The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-07-19

The Place Where Uncle Sans Coin
Is Made.
Philadelphia Bulletin.

The subject matter of to-day's chat on
men and things goes back 20 the olden time
IN the early days of the government of the
united states, ana to some of you 1t may in
part seem trite and familiar. 1t Sug-
gested to me by the inquiry of q distn-
guiShed citizen of New Jersey who on
passing the site of the first United States
mint on the east side of Seventh street
above Hilbert street, felt that he was not
SO we'll informed about so interesting a
place as he would like TO be. l am conf
dent, however, that there are not a few
others whose notions of it are somewhat
obscure The building was probably the
hrst structure W9ch the federal govern
ment owned 1t was there that the coins
greSS were turned out, and it was there
that the entire coinage of the government
was executed from the time of Washington
often more than worthy of comparison with
the very best specimens of the coinage of
old Spain and England. The beauty of the
impression OF some of them after the lapse
OF century is not now infrequently mat
ter of pride to the American numiSmatist
Nor is it altogether to be wondered at that
in those days of the primitive mechanism
at Seventh street and Sugar alley gilbert
street, 1T was possible for American coins
to win so high reputation, for the first of
the directors was Rittenhouse, that modest
but eminent genius, who was gifted with
an intellect not unlike Sir Isaac NeWton's
and of who the philOsophic Jefferson was
moved to eXclaim in admiration of him as
an astronomer that IF he has not made a
world, he has by, imitation approached
has lived from the creation to this day
Robert Norris and his associates had en-
tered into some plans during the Confed-
GRAFTON to establish a mint in Philadel-
phia or TO encourage private attempts to
set up q coinage system, but 1t was not
until the first administration of Washing
ton had been under way for more than
three years that there was sufficient con-
fdence in the skill of available designers
and artists to justify the passage of the
first mint act. Before that time John Har-'
per, saw manufacturer at Sixth and
Cherry streets, had struck off pennies with
the head of Washington upon them; but
the first President was opposed to their cir
eulatlon, and the dies were broken up.
The first Adam Eckfeldt, about this time
also superintended the coinage OF some
pieces with similar likeness of Washing
ton. 1t is said however, that Washing
ton himself placed 81 900 worth of silver bu j.
lion on deposit with Harper and had him
coin large number of dime pieces with a
face not unlike his wife Martha and dis
tributed them privately among his friends
here and in Europe. There were several
other pattern pieces with busts of Washing
ton, but none Of them legalized as cur
rency. These coins, however were regard
ed by Jefferson and his friends as sayoring
of monarchy. and they took particular
care In Congress that figure of Liberty
should be expressly authorized for the
regular coinage instead of the bust or the
head of the chief magistrate This feel
ing on the part of the Jeffersonians was
carried TO such a ridiculous extent that il
gave rise on one occasion to a highly COM
ical debate in the hall of the House of
streets. 1t repol ed that the figure of
an eagle should be stamped on the silver
coinage But even tn s seemed to partake
of royalty, for up jumped an indignant Viz
ginian with the objection that democratic
country should not commemorate the king
of birds.