The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-11-25

can make this experiment for youIseI
bv dropping a silver coin INTO some Dyl-
nitric acid: but / advise you NOT 70 III
boiling nitric acid Is dangerous stun TO
handle. ,..,i.. ,,r..,
THE deposit is put in a hydraulic press
md uressed into round cakes tndt LOOK
very much like huge cheeSeS. lIe9e
cakes are then treated with sptiteI I'm,
which turns them INTO metallic SILVER
again. When gold and silver are Inassed
together the mass is boiled in nitric aGlu,
which does not effect the goa, put uls
solves the silver. The resulting hltIdte
of silver has 10 be drawn, on CaIeluny
with a big siphon. The acid liquenes any
metal except gold or the stu more cost
~ platinum. so the siphOn used Is lldue
OF gold and contains 5000 worth Oh H.
Il have explained these processes 10
Won to convince YOU that no matter WHAT
uses gold or silver may have been put
to before they reach the mint thty are
absolutely pIJe when they are tuileu
out in coin. Nothing can go lhlOuSh tll"N
bath OF acid without losing an us I'M
purities. Some strange things happen IN
the big acid tank. We have had DIE con
signments Of rare old family plate that
disappeared utterly when the ac4u loVh
hold Of them. That Is, ts3re was no slII
yer whatever in the articles, though an
the ordinary tests led US 10 beIleNe tIdL
they were made of bullion. Inc aclu a.
ways tells the story and tells IL truth
fully. When there is no deposit OF emo
ride of silver in the tubes there was no sill
yer in the articles. After the SILVER Is re-
fined Ii is moulded into bars, ana IN ltlS
shape II may lie in the mint vaults LOT
ten or twenty years before IL - Co', IT,
When IL is 70 be coined the bars are run
into ingots, and in the form OF com II
may lie in the vaults for twenty years
more. 49,
any American coin was made. The Mint
at Philadelphia was the first one IN tHlS
country. and after others were estap-
lished IL was for a long time the ned1
establishment the minis at New OiI , et,e,
San Francisco. and Carson Clty, peils
branches; but few years ago ediyn n mn,
was made separate concern. w men YOU
see a small o anywhere on com tIIdt
tells YOU that il was mntea IN NV
Orleans. An S shows that the com VS.
made in San Francisco, c. c. StanuS lol
Carson City, but you will not hhu lIldt on on
any new coins. as no coming - uoHe ~
Carson City at present. -,-Aio
THE MINIS neighbors In Phllauei,PY iIt
have become used to hearing lualllduc
OF firearms in our courtyard every noun,
as though We were having a battle. me
law requires us TO keep a supply OF m
arms and directs how they snail D. nan
died. In the corridor close 10 the assn
office are TWO racks and large CdolIIoII,
The racks contain twenty rifles WIN
bayonets attached. and the caDIhtt II. 10
filled with revolvers. II Is necessary "
have these things to defend the Govern.
ments property with in case OF ateaon
In this building 10 take any ,TIlhLda i0e ~,
We have at present about SlyC'VI,V't,,o
worth OF gold and silver deposlted III
the vaults. besides a great numpe! VI
relics IN the museum that cOuIu Ilo' De
replaced. By an act NJ Congress We a.
required to have all the firearms eAa
ed every day, and they all have 70. De
flred and cleaned once n month. -.
the twenty night watchmen go on , uuty
In the afternoon they take the FeNo'eeIS
from the cabinet and lay them III O'"
venient places about the building.
There are many other curious thlilsS
about Uncle Samuels mints. suPPose
YOU know that two men are under h,dsS
bonds FOR the saTekeepng of the tre4sItte
I'm each mint. one OF these Is thr ~, -,
rector OF the Mint, who has charge OF az
the establishments, and the other ~ .,'e
superintendent OF each mint. bNeIS
vault door has two locks, and there Is
a man for each key. so that the door
cannot be unlocked without the presence
OF both men. One OF the men represents
the director. the other represents the
superintendent
zone or our curiosties In Philadelphla
Is a small consignment of gold from
Madagascar II was mined and smelte1
and done UP for shipment by natives
and is the brightest gold we have. they
took a piece OF bamboo about six Inches
long and two inches In diameter, and
polished the outside till It Is as smooth
as glass. Then they put q wooden cork