Daily Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1876-1884, 1883-02-18
NICKEL COINAGE.
It's Universal Adoption for Small
Change Predicted. ~

"We have not received any orders
from Washington to coin the new
nickel" said Il. j. Waite Of the San
francisco Mint in reply TO question on
the part of Chronicle reporter, "and
tho only place where they are being
coined is at Philadelphia. Though the
attention of the department has been
called to the fact Of the great need OF
them on this coast they have paid no at
tention TO it, and as it Is so much cheaper
to coin them in Philadelphia than here
they will no doubt continue as before.
In order to coin them here we should
have to hayo tho metal as well
as tie dies cent ON. for there Ia only
one place in this country at presentwhere
the nickel is mined and prepared for use.
You see the Government buys the metal
all cut for stamping, IS it has no ar
rangcments for rolling it, themetal being
entirely different from any other. The
mino Is in New jersey and from there we
get all our nickel. There is mine in
Oregon, but the owner has not. as yet,
the proper machinery for treating the
product, and the result is that 1000
tons Of ore lie there. He is going ahead,
however, at great expense. in develop
! ing tho mine, to see II It viii pay to get
tho machinery, which will have to be
imported from England, Tho great
trouble about the scarcity Of the
| niokes on this coast is, first, the
comparative recent great want Of
| them, which is confined to San Fran
DISCO and Oakland at present, and sec
ondly, the defect in the law as to the
shipment of coin. Silver is delivered
| free Of charge anywhere, the San Fran
cisco Mint alone paying the express com
pany as high as $500 20 $1,000 month
for the shipment of silver to different
parts Of this coast, but the shipment of
nioko coins must be paid for by the per.
sons wanting them, and this prevents its
accumulation to an extensive degree.
nickel 10 the metal which will here.
after be employed universally for small
money France and Switzerland have
adopted an international coin made of
nickel, and the adoption of coins of that
metal in Mexico has met with general
appreciation. In recent issue of the
Two Republics, published in Mexico, |
find the following in regard TO their
coin;
Some specimen five.cent coins have
been struck off. Their design and gem
eral appearance are handsome. On one
side il the Aztec coat of arms. with the
words "Republica Mericana. On the
reverse is a laurel wreath, the emblem
OF peace and progress, with the Roman
letter "V. Indicating the value OF the
coin.
"Our new nickel is far better than the
clumsy piece we are using now. 1t is
larger and thinner and tho design is far
more attractive The Philadelphia Mint
is turning them out to the tune of l00,-
900 daily and the old iivecent silver
pieces, which every one condemns as a
Nuisance, are being taken up, together
with the old niokels, as fast rs possible.
1t may possibly be some time, however
before we shall see any OF them out here,
except sample copies. IS. r. Chronicle.
Fairmount Park in Philadelphia will
soon become n national nursery. Ii has
been decided to plant there trees from