The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-08-22
THE PHILADELPHIA MINT.
Millions Of Money Coined aud Only q
1,e- Tri0e Wasted.
Philadelphia Telegraph,

Lis close OF oacn uScal year, june
30, witnesses q complete settlement at
the mint. All the coin in the vaults is
counted, and all the gold and silver in
the form of ingots, strips, chips and
sweepings are carefully weighed to the
o~ne-hundredth part of an ounce. Flues
and furnaces are torn out, subsiding
walls cleaned and all parts of the mint
carefully swept, so that SO far as pos
sible every particle Of the precious
metals is gathered up. When all the
coin onh hand has been counted and all
the bullion carefully weighed this, with
the amount previously transferred to
the general treasury or paid out under
warrants, is deducted from the amount
charged to the Superintendent and the
operative officers, and the difference is
the wastage resulting from the opera
tions of the year.
70 meet the necessary loss IN the
operations there is an allowance made
by law. 1.-THE wastage is within the
legal allowance, and if the operations
appear to have been conducted with
care, skill and integrity, the settle
ment is considered and reported salts
factory.
Under the management of Colonel
Snowden the Nastage resulting from
the operations has always been far
within the legal allowance. This year
is no exception to the unbroken line
of honorable and satisfactory settle
ments. The following figures will
give some idea of the magnitude of
the operations of the mint for the past
fiscal year just closed, and will also
manifest the skill and integrity with
which its delicate operations have been
conducted.
The total number of five % and one
"a cent pieces issued was So, 1855 1929,
with q face value of 81, ia, 907 70. In
the settlement this account came out to
a cent, there being no loss. The
amount of gold bullion operated upon wa
l,3O5,575:65 troy ounces, equal to S24,-
2S9.779, 70, upon which there was u
legal allowance for wastage in the var
ious manipulations in converting it into
coin of 1,O34.91 ounces, equal to S19,-
254. 30. The actual wastage, as estab-
lished by the settlement, was but 33. SO
ounces, or $500. 51-or a loss of less
than 81 in every $31 allowed by law.
The amount OF silver bullion operat-
ed on was 51,S74,423.57 ounces, or over
LIS tons; worth $50, ISL, 125. 25-dol-
lar value. Upon this there was a legal
allowance for wastage of 65,O59. S3
ounces, or $75 524.17 if converted into
stamped dollars. The actual wastage
in working this enormous amount of
silver was but 4, 625.67 ounces.
It will thus be seen that upon a total
of gold and silver operated upon amount
ing to 53,179, 999. % troy ounces, with a
coin value of sSs4, 40, DOS. 95, there was
a total loss Of but 4,659.35 troy ounces,
with a coin value of IS, 912. 20; while
the actual wastage allowed by law for
operating the same bullion was sc, 09+ IA
troy ounces-equal to S94, 77S.47.
The officers sent from Washington
to conduct the examination and prove
the settlement returned to the capital
highly gratified not only at the care,
skill, and economy manifested in all
the departments of the mint, but with
especial admiration that SO enor-
nous a coinage could have been issued
in perfect condition, with so trihing a
loss, in the present crowded and
cramped condition of the mint.