Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-11

never any motion TO let you know WHATS
goin' on, but doing the work all the same
The few tricks I've seen tried were
caught up with as slick as a whistle, ana
the fellows bounced on and fred before
they or anybody else guessed what WAS
up. Something tells me when there's any |
thing crooked about"
In the assayer's laboratory proper, |
where tiny, transparent walls and mar
ow-necked crucibies take the place of |
the huge rough implements without ana |
every function OF the resolvents. reagents |
absorbents, and separators, and the nice
adjustment OF values can be watched
step by step In miniature, the operations
are equally interesting.
The assayers headquarters does not
seem to belong rightfully In Wall street.
IL Is essentially a factory, mn ior tne
changing OF crude stuff into negotiable
form, and is out OF key with its surround
ings. The workmen employed there are
very different from the white-hngered
clerks In the big buildings round about.
Already the hugo brokers buildings OF
the vicinity frown on their plain-looking
assayer's building from such close range
of height and solidity as 10 seem begrudg-
ing OF room in that valuable block. ana
although It's being there Is convenience
| to the bankers its own immediate busi-
| ness could be carried on just as well IN
| any other part OF town where space was
| OF less consequence, and the plant could
spread out all It wanted TO. in the matter
| OF tubs and vats furnaces, and gas
! ranges. The present superintendent was
| one OF the original officials charged win
| the planning and altering OF the old prl-
vate bank building for government oc-
cupancy in 1854. Building operations dld
| not progress then as speedily as now ana
it was fully two years before all was
| in readiness for occupancy. The mousse
| warming received marked space and at
tention from the press at the time, and
when the first lots Of bullion were being
| assayed the place was thronged with IN
terested visitors. native tOwnsmen at ina
time. not out-of town sight-seers, FOR the
city was not so hurried nor crowded with
business and people as IL Is now.
The assayer's Office as conducted now
and for years back is one branch or gov
eminent work in which the ciyil-serYic'
system is I'm actual operation. The civil
Service Commission representative VINO
lately reviewed the place and its manage
ment. said: They could move us any
where. ana things would 80 on just the
$ same The men are well schOoled ant
I / competent, and we change hands seldom
$ far oftener from age or sickness than De
% lnquency. From $40 to $ a day is TN
f average pay for their eight hours work.
r The old doorkeeper. who is a survlVa
c of the first staff "separators' ever EN-
= ployed i'm New York, and was pensione'
j. off with his present easy-going post onl
e when his strength failed, likes 10 talk G
Z; the Wall street Of his early memory froi
o TOP to bottom There used TO be s3rsa
e parllla-fountain across the way when
k first came here; a trim little place ft
n cigars. and where you could get a pap'
n or a box Of lozenges when you wante
" None OF the houses on this block wei
.e ANYTHING to brag of in them times IN
re was the finest building on the street an
m there wasn't any Washington standir
IS out there on the steps neXt-door. a
Is these big sky-shooters have gone up,
to seems to me, in no time, and the sire
isn't ike the same except for the steep
ID AT the head OF tine finest steeple
IN New York or London, either, and J.
=. looked close at 'em all In both place
rt No matter how high the buildings -
at they can't make that steepie loo
" souattv." And the old man. brought ba
10 duty and everyday affairs by the
ne miliar sight Of a boy with satchel. as
t. sharply as 10 the satchers contents, a.
SIS turns the bearer into the right pain l
M the receiving-counters. L
20 OLIVE Z. GUNBH