The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1900-01-12
The FIRST SILVER DOLLAR
Gne Hundred and Five Years Ago
Last October 1t First Came
Into Existence.

Into Existence.
The silver dollar as a national piece
If money, minted by Uncle Sans serv-
ants under laws passed by Uncle Sans
congress, is more than los years of age.
It was on October Is, 1894, that the first
Few hundred silver dollar pieces ever
coined at Philadelphia were sent
out into the world to help transact its
business.
Not at all bad-looking coins were the
first of the United States silver dollars;
they were almost as handsome as any
that have ever been, put out 10y this gov
eminent, and that is saying good deal,
for American coins have generally
ranked among the most goodly to.look
Upon of any in the world. The dollar
Of 1894, however, would look strange to
modern eyes. In the first place the
value Of the piece was not shown upon
either the diverse or the reverse Of
the coin, but stamped in fine letters on
Its edge were the words: Hundred
:ents, one dollar or unit" On the OBJ
verse was a Liberty head, facing right,
with flowing hair; over the head was
the word Liberty" beneath, in the
usual place, was the date, 1874" and to
the right and left were the stars, Is in
number, typical of the number of states
then in the young union.
On. the reverse was spread eagle,
surrounded by laurel wreaths, crossed,
and the words: "United States of
America" The metal was S94.4-thou-
sandths fineness and the weight was
416 grains.
The dollar of to-day weighs 412 grains
and is 9O0-thousandths fine.
In 1852, six years after the Declara-
zion of Independence and IL years be-
fore the first silver dollars were actual
ly turned out, Robert Morris, then head
of the finance department, submitted
to congress a scheme for the establish
ment of a United States mint and the
coinage of various denominations of
metal money, including silver dollars.
The authorship of this plan was claimed
by Gov. Norris, relative of the man
who proposed it. It was received with
some favor and the following year con-
gress authorized the erection of mint.
But nothing came of it then, objections,
chiefly on the ground of expense, being
raised in many quarters.
In 1888 Thomas Jefferson submitted
scheme providing for the coinage of
golden eagles, silver dollars, half dol
lars, double dimes and dimes and cop
per cents and half cents. In 1856 con-
gress adopted this plan and queer-loo<-
ing cents and half cents were coined
4 &c Tr
was then no federal mint, however, the
striking of these pieces was let out by
contract to a man named Jarvis, who
did the work in the old colonial minis,
situated at New Haven, Conn, and Ru
pert, VT.
In 1892 the first United States mint
was built in Philadelphia. It was
small, oId-fashioned three-story affair.
but it was considered a great institu-
ton by the citizens of the young repub-
lie, especially those who CHANGED to re-
side in Philadelphia. Men were not
wanting then, however, who declared
it to be useless piece of expense for
struggling government to saddle itself
with.
It was in 1892 also that congress de-
clared that the dollar should hence
forth be considered the unit of federal
coinage, and ordered that all business
accounts must be kept according to the
decimal system.-Pittsburgh Dispatch.
Too Busy.
"You said you have no opinions
about the guilt or innocence of the
prisoner" said the friend.
81 know it," said the man who had
been to court.
"But you had already expressed
opinions to me-"
81 had. But the opinion I was
forming of the lawyer who asked me
all those hard questions was getting
to be 80 enormous and intense that
there was no room for any other just
then."-Washington Star.
The other Ingredient.
Master-How do the dogs like the
new food, John?
John-They don't take kindly to it.
sir.
"How do you account for that,
John?"
"Well, you see, sir, it says on the
packet that dogs will eat it with
avidity,' and they never sent none OF
that; but I'll try 'em again as soon as
I gets the other packet to mix With
it!"-Answers.
b He Was Curious.