Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-10
SEATTLE'S ASSAY OFFICE
Il
Preparing to ReceiYet the Coming Wealth
from Alaska.
NEED OF THE NEW TESTING PLANT
Advantages That Will Come from
Handling the Expected Flood
Of Gold frs.syehe North
ernitralds.

SEATTLE. Wash, June ~9.-(Special.) >
George Il. Roberts, director of the mint,
and Theodore f. Swayze, chief clerk of the
United States Treasury department. are in
the city for the purpose of selecting a site
for the new assay office that has been To-
Gated here to accommodate the gold on the
way from Alaska. The officials are proceed
ing carefully in the preparations for this
new Office and before they leave will start
the work. Mr.. Roberts, talking in regard to
the work of the Mint department., among
other things says:
THE Seattle assay office will receive de-
posits of gold precisely on the same terms
as govern the reception of gold at the
United States mint. The assay office will
be as advantageous as a mint in every way
with the exception that not as many men
will be employed. Another difference be-
tween the two institutions is that all bull
lion is shipped to a mint at the expense
of the government, while the government
does not share any of the expenses incurred
in the transportation of gold to an assay
office. The theory of the government in re-
gard to the establishment and operation OF
assay Offices is to place them at a point in
the country that is convenient to miners,
so as to encourage the mining industry and
the development Of gold. In the establish
mont Of these assay offices 1t is the desire
and intention of the government to put all
of the mining districts practically on he
same basis, so that each territory will be
treated alike and no favors shown toward
any locality. Under the terms of deposit
which will govern the Seattle assay office,
and are now in vogue at the other assay
offices of the country, the miner will de-
--.. " - A. Ill n -z.-I%- IL,
his presence. after which he will be given
a receipt. The gold will then be taken to
the smelling room and treated for the pur-
pose of eliminating the foreign substance.
After the foreign substance is eliminated
the gold Is then cast into a bar of rectangu-
lar form, and two assayers are put to work
on it. One of the assayers takes a clip of
gold from one end and assayer No. 2 per-
forms a similar operation on the other end.
If the assays agree or conform with each
other, the bar of gold is presumed to be
of the same ineness all the way through.
II the assays disagree, the bar is again sent
to the smelling room'ifor treatment, and
the same operation IL gone through until
such a time as the two assays agree.
THE miner is paid substantially the
amount that his gold represents in coin.
there being only a. few slight charges for
the treatment of coarse gold. 1t can be
said, though, that the miner is paid sub
stantially what his gold represents in money.
Payment at the assay office will be made
in drafts on the United States government.
which are usually worth par at any bank.
while at the mint the depositor has the
privilege of being paid. in coin, made out
Of his own gold, if desired. The system
which governs the operations OF a mint
would not be practicable at any assay Of
flee, as money is not coined at an assay
Office. .+s,a "A, 8. ,,..- a..
1.-THE assay Office IN Seattle was created
more especially for the treatment of Alaska
gold, and as was stated In the Post-ln-
telligencer yesterday, it will be prepared
equipped and in operation by July 10 II
order to be in readiness for the first treas
ure ship from st. Michael. 1t is supposed
by the government that one-half the golo
brought down from Alaska will come te
Seattle to be assayed and since l have beer
here I have been told by we'll informed mer
that more than half Of the entire OUTPUT
will be taken to the local assay once. II
the miners bring out the gold themselves
it is quite natural that they will go ashore
at the first stopping place where is located
a United States assay office and where they
I COulu al OuCc 6eI Pdlu ~ 6oAe SS~o
back. 1t is a fact that Seattle will be thu
first stopping place where the miners car
receive pay for their gold. and we expec
that they will come here. Seattle will b.
benefited a hundred fold. as 1t Is a fac
that at every place in the United State
where is located an assay office the miners
spend much Of the. money they receive
:. many of them locate there permanently
J while others invest their wealth in bushes
enterprises.
IT have already placed orders for tn
I entire euuipment of the assay office and /
is expected to arrive here by July l..
expect that the chief assayer in charg
: of the Office will be appointed shortly b
i. President Mckinley. The chief assayer ma
I power to appoint his assistants. but all o
his appointees are subject to the approva
:. of the directors of the mint, and to the pro
visions of the civil service act. SeVera
q important places in the office will probabl
Y be filled by promotion from other ASA
. offices in the country. The other assay of
n fees and their annual receipts are: Denver
the most important in the country, $4,000,
: 900 in gold; Charleston, N. c., and st. Louis
: about $3.50, 900 each; Helena. Mont, $4,000,
900; Boise City, 81, 400, 900. and Carson Cit,
$3.50. 900. 1t will be readily seen that tn
entire force in the Office will not be new I
Z the business. The directors OF the mir
have Just recommended the adjustment {
Z the minis at Carson City and New Orlean
4 on the grounds that hey do not receiv
enough bullion, and a mint to cost $780, C
K Is to be erected at Denver.
!, a Min Not Likely.
q "No, / don't believe that a mint will
established at Seattle, although 1t Is a har
I thing to predict what congress will d.