Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-20
$500 IN AN OLD RAG cAkPEr.
Gold Recovered I'm the Mint nj Mouse Clsss-
fng-The Counting of Millions.

Gold Recovered I'm the Mint NJ Mouse Clsss.
fng-The Counting of Minions.
From the San Francisco Examiner.
The longer a carpet is used in the coiners' de-
partment at the United States mint the more IL
is worth. Wear and tear do not diminish IDS
value. Yesterday a thick wooden carpet that
has been on the coiners' floor for seven years
was taken mp and carefully cremated. The
precious ashes were scrupulously gathered to-
gether. as il they were the relics Of some de-
parted saint, and by an elaborate refining pro-
cess the government recovered 27s ounces Of
gold, worth over IS, 500. The metal had been
deposited there by the infiuItesimal abraslsns
and disintegrations Of the yellow metal while
being converted from bullion into coin.
Even the heavy gloves Of the men who ham
die 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 il is trying TO escape. and from the
SCOT in tine chimney cunning little bars of the
yellow stuff are secured.
The mint in this city is Just now undergoing
the process of house cleaning. IL 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-Liout
Gov. Daggett TO that position. the house clean
ing is much more thorough than usual. The
house cleaning includes counting the cash. In
the ordinary annual account the seals Of che
safes are not broken. IL they are uninjuFed
and bear upon them the amount in the vault,
which they almost always do. the vault IL not
opeued At this time. however, owing TO the
change of administration, every vault win be
opened. As a starter two gangs OF men went
TO work yesterday morning IN q vault contain
ing 2. 500 silver bars.
Inside the vault the 2, 500 white bars lay piled
in one corner, the pile stretching the whsle
length Of the vault, about fifteen feet, and
high as mans chin. The bars measure about
l2x6x6 inches, and each bears the number ADD
stamp of the refner, the fneness and the mint
number, the weight before and after taking the
ASSAY chip. and a fattened corner showing
where the chip was taken from. The men go ~
them with crow bars and pry them out Of NE
tiers in which they lay, and then laborer Lifts
the bar with evident exertion and bangs IL dosn
on little car The vault resounds with the
concnssion, the number, weight and fneness
are called off and checked Of, and the car 10
unloaded in another corner.
At frequent intervals bars are weighed. Yes
terday morning the first 200 bars were weighed,
but all were found correct, and beyond an
occasional test the stamp was afterwsrd taken
rs correct The bars weigh about 100 pounds
apiece and in the 2 500 there IL about e. 100 600
In all there is SIS. 600 900 in silver for the in-
spectors TO count and enough gold 70 maze
about $50 00o, 900 in all Most Of the metal 10
in bars, but there are several million dollars In
silver coin to be handled, and this also viii 10
counted by weight
The sweepings OF the institution for the pssi
year are now being assayed, after which they
will be sold 10 the highest bidder In formsr
years as much as s3, 900 has been obtained fropl
the sweepings Of the local mint, and they WI
surely be up 10 the standard this year. A. lsssi
90 say experts on mint swsepings-