger
work than has ever been before seen
On the Pacific coast. AT these times
he will probably melt and assay bull
lion to the amount of S:U0,0O0. The
upper story of the building contains
the main business Office Of the cOmpa.
ay, 24x3O feet in size; TIVE private
offices shout lixlS; a spacious hall, in
the side of which is strong vault for
coin and other valuables, Sxl0, with
one or two sleeping rooms, bath rooms
closets, &c.