Sacramento daily record-union., 1880-12-07
COINAGE MATTERS.
Operations Of the San Francisco and Car
son Mints.
T. Al.
[By Telegraph.

WASHINGTON, December 5th.-The re-
port of the Director Of the Mint shows that
the amount of gold and silver bullion dis
tribnted among the Mints during the last
fiscal year was as follows: The Mint at
San Francisco received SIS, $40, ,544 46 in
gold, and $40, $40, 800 IS in silver. Carson
29l IS in silver. The Director says that
the superior facilities at San Francisco for
filling with dispatch orders for the speedy
delivery of silver in China, and the dimin-
ished production of silver in the States and
Territories contiguous to the Pacific Coast,
have operated to carry the price of bullion
at San Francisco above the New York and
London prices, rendering it difficult at
times to purchase at market rates silver
bullion for delivery at the Pacific Coast
Mints This compelled suspension of
coinage at Carson from November, 1879, to
May, 1880, the stock of silver bullion at the
former date having become reduced to
1924, 24l standard ounces The pur-
chase and reception of silver bull
ion was, however, in the meantime
continued, and the stock accumulated
by April, 1850, to %. 70S, ,754 standard
ounces, which justified resumption of
coinage, but the whole amount of silver
bullion obtained for the Carson Mint dur
ing the year amounted, at its coinage
value, to $50, 1852, 42S The total purchase
of silver during the year fer San Francisco
was 7. 33l S53 standard ounces, at cost OF
81, 566 33l 06 The total for Carson of
81. 35S 33S standard ounces cost $52, 49,
37S. The statement of the distribution of
appropriations and expenditures shows ::
San Francisco. $3S7 AGO of appropriations
and S32, 366 l50 OF expenditures Carson.
81 AG6 { 80 of appropriations and 50, 49,.
7:}5 OF expenditures OF tfinerY e.srnings
ani exlea.li nr2s San Frapclsco IS credited
with SIS sis, 734 charges coliecled and
Sl5, l0l AIS expenses; Carson, 1886, Az
charges coll, cted and s553 759 expenses.
The weighing and assaylng were in all cases
satisfactory. Under the heading of the
"Condtion of the Mints and Assay Of
fees" the Director says that the coinage
at the San Francisco Mint in 1880 was
$l3, 600, 900 less of gold and Sc, O0O, GOO
of silver than in 1873, owing to the
diminished production OF gold and silver
on the Pacific coast. The total coinage OF
gold pieces was 2. 2S4, 500; of silver pieces,
1910, 600; total value, S36, 053, 600. Car
son coined 3S, SGT gold pieces and 4OS, 600
silver pieces, valued at S654, 100. Refer
ence is made to the Reynolds patent suit,
pending in the California Circuit Court,
against the Superintendent and Melter and
Refiner of the San Francisco Mint. The
Director says the process of parting at the
Mint has been in use since 1t was organ
lied, and was continued by the present
Superintendent solely for the benefit OF the
United States, and if advantage has ac-
crued it has been to the United States. and
not to these officers. They ought not to
be required to pay or defend themselves at
their own expense in this suit. The plain
tiff justifes his suit for the alleged reason
that no Court has jurisdiction OF any suit
which he could bring against the
United States. The Director, there
fore. recommends that the jurlsdic
ton of the Court of Claims be extended
to hear this case, or legislation be extended
to enable the patentee to test the validity
of his claim, and make the Government
and not the officers responsible, With
reference to the Indebtedness of the San
Francisco Mint to the Treasury, arising out
of the deficits of officers prior to the or
ranization Of the Mint Bdreau and the ap-
pointment OF the present officers, whose
accounts are satisfactorily adjusted, and
the loss on the sale of sweeps and wastage
prior to the same year, of which there is 70
hope of collecting, the Director recon-
mends their cancellation by an appropria-
ton of the necessary amount from the
profit ON coinage or from moneys in the
United States Treasury. There were
], ,O46, 500 standard silver dollars distribu-
ted from the New Orleans Mint and 932,
500 from the Philadelphia Mint. The total
shipments from the New Orleans Mint
since June 10, 1850, have been 1913, 49S.
During the week there were 462, 92S stand
ard silver dollars distributed. During the
same period last year but 272, 497 were dis
tributed.