Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1878-04-03
ne in an open wood fire, and then being

allowed 10 COOL gradually Inc SILVER
dollar strips are passed through the rolls
nine or ten times before the first anneal-
ing and four or five times afterward.
After the last annealing the strips are
run through cutters which divide them
into drafts of the proper thickness for
the coins; and these, in their turn, are
run through steam punching machine
which cuts planchets the proper size
for the coin. From $50 to 240 are cut
in a minute. As the metal gets greasy
during this process, the planchets are
then dipped into bath of diluted sui
phuric acid, which istoo weak to act upon
the surface, but effectively removes all
foreign matter. The planchets are then
adjusted; that is to say, they are care
fully weighed, and all that are lacking
in weight are cast aside; such pieces are
called flights 'and the "heavies" are
the pieces which weigh too much and
are filed off. The adjusting is done by
women. 1t is process which requires
much delicacy, and scales are used
which are sensitive to one-sixty fourth
of grain. After the adjusting is fin
ished, the next operation is milling
which is done with curious sort of
machine. The edges of the coin are
thrown up aud grooved by the process.
After another cleaning with sulphuric
acid the coins are ready for the die, both
sides of the coin are stamped st the same
time. The dies are cylindrical blocks
Of steel upon which are carved the de-
signs to be transferred by pressure to
the coins. Art of high order as well
as fine mechanism is conspicuous in
this part Of the coming process. The
designer, in the case of the new silver
dollar, Mr.. Morgan, first draws his de-
sign on paper, from which is made a
model in wax, of which plaster cast is
taken, and from this cast an electrotype
is taken, upon which careful revision is
made with the graver. This electro
type, like the model and cast which
preceded it, is three or four times larger
than the impression which appears on
the dollar. The design is transferred
to steel dye by using Hills reducing
machine, constructed on the principle
of the psntograph. One arm of this in
strument, with blunt point, follows
the lines on the eleetrotype, while the
other arm, to which is a strong and
rapidly revolving drill, reproduces the
same lines on smaller scale upon a
steel block. By means of a press this
impression is transferred to another
block in intaglio and thence on another
block, which is the parent die. After
each transfer the lines are carefully i'm
proved with a graver. Steel of the
same quality as that of which the parent
die is made is used for the coming dies.
They are annealed, and trued on both
ends. Two or three blows in the screw
press, which is worked with large
wheel, secure perfect impression, and
both the diverse and reverse of a coin
are struck at once. Machinery places
the planchets between the dies, and
afterward drops the completed coin in a
box. Two or three pieces of each COIN
age are reserved for the annual govern
ment assay.
Gold is always found alloyed with
silver, and it is never found with any
other alloy. To separate the silver
from the gold, the bullion is boiled in
sulphuric acid, which removes the alloy
the gold is then reboiled and reduced
to coarse powder resembling clay.
Its purity then is 9SS or s99. The silver
mixed with copper, is run into watts on
lower floor, and is purified and granu-
lated, when it resembles pipe clay. The
granulated gold and silver are pressed
into large cheeses in a hydraulic press.
A cheese of gold, u inches in diameter
and three inches thick is worth $40, 900;
a silver cheese of the same size is worth
$500. The sulphuric, acid after it is used,
produces a sediment of blue vitrol,
which is much prettier than either the
gold or the silver seen in the assay office
The vitriol and the weak acid are both
sold for as much money as the original
acid costs. The substitution of sulphur
ic acid for nitric has caused saving to
the New York assay office alone of
100000 a year. Depositors receive
their gold and silver separately at stand
ard purity, 800. Pure metal is also sent
to the assay Office from the various re-
fineries to be alloyed. From United
States refneries silver is generally sent
in large bars or cakes; and a small
amount of Mexican metal is received in
thin, irregularly shaped pieces called
disks. The fumes from the vats and
furnaces in the assay offices are conden-
sed and sold as weak acid. Only a small
amount of the gas escapes into the at
mosphere, and although it is slightly
offensive it is not injurious. On the
contrary, this gas is an excellent disin-
fectant, and acts upon dead matter
rather than living. The same precau-
tions are taken to prevent loss in the
assay office as in the great mInts. The
ashes, the sweepings from the floor, the
crucibles. and all the instruments which
come in contact with the precious metals
are washed and ground in a machine
constructed for the purpose, and the
stray particles of silver and gold are
gathered together.
Japanese Customs.