The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1880-08-19
THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.
Philadelphia Press.

THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.
Philadelphia Press.
The United States mint was cstab.
lished by act of Congress on the I'd
of April, 1892, and building was
soon erected on the east side of Seventh
near Market. The first machinery,
as we'll as metal, used, came from
England, and up to 1916 tho work
was altogether done by horse or hand
power. During five years of the
mint's existence work has been sus-
pended, owing to the prevalence of
disease in the city. The present build
ing on Chestnut near Broad, was fin
ished i'll 1888. 1t is built of white
marble, in the Grccian style. In 1854
it was made thoroughly fire proof:
The following arc some interesting
statements Of the periods at which
time coin has been made, and of the
coinage: No eagles were coined from
1905 to 1887, inclusive no half-eagles
in 1916 or 1917; no quartcr-eagles be-
fore 1896, nor in 1900 or 1901, nor from
1900 to 1920, or in 1922, 1928, 1928, or
III 1841! no dollars from 1906 to 1888.
except 1000 in 1886; no half-dollars
from 1877 to 1900, nor in 1916; no
quarters before 1896, none from l798
to 1903, none from 1903 to 1914, and
none in 1917, "a, '26, '29 and go; no
dimes before 1896, none in 1899, 1906.
'08, ~, 'l3, rs to 'l9, none in "a, '28
and go; no half-dimes in 1898, i790,
1904, 1906 to 1928; no cents in 1915, a
few specimens in 1928; no half-cents
in 1898, 1901, 1912 to 1922, 1927 to 1880
1884, 1887 and 1910. A few half-cents
We're struck every year from 1910 to
1857. First 50 pieces in 1854.
The minis at Carson and San Fran.
cisco coin gold and silver only. The
mint at Denver does not make coins.
Its operations are confined to assaying
and refining.
But now the grim watch dog of the
mint is waiting to go throug h the
building with us. All is silent and
still the buzz and beat Of machinery
has ceased; the flashing colors of the
day are dead; but a dim, dull light
sutfices to show the. powerful agents
Of making money. On the left of the
hall, as we enter, is the Treasurer's
office: on the right the cashiers, both
now deserted. Passing through the
hall to yard on the left, is seen the
weighing room. Here all the precious
metal received is weighed. Gold from
California, Georgia, Montana, and
Nova Scotia; silver from Nevada, and
the most OF the world. Here comes
the valuable family plate to be melted
up, telling the story of decayed for.
tunes and destroyed hopes; just as the
first bricks Of silver but recently
wrenched from the bosom of mother
earth tell the tale Of hopes realized
and fortunes made. Here, too, comes
copper from Lake Superior, and nickel
from our own State Of Lancaster.
Here are piled huge bricks of silver.
tons in weight; each brick weighs
from 100 to $50 pounds, which are
handled as though they were CLAW.
Near at hand arc the scales to weigh
this mass Of potential money. AS in
fallible as the scales Of justice, thew
will mark the slightest and most min.
ute amount as we'll as the greatest.
The largest weight used in the weigh
ing-rooln is 5000 ounces; the smallest
weight used in the mint is in the as
say-rooln, and one thirteen hundredth
part OF al ounce is its size; it can
barely be seen by the naked eye. Here
is tho vault where gold is kept pris-
oner; double Innings OF iron, double
doors Of steel, and locks and bolts of
the most intricate description-all
show the care and caution necessary
to Ike observed. Stepping inside, there
lie quietly small dull ignots, which
give dull, yellow CLEAN in the can
delight, hardly bctraying its nature,
yet which Will soon 60 forth and cx-
ert greater power tor veal or woe
than that exerted by the mightiest
living potentates.
Gold dust, grains Of gold and cry.
stallined Jumps are here ready for the
meters pot: 10 the deposit melting.
room next it goes III locked iron boxes.
from which it is placed in pots, and
with Q suitable lux is melted and
nodded. Bits are cut off for assaying,
and then it goes to tho refner AMI
meter. For assaying the gold tho
small piece is taken to the assaycr's
room: now dark apartment rcscmb-
ling pr: Faustus' chamber, with its
cruicibles, kettles and pans. The gold
Is put in black lead pot, melted and
fuxed and stirred up to make COM
Plete mixture; cooled and rolled out.
Then half q grammc is accurately
weighed, which is stamped 1000, and
oil the weights hereafter used are de-
clmal OF this to the ten thousandth
part. Silver for the ALLOWING is nakt
added, and then the lead for the cupel-
lation; then the whole is cupelled un-
til the base metals are fused, and then
the remaining bullion is beaten in a
spiral and the silver dissolved out and
the remaining gold determined by
weight. To return to the melting
room; it is there that all the gold and
silver used in the mint arc melted !;
iron molds are used, which are pre-
viously creased to prevent sticking,
and as the metals are in molten mass
they are poured into those molds and
speedily cooled, after which they are
called ingots, and are long, thin blocks
of rich color, though not yet show
ing their perfect beauty. Here. liter.
ally, gold and silver arc in the air. for
the very clothes on the workmen. the
sWeepings from the floor, and water
used for washing, are found to be full
Of them, and are worth $25 900 wear
From the melting room the bars 90 to
the rolling-room. The mighty reYolv-
ing jaws, which in the day but forth
squirming and writhing. tongues of
gold, are now still. In the dav tho
ingots are passed through the rollers
the number of 200 an hour to each pair
Of rollers, and come forth just the
thickness Of coin. Behind them. in
the same room, are the cutting presses
which, with continual snap| snap.
bite out 225 planchets of plain coin
pieces in o minute. OF these machines
there are nine. AS the planchets are
cut they are taken in boxes ia the an
healing furnaces, for the hard treat.
ment they have received make them
brittle. In these furnaces the natal
il heated to red heat. when Il ~
comes o soft and pliable as leather