Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1891-03-06
A G0LD-CATCHER.
INGENIOUS CONTRIyANCE IN !
BIG FACTORY.
1t saves Thousands of Dollars Brnu-
alIy-Old Clothing That Yields
Gold-A Sinks Auri-
ferrous Refuse.

eye on the little things.
''Tve got that old-time business prov
erb pasted in my hat, " said Mr.. Farnham,
of a big New York jeweiry firm, "ond
I'll try and show you some of the ways
in which l have applied it in our manu-
featuring department.
Along the four sides of the big, many
Widowed room ran wide tool-littered
benches, in front Of which sat hundred
or more men and women artisans shap-
ing and polishing the costly pieces of
jewelry. Above the benches was per-
feet network of spider-like machinery
and in a corner of the room stood an
electric dynamo Of twenty horsepower.
Leading the reporter down toward
the Broadway front of the building Mr..
Farnham stopped before the polisAers'
bench, at which sat score Of boys and
Young women, each with piece Of gold
work in their hands.
A rapidly revolving steel rod ran the
entire length OF the table, and in front
of each worker was a stiff bristle brush
on which the polishing was done. Be-
hind the rod and brush and directly in
front or the workmen yawned a wide
mouthed tin funnel-shapcd arrangement
from which long tube ran under the
taNo, ending in a sort of cabinet, which
s at one side. In the center OF each
funnel was inserted piece OF fine wire
netting through which the air rushed
with roar like a small furnace.
"This is but the application OF we'll
known principle" said Mr.. Farnham'
modestly, "but, somehow, nobody else
has happened to think of using 1t for
this purpose"
The gold used in making up fine
iewelry was nearly pure, he said, only
enough alloy being used to give it the
necessary hardness to insure its not wear
ing out too quickly from friction. A
gold link watch chain, for instance,
weighing twenty. pennyweights
when it leaves the makers hands, would
shrink about four pennyweights during
the process of polishing and Furnishing.
II is to save this waste that Mr. Farm
ham has designed and put into operation
the queer looking machine just described.
When the stiff bristles of the brushes
which whiz around at the rate of
Twenty-Five hundred revolutions to the
minute come in contact with the precious
metal the infnitcssimal particles which
become detached are drawn W suction
into the mouth OF the funne, through the
little wire screen aud down through the
long tube into the air-tight cabinet.
The tiny specks are invisible to the eye
and are so light that the closest scrutiny
failed to reveal to the reporter that they
even existed.
Following Mr.. Farnham down to the
cabinet. a drawer in which he carefully
opened, the reporter saw what locke /
like a oridiron, the metal in which was
badly rusted.
"But where is the gold'" asked the
reporter.
"That dark brickred deposit you see
covering the bars at the bottom of the
drawer is gold, answered Mr.. Farnham,
"and has collected there within the last
four days"
The next process to which the dust
was subjected was then shown. AT regu-
lar intervals-twice n month, usually
an extra force of air is turned down the
long tube and the accumulated dust IS
driven through short pipe into an iron
tank containing carelully-fltered water.
When the particles have had time to set
tie on the smooth porcelain bottom OF
the tank the water is drawn off and the
dust collected is remelted, and after the
small proportion of alloy bas been ex-
tracted is run into a bar, weighed and
returned to the "raw material depart
ment."
81 keep regular debit and credit
account with each department." said
Mr.. Farnham, aud if there is the slight
est discrepancy in the weight of any
material furnished us between the time
we receive it in the raw material and our
returning it after making it up usually
find the loss accounted for by the con-
tents of the tank.
In the event that he could not make
the figures tally, Mr.. Farnham said that
he at once set to work to see where the
leak was, and when once it was fouuf be
lost no time in invcnting some method
OF stopping it.
"Those mats under the workmen
feet" said he, pointing to halt dozen
common wooden frames criss-crossed
with narrow stats, ''are each worth thelr
weight in gold"
Mr.. Farnham explained this statement
by saying that the dust which came from
the filing of the gold which has not yet
reached the polishers hands sits down
into the mats, AMI is ground into the
wood by the feet of the workmen.
81 burned up set of them whiie
ago" said Mr.. Farnham," aud the goio
found paid for new set for the entire
department"
nv II t.. .f 41,n onanloupe were