Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1885-06-19
"SHOVING THE QUEER"
AN INVENTION TO RENDER COUN
TERFElTlNG IMPOSSIBLE.
Col. Snowdcn, of the Philadelphia Mint,
Pcrfects Machine to Prevent the
Manufacture of Spurious Coin.
Many Months Work Rewarded.

Many Months Work Rewarded.
PHILADELPHIA, June 13-The News says;
For two months past Col. A. Loudon Snow
den has been working upon an invention to
render counterfeiting the United States coin
age practically impossible. Col Snowden
decided a long time ago that if a machine
could be made that would rapidly and per
fectly focm letters upon the outer edges of
coins instead of the ordinary milling it
would render countertelting on an extensive
scale impossible; and to perfect such "A ma
chine he has recently given many days and
nights to hard thought and complicated ex-
periments. Some weeks ago he made a
wooden model of his own with twice BIZ
sected collar which was intended to
form raised letters upon the peri
pheries of all United States coins.
After this had been tested he had
several steel collars made upon the Same
pattern and ad justed TO the enormous
toggled silver coming press of the mint.
For days and weeks Col. Snowden per-
severed in experiments that were often most
disheartening for he found it nearly i'm
possible task to adjust the opening and
shutting of the bsected collar to the rapid
motion of the dies; but at 80 o'clock
was a perfect success.
At the hour mentioned Col Snowden,
Chief En-craver OF the Mint hares Barber,
several of the coiners and a reporter pro
ceeded to the great coining-room on the
eastern side of the building, where the 81
gantic polished presses were pouring their
gold and silver showers into trays and kegs.
The party passed between lines of good look
ing young ladies, seated on stools, counting
coins with great rapidty, between revolving
hy-wheels and changing dies that stamped
the precious coins flowing from the mouths
of the machines. At toggled compress,
near. the center of the room, the party
stopped, and Col. Snowden gave orders for
preparations for the important experiment.
A number of calico-clad mechanics with
cups of clear sperm oil, CREASED every joint,
wheel and moving rod in the press; every
point where there was the least friction.
Other employees screwed the polished
bisected collar in its place between the dies,
where it fitted so perfectly that the line of
jointure could not be perceived without a
strong gaslght Heaps of round silver
pieces, as smooth as ice and as glistening as
dewdrops, were placed in tall, hollow tube
at the outer edge of the press. These pieces
were embryo silver dollars With mathe-
NAUTICAL exactness all the moving machinery
of the dies was adjusted so that it would
work simultaneously with the opening and
shutting of the collar Col. Snowden him
self then inspected the machine carefully,
and gave orders for the engineer to start the
coming press.
Every one stood waiting anxiously as the
fy-wheel made half dozen preliminary
revolutions and then, at a nod from Col.
Snowden, Charles Barber allowed the trav-
cling metal claws to grasp the first round
silver piece. Then the press started off at
full speed. The silver dollars were stamped
and lettered by the new collar, and began tc
pour into the tray beneath like metallic hail.
The shower of precious metal was allowed
to continue without interruption for nearly
two minutes when the coming press was
stopped and the dollars were examined.
The test confirmed all Col. Snowden's ex-
| pectations, all his hopes. As each one OF
the experimenting party held up a new cor
still hot from the press, the raised letter.
appeared upon the edges distinct, cleaning
and without a flaw. Between the legenC
upon the eye of the new coin-"E Pluribu
Unum" silver six-pointed stars appeared, a
delicately formed as if craven under a mic
roscope. The die work upon both sides o.
the new dollars was clear and without i'm
perfection of any kind.
The new coin cannot be initiated by coun
terfeiters because it cannot be made in
mold or by any process except the steel col
lar hand engraving or screw press. Thu
old milled coins can be lifted out of mole
without injury, because the lines upon thei
edges are straight up and down. The new
coins have letters and stars on their edges
and cannot be taken out except by injurini
them and mutilating the molds.