The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-21
COINAGE MINT FOR DENVER.
The Government Has Ordered an In.
spection of the Gold Fields,

spection of the Gold Fields.
The agitation inaugurated some time
ago by influential westerners for the
purpose of securing a branch coinage
mint at Denver, seems to be bearing
fruit. The government is taking the
matter up and now has an expert in
lvestigating the gold resources of Colo
RADIO. He may next turn his attention
to Utah, which would be greatly bene-
fitted by the location of the mint at
Denver. In giving the details of the
tour of inspection, now in progress, the
Denver Republican says:
Assayer Pickett, of the Denver
branch mint, goes to Cripple Creek to-
day on a government mission. The
mission is supposed to be secret and is
disguised as a courtesy trip with gov
eminent experts, Z. F. Butler and r.
w. Braddock. 1t is learned on good
authority, however, that the treasury
department has instructed Mr.. Puck
EFT to make a personal examination of
the great gold camp and, later, of the
Leadville gold belt for the purpose of
gathering data to be used as argu-
ments for the establishing of a coinage
mint in this city. With the party will
go Editor Reinert, of the Mining Rec
ord. who will assist the assayer in the
preparation of his report.
The plan of the government officials,
as understood here, is to have the
movement in such shape that when
Congress meets in December a bill
will Immediately be introduced and so
backed UP by facts, treasury depart
ment influence, and a strong delega-
ton of mining men from Colorado that
! it can be rushed through before it
gets tangled up with the mass of leg
jslation that invariably encumbers
G n ,nrl,-i 30 Ion Sc.
necessary, there must be some strong
talk in committee, and Mr.. Puckett's
report is to furnish the argumentative
ammunition.
1t must show that the increase of
gold production more than justifies
the expense of a coinage plant, and in
order to put the facts in as clear light
as possible personal examination of
the mines is deemed advisable. The
report must include actual production
for 1894, estimated total production for
1895 and expert opinions on the con-
tinuance of Cripple Creek and Lead
Vile as gold yielders. The presence of
Messrs. Butler and Braddock with the
party is of no particular significance,
but they would be valuable witnesses
before a congressional committee
1t is not known that Mr.. Pickett will
examine other gold districts. With
| San Miguel, Gilpin, Boulder, Summit
land the larger placers there will not
be so much trouble in forming esti-
mates, as the ore bodies are compare
lively well known. In their case the
| figures can be based on an increasing
ratio for each month. as evidenced by
the mint receipts. The difficulty will
be to avoid Understanding.
Cripple Creek, however, is still a
puzzle, new discoveries coming to light
as depth is attained, and every de-
velopment indicating greater riches
than had previously been guessed at.
The Leadville gold belt is also uncer-
tain in regard to extent. and there, too,
every strike widens or lengthens the
gold territory. AS both districts are
furnishing fresh surprises every day
1 to Coloradoans, it is not probable that
/ a congressional committee would have
| up to date information unless it were
provided by an UP to date report.