The sun., 1899-10-22
MAKING OF GOLD BRICKS.
IT REQUIRES SKILL IND THE DEN tND
FOR THEN IS BRISK.
The Finest Made of Copper with an Alloy Of
Iinc-silNrr Desirable but too Costly for
the Gold Brick of Commsree-The Price
from $40 to A5O-Process Of Gliding.

The Finest Made of Copper with An Alloy Of
Zinc-SilNer Desirable but too Costly for
the Gold Brick of Commeree-The Price
from $40 to SSO-Proeess of Gliding.
That said the veteran glider indicating a
yellow oblone block upon his workbench. is
gold brick common 10 the commerce Of thC<e who
are generally known az confidence men, II
made in this shop by young man who only
rnrenuy became full HedEed glider and the
chances are hat 1t will eVentuslly find its way
into the hands u some swindler for transmission
u an agricultural district where all - guileeSS
ness and trust in human nature, for the young
man IN question ts foreigner whose honesty
Is not aoINe suspicion or reprosch
i should think the fellow would get hlms-li
into serious d!fhcuiy with the police suggested
the visitor who had brought an ldfashionet
picture frame II b- rehsbhta,ed
No, ihere - no danger uf thai replied the
veteran glider Tor II = not CONSIDERED n.sds
neanUr a. the laws nov stand " make a gold
brick When the rVn man ,r.es h. dispose % it
then the crime comes in. The glider never does
that. you know 1t isn't part ot his business
Most y; the ~JCsled gold br..Es uSed by swim.
dets are made IN NeSN YORK oon;inued the veteran
glider and the work j. done by skilled mec chanics
There are many more foreigners than Americans
engaged IA this questionable pursuit. but the
rspI.sl which oacks the enterprise | understand
comes rom American -. Arts Il - the tustriAus
and Italians Why are r-adiest 70 b-c"m- makers
oi gold bricks Any skilled worker can turn ont
the article II H. has the req usite delicate machinery
and materials still glider who has good trade
OF steady employment could not be PERSUADED
10 embark In an Undertaking which would ruin
his reputation irtet'ieyaLly and strip him Of his
legitimate patronage Although as said The
making u gold bricks Dies not appear In the laws
as felony. nevertheless 1t IS conducted with
absolute sey.eCy. To my certain knONleLxe
there are three concerns this city which vii.
accept contracts ~ Transform mparauvrly
Naiueiess metal into precious gold Tor considers
t!on and Will turn cu: as many perfected tr,As
as their rogue o. patron may desire These
shops are very small ga IA and employs NJ mere
than two " ih.-- men Ther- IS sull much money
IN the manufacture u ,h- bricks | AM told and
therefore Ih-ir sale by the confidence men mus;
still continue br-sA Occasionally Ne read Of a
gold brick having b-en sold in ,h- Ess, and even
IN w.d-awake New YORK but there : not enough
o be made IN the rrafc here by enterorl,lnx swim.
dlers who aim 10 beCone r.rh Most ot the uu,pu,
soes 10 the West and So4ih~est N-ry l.tle nt
II seiis u real gold EAST =! the Mlsstssipp or Ohio
rosi bricks ale made ot one Kind Of metal
as some refs"rs supp.>e. lis duite p..s,bIe ves
10 slid compressed h'e oicA but it will not with
sand the handling 0: yield NE weigh, required
hfsI gold erck made was merely glldet nre
0rick hsncr the nAme
7 be fnesi gold bricks d.sp,s-J u! 10 ;be come
ons in The Eas; and the unspphlsuc a,ed m!ne.s
Iane hers and farmers IN the Wtst and Southwest
have discovered that this alloy rerains the iusi!e
and lone o-iler than any Othe! metal and furnishes
immunity from the chemicals ustd n the gliding
Pure copper 100, have heard It said makes
an exceptionally. fine gold brek and lead, non
and gel arr, often gsed. Sve. 5 suIl morr
desirable and has frequently be- rrl yst
by swell manufacturers. Us prlnGps! recon
mendsEGon IS ,hA; gold and silver iuss+. and Unite
naturally but then sltrr s CLstly and Few makers
o' gold bricks eaa sr,rd ~ - =,
No!t leaf is neEe; used IN gliding metsls n
have been gilded by an application II gold powder
but even his method has h-eI discontinued
Nearly all Of tue ne'all.e gliding : done BY pyo.
Cesse~ tequ!'ns Liquid OF se n! so!id aera!s Far
NOR n tai. a IS teHen IN f'ld.ne gold orCk ihsn
me business told NE. lie made gold brcEs him.
self until wave ot reformation oye: helned
hm; The prev o: metal preferred BY him a.
y, n. SS, Oe' ., LHso, WIN no iessnolHnee s
one sr half =; real bricks dlame'er.
The va! !ue Q! ihe standard br.ck TUNED out
if made u pure gold. When the article j. f.,l
prepared FOX market rs cust 10 the purchaser
OF ih~ materials used. The purchaser from the
fsC;Sry Ot c"urse. eadeavUrs 10 secure better
NOT yet yut Of ,hetr apprenticeship sometimes
MAKE gold bricks .Or less than half VI the pr.ce-
nave quoted. but we are talking now only Oi
The Professionals
This reformed glider told me that when he
Sas engaged IN supplying the demand fUI gold
bricks the article most likely 10 accomplish ia
pl!pp>e Of deception was made from a mixture
Ut "'pp-: and Llnc. which WAS not the most ex
p-nsIN- hut which would stand the wear anu
IraF ~ iyuE 80. nye years Without losing tone "
llsre II required Just Nifty c-nts worth VI gold
i"r h!m 10 C"mpete the BRICK The process CON
mon!y usei by the manufacturers i known a.
water gliding because the last iJuCh given t. ;h-
p'scN - 9 chill i IN iced water he gold :
bought N eaV-S from the beAlcr> and placed IN
crucIolc w!ih mercury. the pr Portions b-nS
SIX Or seven parts Of mercury iD one u gold Ih-
me:cury IS first heated and the mixture : med=
the 'u~ed metals az" permitted 10 cuOl Of Then
the AnIaiHam Is squeezed through piece " cha
r!ps leather ~ UrdeEi eject the sgpertuuUs mcr
Cury aud the gold with twice It's Veig hi u utr
Cury remains behind IN . yellow mass o! the
consistency Of lard With this the crude brir.
!sv'ate-t the ANA M bring applied With brush
This is the initial step IN the meta nOrphosi>
Having reCrIv-d Its FIRST coat the brick IS sub
l-ci-d to strong heat fJG the purpus~ Of eyapyre
i'ns 'ne remaining mercury and IS then in god
form although ia! from perfect Minute lrr-x.
ltrtt- app-ar and muSt BE- removed tv delicate
brass brushes t.er brushing, Lax ~ true
golden tone VII BE- apparent but that >, easily
rra,el.et oy gal.nS thr b'cA oyer With gliding
way when = a p'"paiaion Of alum. verdgr.s
red l-'hre and b,raN The brick = sgain rIp[se-!
u the acLlgn o' fr- until hr vsN j. entirely di<
~piv-t Then II !S the real gold brick bu, IN
order !, give the sw.ndlrr~ who purthS>. then,
honest values for their .i.-y the c,nS-i-ntl tl,,s
nlnnula ,ture! n!akes Il a few ,a:ars Enr. In,
ne dos by opverlng II with Saline comps ZION
ana again cND'Slns it t. a high Temperature Il
- at LAST .hI..cd n water ami the perfect gold
6I.cA i ready :g' rs par, N S,ue Sw!ndl.ng gan-
The brS' gold bricks ere prot against moisture
years without ipr.ns igSirc OF tone and stand all
sorts II hAnt!ing N,St manIfs cturers qua.
sHl~r iae.r br'cA> !or ttre years