The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1883-09-27
The Coming Process at the San Francisco
MinA

from us IocelpG as metal OF an unCer-
tain value to its issuance for circulation.
Bullion is received in the form of bricks
of all sizes and very peculiar shape
when it comes from Spanish American
countries. The regular shaped bricks
often weigh as heavy as one hundred
and fifty pounds.
The Mexicans melt their silver and
run it into the most crude shaped
moulds in the world, in quantities so
large and heavy that q burro could not
carry one casting. 1t seems strange at
first to think of these indolent people
performing a very troublesome and Ia
borious operation only to find them
selves confronted with more labor.
There is good reason, however, for the
large castings. If the valuable metal
were carried in quantities convenient
for handling, raiders for miles around
would be after it and demand the whole
or a large portion of the silver as sal
wage for protection against other raid
ers. The Mexican silver received at
the mint is taken to the machine shop
and cut up before it is in shape to be
put in any of the largest cruciDles.
The regular shaped bricks are taken
first to tho assay office, where the dag
onally opposite corners of opposite sur
faces are clipped and the brick bored
into both ways. An assay is then made
of the clippings and borings. The re-
suit of an assay is made known to the
person making the deposit in about
twelve hours. He gets his money and
the government gets his bullion.
After the assay the bullion passes to
| fho ,b ,oDI1ira fbo o,D
erations there performed. 1t is melted
in the refinery and poured out on wa
ter. There is a great sputtering for a
few moments, and then result called
''the granulations' is perceptible. The
solid molten mass has become scattered
in particles of many sizes and indescrib-
able shapes The general appearance
is that of the fallen leaves of forest
trees which have become crisped up by
the frost The granulations are then
weighed and put into large caldrons Of
ironstone china about the size of bar.
rel. The caldrons are valued at $10C
ach, and the men working about them
are very careful in their movements
lest they should damage or destroy one
The caldrons are set in rows on false
floor, under which pass steam pipes
Water flows around them to the height
of about foot. A quantity of muriatiC
acid is then placed in the caldrons pro-
portionate to the amount ORGANIZATIONS
They are then closed in or surrounded
by a tight box or house. Steam is ad
mitted to the pipes beneath the false
floor, and the steam heats the caldrons
and their contents. The red fumes a
the chimney-tops are generated i'll this
process. This heating reduces the gran
ulations to fluid state if they are sill
yer, but gold remains solid in granula
tions if part gold and part silver. Tht
fluid is drawn oft by siphon and de
posted in tanks about twelve feet il
diameter which contain q stirring appa
ratus driven by steam power.
Common salt is then placed in the
solution to precipitate the silver. 1t il
deposited as chloride of silver, and th'
liquid is drawn off through filters aDC
allowed to flow away. The chloride 0
silver precipitate is about the consisten
cy of n mason's putty coat, and resem
bles it very closely in other respects
The acids are then cleansed out By
washings in what is we'll known as tn,
sweetening process. When the silve
has been obtained in a state as near D
possible to absolute purity it is taken t.
the press room, and by by ydraulic pres
sure compressed into solid circula
masses of from twelve to fifteen inche
in diameter and five inches thick, re
sembling very much the shape of
cheese. The silver is then placed in III
oven in iron pans. A fire is raised anC
the iron and oven are brought to cher.
ry red color for the purpose only o.
driving off moisture in the chloride OF
silver. The least portion of moisture
in the crucibles would break them, and
the silver would be lost in the ashes. The
cakes next 60 to the melter and are
run into bricks. If it goes on the mar
ket rs bullion, its weight in ounces and
its value is stamped upon each brick.
If it is to be turned into coin, it is again
melted and an alloy of one-tenth copper
is put in both for silver and gold, and
the whole is then run into ingots.
These are heated and rolled to the
proper thickness and width, and the
strips are then annealed and whitened.
The blanks are next punched and
cleansed of the grease from the rollers,
and are then sent to the ad busters. Each
piece is weighed and if found toe
heavy little is filed off the edge; if un-
der weight, it is remeltod. From the
adjusters the blanks pass to the stamp
ing room. The milling, as it is gener-
ally termed, is then put on, but not al
all according to the popular idea. II
the blacksmith homely but expressive
word of ''upsetting" were used instead
of milling, there would be but little
doubt as to the process.
After it is upset, to raise the ring on
the surface, the blank passes under the
die. The impression is made on both
sides from one blow. The milling is in
reality by pressure-sq the sill
yer out into the little grooves of the
mould. A rule of the coiner's depart
ment does not allow an employc to
leave it during the day until after the
accounts are adjusted. From the coin
er the money passes to the counter,
who with the aid of counting board,
which holds an exact number of pieces,
is able to count thousands where a per-
son ordinarily would count only units.
The counting board carries Just 1,00O
silver dollars. One of the most inter-
! eSting objects to be seen in the mint is
large balance scale, SO nicely adjus-
ted that one may take hair from the
head. split it and place it on one of the
scale pans, and the beam will be notice
ably detected. Only dollars and
'twenties" are now being coined, but
there is money enough on hand in the
mint to make half the town rich. There
is more money than can be handled.
The reporter noticed the heavy doors
for a new vault which is to be con-
structed as strong place for the excess
of coinage. There is $15, 900, 900 in one
vault, $9, ,000,0 600 in another, and So
100000 in another, besides bullion
which will be turned into money as
soon as the new vault is completed-
San Francisco Chronicle.