The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-04-14
About Pennies.
WHERE THEY CIRCULATE AND BY
WHOM MOST USED.


WHOM MOST USED.
Pennies are scarce, and the Mio'
cannot turn them out fast enough to
supply the demand Coins OF this
denomination are turned out only al
che United States Mot 10 this city,
aud from bere the whole country Is
supplied The penny is most i'm
por, ant factor in the commerce of the
country, much more than most peo-
pie imagine The mint is six weeks
bebiud 10 its orders for the supply Of
these small coins, which il, 10 part,
owing To the fact that all the availa-
BILE material is being used for other
purposes, and but small part can
be put TO penny-makiog.
"Wher do all the pennies go ~
asked Record reporter of Mint Of
fetal yesterday.
"Well, the horse car companies
take good part of the supply, but
we limit each company to $50 worth
per day. Then they are obliged to
patch out with three-eeBt pieces, OF
which they always secure large
quantities But the merchants make
the heaviest demand upon as, the
great retail dry goods houses taking
all they can get, and then cry for
more"
"Where are the pennies most u.s.
ed 2" questioned the reporter
"Well. there is no part Of the Unit
ed States hardly where they are not
used,' was the reply; "but there arc
some sections where they are stran-
gers, and as rare as gold dollars are
here. Ia the South the penny is al
most unknown, the smallest coin be-
ing fve-cent piece. Recently, how
ever, there has been some demand
for them from merchants in Georgia
aud Alabama In the far West
there is but little demand for the pen
ny, but when one gets to st. Louis,
or east of that point, then the penny
becomes familiar friend Wherev-
er there are six.cent fares on the
street cars then there is demand
from that city for pennies. Now,
Louisville seldom, if ever, calls upon
Us. while Cincinnati is continually
crying for the Que cent piece. New
York cousune5 big lot, aud 80 do
the Eastern States. The two
cent piece was good help to us for
The time, but none of them nave been
coined for ten years, and all that are
sent in and redeemed are recOined in
TO one cent pieces"
at is somewhat remarkable
thing, but such is the fact" contin-
ued the officer, ''that competition 10
trade induces and increases the de-
mand for pennies. Whenever trade
is briskest, then the penny is needed
most-that is, retail trade. When
the bauks take from us, although
large, does not huctuate like the calls
from tradesmen. The Eastern States
are the great penny centers, and it is
ohly as the population of the West
Increases thatIG Wants pennies. The
iSe-ceut piece is the stardsfd coin in
he West, but the penny is making
inroads on II and great ones, too"
Are you making many Bland dol
lars y was the next question the re
porter pul 10 the official
Don't call them Bland dollars,
but STANDARD dollars" replied the
official, in language which could not
be mistaken. They are not Bland
dollars, aud it is popular mistake
people make by calling them by hat
name. Now, put that back Of your
ear, where you will remember it
They were not created by the Bland
bill, which was for free coinage, but
under another act."
After this kindly correction the
Record man determined that here.
after, that if any Of his friends com.
to borrow Bls.d dollars of him they
would Aot get them-not by thai
name any how; perhaps not by any
olber
This bss been one Of the busiest
years ever known a the Mint, and
Colonel Soowden has had his hands
full Most of the time the machine
ry has been az work night and day.
The value of the coins turned out for
the calendar year, ending yesterday
was:
Gold, $9.744.645; silver, $l4 $751;
1886 base coins, Sl65. 003. The
lumber oe standard silver dollars
coined was l4,S07 100, and the NUN.
Der OF gold one dollar pieces 5000
The official year of the mint does not
close until the 3Oth Of June.-Phild.
delphia Record.