The morning call., 1893-07-06

lynx-eyed officials specially on the spot.
Every bar, ingot, clipping, filing and mi
nutest speck is dragged to light and added
TO the tale OF assets for which the new
Su$eTin tendent has to sign formal receipt
before being sworn into his new office.
So yesterday there was a strange. weird
scene going on in the basement of the Mint.
The doors of the great strong vault ID,
generally closed and sealed. were thrown
open. In the close, unWnOlesOme atmOs-
phere within stood the incoming Superin-
tendent. john Daggett, watching opera
tons, while close at his elbow, also in
frock coat and tall hat, was William Il.
Morgan. representing the directory of the
Mint at Washington, d. c., and who has
come here specially to be present at this
count.
Right in among the glistening silver
walls were Robert Barrett, the now chief
clerk, representing Mr. Dsggett in the
actual SUPERVISION; a. a. HassaD, an eX
pert assistant of the Mint directory; Rep
Tesentative Morgan from Washington, ID.
c.; D. Fl. Everett, representing General
w. 81. Dimond, the Superintendent of the
Mint; Frank BerdaD, weigher; Chief Clerk
i. II. Clement; Conner Charles NJ. Gorham.
Not all Of these had active work Or were
officially concerned. but there was lot of
perSpiring connected with the count.
To begin with there are three hapless
individuals who do clerical work and
check of the bars as their number and
weight are called off by the actual
handlers. 1t is these handlers who have
no picnic OF it. One might think there was
certain romance in handling thousands
of bricks Of solid silver. but when it comes
to matter ot lifting the ordinary man
would prefer the more porous clay brick
every time. The ancient Hebrews in
Egypt rebelled. it is said, against having to
fool around with bricks, but if those
bricks had been silver they would prob
Pharaoh sooner than they did.
Anyway, In the mepbitlc atmosphere of
the bullion vault, heated by the breath of
many mortals and poorly lighted by many
candles stuck into tin sconces and candle
sticks, the modern toilers cannot work for
long at time. They have TO work very
fast. end lifting 70-pound weights to a
height of seven feet becomes monotonous.
not to say eXhausting, especially wien
each weight has to be taken from its place,
handled, examined, weighed, placed on a
truck and wheeled over to another place
all with clockwork regularity and under
the critical eyes of impatient officials.
SO the passage outside the vault was
crowded with strong. white-sleeved en-
ployes waiting for their turn. They work
in shifts of three and five. and mighty glad
are thew when it is time to rest spell
INeJ EOTk Is DO 6lnecure or cnll0'S play.
The pretty silver walls represented
whole heap of money. This was bullion
purchased under the Sherman act of 1890
and here have been stored. besides, all the
silver purchased in small lots" of 1000
ounces or less since the coinage of silver
dollars was stopped last January
In this vault alone it was calculated that
there were about $500 silver bricks aver
aging 1900 ounces each or 5000, 900 ounces.
ready to be cast into bright, new silver
dollars.
Each brick is stamped with its number.
fineness and weight when first turned out.
Afterward a corner is Clipped off to be
assayed and the brick is reweighed and
the new weight stamped upon it. A rec
ord is taken Of each brick. and it is this
record which was being closely checked
yesterday. and which was unfinished when
4 o'clock struck.
To-day tile countingsdetail will be trans
ferred to another silver bullion vault
where 1000 silver bars are stored away
awaiting the edict Of President Cleveland
and his extra session. These bars will
probably be transferred to vault ID. under
consideration yesterday, and when they
have been duly counted the massive doors
VIII be closed and double-locked and an
official seal affixed which cannot be broken
except under high instructions.
Just opposite silver bullion vault D is
coin vault Z, tightly locked and barred.
This was sealed up some years ago but
was subsequently opened under instruc-
tions from Washington, L. c. The ire
mendous doors still bea-. however. the re-
mains of the paper and official seals by
which they were protected, and represent
that on July 8. 1890. the vauit contained
the tidy little sum of S9,200.000 This
modest little bulletin is signed by Ii. Clay
Sitter, representing the directory of the
pint at Washington, d. C., and is counter