Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1883-12-07
Th, Coming Proc 50 at the Si1 Eranciso
Mint

Th, Coming Proc 81 at the Sl1 Tranciso
Mint
There have been but few registered
visitors at the mint since that time. but
a reporter. unobserved. passed in among
the number and commenced his annual
Investigations. A number Of bars OF
bullion were the interesting objects first
pointed out By the conductor to his vis-
Iitor. After that introduction OF the
subject of money making he continued
his interesting narrative, detailing ev-
ery process in the coming Of q dollar,
from its receipt rs 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 rs 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 4 burro could not
carry one casting. 1t seems strange at
first to think of these indolent people
performing very troublesome and Ia
bOriOus operation only to find them
selves confronted with more labor.
There is good reason, however. for the
large castings. II the valuable metal
were carried in quantities convenient
for handling. raiders for miles around
would be after it and demand the whole
or 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 the 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
the refinery if it should require the op-
erations there performed. 1t is melted
in the refinery and poured out on wa
ter. There is great sputtering for 4
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 q bar
rel The caldrons are valued at S100
each. 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 4 false |
Water flows around them to the height |
of about 7 foot. Aquantitv OF muriatic |
acid is then placed in the caIdrons pro-
portionate to the amount of granulations. |
They are then closed in or surrounded |
by a tight box or house. Steam is adj
mitted TO the pipes beneath the false
floor, and the steam heats the caldrons
and their contents. The red fumes at
the chimney-tops are generated in this
process This heating reduces the gran.
ulatiOns to 4 fluid state if they are sill
yer. but gold remains solid in granula-
tions if part gold and part silver. The
fluid is drawn Oft by 4 siphon and de-
posted in tanks about twelve feet in
diameter which contain q stirring appa-
ratus driven by steam power.
Common salt is then placed in the
solution TO precipitate the silver. 1t is
deposited rs chloride Of silver. and the
liquid is drawn off through filters aad
allowed to flow away The chloride o,
silver precipitate is about the consisten-
cv of a m..sons putty coat, and resem-
bles it very closely in other respects.
The acids are then cleansed out by
in what is well known as the
process. When the silver
possible to absolute purity it is taken te
the press room, and by hy draulic pres
sure compressed into solid circula,
masses Of from twelve to fifteen inches
in diameter and five inches thick, re.
seiubl.ug very much the shape of 3
cheese. The silver is then placed in ar
wen in iron pans. A fire is raised and
he iron and oven are brought to 4 cher
y red color for the purpose only of
Irving off moisture in the chloride of
liver. The least portion of moisture
n the crucibles would break them, and
he silver would be lost il the ashes. The
axes next go to the meter and are
un into bricks. If it goes on the mar
let as bullion. its weight in ounces and
IS value is stamped upon each brick.
it is to be turned into coin, it is again
Melted and an alloy of one-tenth copper
J put in both for silver and gold, and
he whole is then run into ingOts. !
These are heated and rolled to the
roper thickness and width, and the
trips are then annealed and whitened.
he blanks are next punched and
leansed of the grease from the rollers, i
nd are then sent to the adjusters Each o
iece is weighed and if found too
eavy little is filed Off the edge; if un-
er weight, it is remelted. From the O
djusters the blanks pass to the stamp =
1g room. The milling, rs it is gener- {,
lily termed, is then put on. but not at
IL according to the popular idea. If :,
lie blacksmith's homely but expressive Il
ord of 'upsetting" were used instead
milling, there would be but little
oubt as to the process. p,
After it Is upset, to raise the ring on 81
lie surface. the blank passes under the 4
lie. The impression is made on both :,
des from one blow. The milling is in AZ
'ality by pressure-squeezing the sill
er out into the little grooves of the
lould. A rule of the coiner's depart p,
tent does not allow an employe tc 81
ave it during the day until after the
counts are adjusted. From the COIN
the money passes to the counter, .