The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-28

Text Of Assay Omce Bill and
Committee Report.
GOLD Will AL COME HERE,

tor Alaseka Fuiiy Appreciates In
Cssgress-Treassre sAfDs Al Sasl
Hre0 seattle ana Resarn mere
WITH Thear Cargses 81 Geld Dust.
eStahlish an assay Office In Seattle. ioseih-
er with the text OF the favorable report of
the. btu by the COMMITTEES Of the house TO
which Il Vas referred:
An act TO establish an assay Office at
Seattle. Wash
Be II enacted by the senate and house
OF representatives of the United states OF
America In congress assembled. That the
secretary Of the treasury Ii hereby au-
fhorixed and required to establish an assay
on!ce Of the United States at Seattle. IN
the state Of Washington: aaid assay Office
TO be conducted under the provisions OF
the act entitled An act revising and
amending the laws relating to the mints
and assay Offices and the coinage Of the
United States,' approved February Il. ls73;
that he officers Of the assay office shall
be an aaSayer IA charge. at a salary OF
G.a0 per annum. who shall also perform
the duties OF meIter: chief clerk. At . sal
airy OF 1850 per annum. And the secre-
tary Of the treasury Is hereby authorized
d
such assay Office: and there is hereby APP
prspriased. on. Of any money in the treas
ury not otherwise appropriated, the sum
Of $4,000 for salary OF assayer In charge.
chief clerk. and wages of workmen, rent
and contingent expenses.
Passed the senate March 3. 1875"
The committee on coinage. weights and
6. 3.l40 to establish an asny office at
Seattle. Wash, respectfully SUBMITS the
following report:
.'At the time the above mentioned bill
was referred TO your committee there
were pending before II two separate bills.
one (R r. !, s94) for the establishment Of
an assay Office at Seattle and the other
(H. r. $3.50 to establish similar Office
at Portland, Or. sf7 rs 4rta.i
sIu answer TO a communication to the
hohora bic secretary Of the treasury re-
questing the Views Of the department as
10 the wisdom and propriety OF the bill
and the necessity of an assay ONCE al
Seattle, Wash under date Of January
Is. lSSS. he says:
9Th, The gold product , Of Alaska.un'ted
brought out By miners from the Klond!ks
nsarls ii 81 Which was deposited az the
mints and assay offices OF the United
States. A large amount OF the gold COM
was brought by steamer to Seattle. and
to the assay Office at Helena. Mont.
es T. saf Seattle an or sons
convenient point in the same section. the
greater part OF the gold comlag from
Alaska would be deposited theTeat.
% in addition to any gold that might be
expected 10 come from the sources above
mentioned. much OF the gold produced in
Oregon and Washington would also be
deposited there.
III would remark that there Is no mint
or assay office In the Dominion of Canada
for the receipt and payment to depositors
OF the value OF the gold bullion. therefore,
al god bullion prodnced n mat country
sss al yhs n,s g s,sas f nn o
ton received. there Is every reason TO be-
heve that for years to come very large
kan and a al E proper ' EFFORTS Sa sho9id e made
to bring THIS gold. whether produced In
our own or Canadian territory, 10 our
minis.
And in reply to request that the COM
miisee be- favored with the views Of the
department with reference 10 the estab-
tskments OF an assay Office at Portland.
Or. under date Of February I, 1895. no fur
Their says:
g The gold product OF Oregon for 1886
|. is estimated TO have been 81 2ai 600 and far
ISIS. A.is,cs9: the product for the ada
cent state Of Washington was. in 1886, as
tinlated to have been s40s. 900. and for 1897.
S51G.oe1
= The product OF Alaska proper for 1897
the amount brough; out By miners from
the Kiondike. BritiSh territory. a., s. 500 oo0
most OF which was deposited at the nllnts
and assay offices of the United Sa'es
. III an assay office were established az
Portland Seattle or some other convenient
point In the same section. much of the gold
produced in Alaska and the Northwestern
territory would be deposited thereat There
GSiIHNT government
Office IN the Dominion Of Canada: there
fore, the greater part OF the gold produced
minis and assay Offices OF the United
States, IL may he proper 10 remark hero
that the establishment q an assay Office
a' either Portland In the state OF Oregon,
ar Seattle. in the state of Washington.
would be all that wosild be required on
the Pacific coast. The Information re-
eeived leads 10 the belief that for years 20
come very large amount Of god viii ba
produced IN the sections above mention cd
and efforts should be made TO have the
same. whether produced IN our own or
Canadian territory. come TO the minis OF
the Caited States
Fer some reason the estimated produc-
sion CT gold IN the states Of Oregon and
Washington. as stated by the department.
IA much less ;han that Obtained from other
sources The estimates fron all other
sources have Placed the production OF
Washington far above that contained in
ths treasury. with prospects for a large
Increase liz isse. and thcss who have urged
the location OF Al assay Office at the city
Of Portland. Or. can attention 10 the re-
ctnt discoveries 81 gold and the great ac-
tissty Of the mining industry Of that state
ard insist that me sosd production OF the
state Of oregon for the coming year can
TOT fail short % SIX or seven million dol
lars.
While the estimates rela'sye 30 she pro-
ducti0n OK so'd IN Alaska and the KI0n-
dixie mnst cf necessity De largely specmla~
tive, very large yields are confidently ex-