The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1893-09-23
1855 IN AN OLD RAG CARPET.
Gold Recovered in the Mint at House.
CleaniAg-The Countin & OF Millions.

The longer n carpet is used in the
coiners' department at the United
States mint the more it is worth. Wear
and tear do not diminish its value.
Recently. SAYS tho San Francisco Er-
dminer, d thick WOODEN carpet that has
been on the coiners' floor fof sever
years was taken up and carefully
cremated. The precious ashes were
scrupulouis1y gathered together, as il
they were the relics Of some departed
saint. and by an elaborate refining
process the government recovered 27g
ounces Of gold, worth over IS, 500.
The metal had been deposited there
by the intinitesimal abrasions and
d~isintegrations of the yellow, metal
While being converted from bullion iu-
to coin.
Even the heavy gloves Of the men
who handle bullion are ~incinerated
and the gold is brought back to Uncle
SANS Golfers. Even the smoke from
the furnaces used for melting the
metal is made to redeliver the treasure
with which 1t is trying to escape. and
from the SCOT in tile chimney cunning
little bars of the yellow stuff are se-
cured. g.
The mint in this city is justnow uu-
dergoing the process of house clean
ing. 1t is an annual occurrence at THAT
institution, but this year. on account
of the exit of Gen. W. II. Dimond as
superintendent and the entrance of ex-
Lieut.. Gov. Dagggett to that position,
the house cleaning is mitch more
thorough than usual. The house clean,
ing includes cdttrting the cash. In the
ordinary annual count the seals Of the
safes are not broken. If they are unS
injured and bear upon them the
amount In the vault, which they al
most always do. the vault is not open
ed. At this time, however; owing to
the change of administration, every
vault will be opened. AS a starter
two gangs OF mon went to work re-
Gently In q vault containing {, 800 silver
bars.
Inside the vault the $500 white bars
lay piled in one corner, the pile stretch
ing the whole length of the vault,
about fifteen feet, and as high as a
mans chin. The bars measure about
12x6x6 inches, and each bears the
number and stamp OF the r%etiner, the
uncucSa anu Uue lulub uuulUcl, ene
weight before and after taking the as
say chip, and n tlattened corne show;
ing where the chip was taken from.
The men go at them with crowbars and
pry them out of the tiers in which they
lay, and then q laborer lifts the bal
with evident exertion. and bangs il
down on a little cal. The vault re,
sounds with the concussion, the nulr'
Der, weight, and iincness are called of
and checked off, and the car is unload
ed in another corner.
At frequent intervals bars are
weighed. Recently the first 200 bars
were weighed, but all were found cor
rect, and beyond an occasional tos,
the stamp was afterward taken a.
correct. the bars weigh about 10t
pounds apiece, and in the 1900 there
is aboAt So, 100, 200. In all there j!
5000, 900 in silver for the inspector.
to count, and enough gold to make
about $50, 900, 900 in all. Most OF TIL
metal is in bars, but there are sewers
million dollars in silver coin to b.
handled, aud this also will lie counted
by weight.
The s%weepings Of the institution TO
THE past year ure now being assaycd
after which they will be sold to TIL
highest bidder. In former Years n
much as s., 900 has been obtained from
the sweepings of the local mint, ant
they will surely be up to the STANDARD
this year. AT least SO say experts OF
mint sweepings.