Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-03-25
TOO GOOD TO SELL.
The County Should Hold On to the
Old University Building.
COMMISSIONER M'KEE'S VIEWS.
But 1t May Pass Into the Hands of Syndi-
cate and Become Theater.
CONSERVATIVE REAL ESTATE MARKET

Comm issioner Mckee, in speaking OF the
University building, owned by the county.
yesterday, said there had been no salts
factory offer for it. but that there was some
talk on the part of several gentlemen of
purchasing it for theater, but they had not
yet reached conclusion. He added: MY
view OF the matter is that it would be best
for the county to lease the building for
term OF years, say 20, at figure that would
yield return Of per cent on the invest
ment. AT the expiration of the lease the
county would probably need the property, but
If not it would sell for a great deal more than
could be obtained for it now"
There is no immediate danger of material
lapse of interest il Pittsburg real estate. The
city is growing SO fast that reaction, either in
business or prices, is impossible without rad
ical change in conditions, of which there is
neither sign nor symptom. AS in other depart
ments of business, occasional lulls are to be ex-
pected; investors draw off to compare notes and
perfect their plans, and owners become less
aggressive while they try to figure out reasons
for an advance. These points settled one way
or another, activity breaks out again and the
market moves along swimmingly.
1t is a matter of surprise as well as congratu-
lation that the management of this great in
terest since the revival, less than two
years ago, has been of so conservative
character as to nip imitation in the bud when
ever it peeped above the soil. This has re-
suited in firm steady market. based on solid
values, giving confidence to both buyer and
seller-to the former that he assumed no great
risk in the purchase, and to the latter that he
obtained about the top price for his property
This feeling of satisfaction could not exist with
an unsettled market and prices on a fictitious
basis. The buyer would be afraid of reaction
and the seller of losing the advantage of
possible boom.
Stable values and legitimate enhancement
such as follows increase of population and ex-
pansion of business, have brought Pittsburg
real estate to the front as popular and desira-
BILE investment, and enabled many to become
proprietors who, under less satisfactory condi-
tions, would still be renters.
Very few people understand how gold and
silver are brought to a degree of usefulness at
the United States Assay Office in New Y ork.
The process is as follows. as explained by DR..
Eaton: The gold and silver is weighed, and
then is passed to the melter, who reduces it 10
a malleable state, after which it is tagged and
laid away in the general stock for refining. All
gold contains more or less silver as taken from
the mines SO that in refining we must deter
mine the amount of silver in a bar of metal by
adding gold to it so as to have two parts of sill
yer and one of gold. The amount of silver or
alloy is determined in the weighing out. The
metal is placed in a furnace and melted in a
cupel, where the base metals are separated
from the precious metals. the base metals drop
ping into cup provided for the purpose. Then
the gold and silver is beaten up and formed into
bars and laid away In the vaults. The process
of refining gold is complicated and thorough.
The silver, in order to refine it thoroughly, is
placed in vat of sulphuric acid. where, If
there is any copper IN it, the acid having a
greater affinity for copper than for silver, takes
up the copper and drops the silver. The latter
metal drops to the bottom. the acid is run of,
and then it is washed IN water until it is sweet
that is until the acid Is out of it. Then it is
made into bars stamped with the refining
number the number of ounces, the value, and |
the American eagle on top, and removed to the |
vault