Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-06
UNCLE SANS FIRST MINT.

Where the First Regular Coins of the Re-
public Were Turned Out by Horse Power.
From the Philadelphia Times.
The subject OF a new mint, 30 long and earn
| estly discussed. is once more being agitated at
Washington. should the proposed legislation
be effected, and the present mint building be
abandoned, the change cannot be made before
the centennial anniversary of the founding Of
the mint will have passed, and it is worthy of
note that in an entire century only one such
removal has taken place.
The act establishing the United States mint
was passed April 2, 1892, and steps were at once
taken to erect a suitable structure In which to
domicile the new department.. The seat of the
federal government was in the state house and
other buildings in Independence Square. and
it was desirable that the mint be located as
near that spot as possible. A site was secured
upon the east side of It'll street, above Sugar
alley, afterward called Farmer and now known
as Filbert street.
Here plain brick building was erected in the
summer OF 1892. The coming presses arrived
from England in September and operations
began in the early part Of October, the material
for starting coming. six pounds of old copper,
having been purchased few day. before The
machinery of the mint was moved by horse
power. The first regular return of coins to the
treasury was made March /, 1793 and con-
sisted OF III us cents. The renowned scientist,
David Rittenhouse was appointed director of
the mint April IA, 1892, within fortnight after
the passage Of the act referred to above. He
was eminently qualified for the position and
was thoroughly imbued with a sense of the
responsibility attaching to his Office. II is re-
lated that upon more than one occasion he paid
bills for mint supplies out of his private funds
because he considered them exorbitant. His
spacious residence was at the northwest corner
of 18th and Arch streets. but a short distance
from the mint. Rittenhouse died in 1856, and
the second director of the mint was another
prominent parsonage, DIR. Elias Boudinot,
whose name is still well-known one to Phila-
delphians. The famous Rose Hill estate in Ken
sington. where the patriot lived, is now being
rapidly hidden from sight under thousands of
dwellings, but the Boudinot school house at
Indiana and d streets perpetuates the memory
OF the family.
As the nation grew older and richer enlarged
facilities for coming money became impera-
tive. and. accordingly, a site was procured on
Chestnut street, west of Juniper street. and
here the present structure was begun in 1929.
The new building was occupied in 1891 The
architects engaged upon the plans VIM. Strick-
land. John Haviland and Others endeayored to
design structure AZ nearly classical as the
purposes of the building would permit With
the various changes and additions made of late
years. particularly the mansard roof put on by
Superintendent Fox. the effect has been in a
great measure DESTROYED and the tiny building
is overshadowed on every side by lofty struc-
lures which dwarf its appearance and make the
most important government Office in the coun-
try seem mean and insignificant.