Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-12

The strips are fed, as it were, into a |
small opening, thru which they pass
being caught in the vise-like grip of 8 |
small metallic carriage, carried by an
endless chain, which passes under the
slot lust mentionst' into which the
strips are fed. This carriage, of
course, is controlled by system of
ratchets so that it can be carried as
far out and returned as the operator
wishes. BY this means the edges are
smoothed and the whole strip "sized"
to an approximate perfection.
The Cutter.
Now they pass thru the hands of an
assistant on their way to the cutter.
| If perchance, strip has arrived this
far without being perfect in width or
thickness, it is cast aside to be re-
turned with the scraps to the first fur
mace, remelted, and sent over the same
road again. This cutter is an active
| little chopping-box like apparatus
which clips out 1872 round melted discs
per minute These discs are fed thru
another machine that is like an I'M
mense iron column bobbing up and
down with a. 200 ton pressure. Thus
Il the coin receives the thickened mar
gin and the milling. The milling is
the notches around the edge of the
coin. Next they pass to the dies, for
which they are now ready. First they
are fed into cylindrical hopper about
six or eight inches high, whose diam
eter is just large enough to hold the
discs flat-wise one above the other.
An automatic feed underneath carries
them one by one at the rate of 100
per minute under the Idle" where
they receive the final stamping, (the
Figures and inscriptions,) rendering
them now fit to be called "coin," which
they are. and the most symmetrical
land artistic issued by any nation. And
if issued from the San Francisco mint.
with the added distinction that they
are offsprings of the largest mint in
the world
/ They are then cast into tray with
! grooves along the bottom just large
enough for them to stand on edge one
after the other facing the operator;
the operator then shuff1es the tray
about much the same as one would
shake sitter to slit flour. This pro-
icess settles them into the grooves
mentioned. so they may be readily
picked up for inspection and counting,
for, in spite of all the accuracy of the
machinery, an imperfect is now and
then produced.
| forgot to state that just between
the cutting and milling machine is a
weigher who tests one or two of the
first discs from each strip to be sure
they are full weight
Are Coins Now.
From now on it is "coin" with which
the operator is dealing. They are care
fully counted in trays whose dimen-
sions are mechanically exact and hold
a known quantity of whatever denom-
nation they are designed for. This
, device enables the operator to count
rapidly and not only automatically
but mechanically correct. Close rec
ord is now kept of the amount and de-
nominations, and they are passed
along for washing thru acids, sawdust
and water, to remove the grease, bees
wax, and other accumulations. Also
) ito receive the final test as to weight
land perfection. This final counting
and weighing is done by women oper-
ating with very fine file to remove
j an almost imperceptlDle portion from
!, the milled edges, reducing the coin tc
! its proper weight. il perchance il
5 should be too heavy. If too light il
must be returned with the scraps and
+ melted over again.
E The Clean Up.
: y Now as to the general cleanup: Ir
s the first place each operator changes
q, his clothes each morning on entering
n the building, DOMINIC his working suit
Y and rechanging to his regular gar
Y lments before retiring from the build
g ing when his days duties are DER.
t In the springtime, once each veal
!. every part of the building is thoroly
h cleaned from cellar to garnet jol
d which takes two or three weeks time
). Every nook and corner. every inch o
J floor space is carefully swept ant
r busted, machinery, and all. The ole
clothes included are cleaned and thu
sweepings are then put thru the fur
mace, and several thousand dollars o
gold and silver are obtained. which
g has floated up in gaseous form from
: the molten metal or separated itsel
,. by abrasion from the bullion as i
n passes thru its various stages and ma
e nipulations.
y Curios.
There is also a collection of oil,
coins, medals and various other relics
connected with the mint, which is on
= of the largest and rarest in the world
. There are coins from every natiol
y now in existence, as well as of SOM
y of the ancient dynasties known onl
= to history.
. There is a specimen of $50 piec
$ Called slugs) struck by this state il
n early days. There are samples Q
s quarters and halves" struck by pr
II vate enterprise. The United State
IS government itself never had any Q
1t these demonstrations struck TIL
n largest piece ever struck by the go,
eminent is the double eagle, or twent
dollar piece, and SO on down to eagles
half-eagles, quarter-eagles and fe,
N one-dollar pieces. AS to the variou
n, coinages of the various metals car
,e not tell you now.
5; Was in SoIomon's Temple.
y One relic | happen to remembe
y having seen in the mint some year
- ago which created a lasting impress
iC Ir;. ;,,l