The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-03-22

munity than the remarkable statistics
relating TO this institution. TO which i
particularly call the attention of the
committee on appropriations.
Il wish to add further that the Butte
public buihding bill passed the senate
at the last session of the present COZ
gress and has been favorably reported
by the house committee on public
buildings and grounds. An amendment
TO the last sundry civil bill appropriate
ing $50. 1000 for the purchase OF n site was
also passed by the senate. but was
stricken out in conference"
The letter of Librarian John +.
Davies says: The library was opened
to the public Feb. :, 1884. in a building
erected by the city. at a cost of about
Ss5. 900. At that date there were 14.1S5
volumes on the shelves. On April l OF
that year. when the annual report was
compiled. the library contained 15.iS5
volumes. April /. 1895. the contents
were 1872 volumes; April l. 1896. there
were 9,423 volumes. April I. 1897. II. 022
volumes. and the first of the present
mont MARCH there were 22.S7s vol
ufnes either on the shelves or in the
hands of patrons. April !, 1894. there
Were 1855 books borrowers cards I'm
use. April 1. 1895. 1861 cards: April I.
1896. 3.15s cards; April I. 1897. 3,1s2 cards,
and March l, 1898. 1886 cards. In 1894,
42.s42 volumes were issued for home
use. which number was increased To
80. 1921 volumes in 1895: 6s,944 volumes in
1896. and so. 500 in 1897. Eighty thousand
and sixty-nine persons registered as
using the books in the reference depart
ment in 1894 i1.1s4 In 1896; 1882 in 1896.
and 1928 i'm 1897.
THE reading room has always been
p~atronized tn its full capacity. Present
indications are that next year we shall
issue 90. 200 volumes for home use and
increase the number of active book bor-
rowers' cards to 5000"
The house committee IN coinage.
weights and measures has favOrably re-
ported a bill to amend section 35i2 of
the revised statutes, fixing the amount
that may be allowed the coine and
melter and refner of the coinage mints
and assay office at New York for the
wastage of gold and silver.
The report. presented by Mr.. Stone
Of Pennsylvania. says: The effect of
this bill. II il becomes a law, Will be TO
reduce the limit of the amount allowed
for wastaFe in the several minis of the
United states as follows:
ION gold, in case of the melter and
renner. from one ne-thousandth to
thousandth. and on silver from
one and one-half thousandths to one
half thousandth.
"On gold, i'm case of the coiner. from
one thousandth to one-half thousandth.
and on silver from one-half thousandth
to one-quarter t~housandth.
The amount allowed under existing
law has been found TO be excessive. and
the limit fixed i'm this bill is believed to
be high enough to cover all legitimate
and necessary Wastage.
The following extract from a letter
from the secretary Of the treasury clear
ly explains the propriety of this bill:
The amount IL liz permissible under ex-
listing law to allow the melter and re-
finer and coiner of the United States
minis for wastage I'm their operations of
the precious metals Is excessive, and
should be reduced so as to limit the
amount In the case of the melter n
refiner to one-half thousandth of the
whole amount of gold and one-thou-
sandth of the Whole amount Of silver
delivered him since the last settlement
OF his accounts, and in the case Of the
coiner to one-half-thousandth of the
amount of silver and one-quarter thou
sandth of the amount of gold delivered
him. This would be ample to cover any
legitimate loss liable tn occur i'm the
manipulations of the precious metals
by the officers named. Since 1873 the
loss OF the precious metals by the ope-
ratiye officers Of the mint has seldom
exceeded % per cent. of the legal al
lowance.'" HOSFORD.