Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-02-12
HOW MONEY IS MADE.
There Are Several Ways But the
Mint Has the Easiest.
FROM ORE TO COIN OF THE REALM
Interesting Description of the Largest
Mint in the World by Visitor, in
Letter to His Son Who Resides
Near Ottumwa.

Mint in the World by Visitor, in
Letter to His Son Who Resides
Near Ottumwa.
A mint or rather that which it con-
tains has fascination for most peo-
pie and description of the largest
in the world by a layman, void of
technical terms, is interesting. The
Courier is in receipt of communica-
ton on this subject from Samuel Jay
of Albany, Davis county, written by
that gentleman's father, G. M. Jay,
who resides in the city at the entrance
of the Golden Gate. He follows the
precious metal from it's reception at
the door of the mint, thru to the melt
ing pot and finally to the machines
that make it coin of the realm. Side
lights on the process are injected in
the following entertaining manner:
My Dear Son: | am going to try
and tell you something about the
United States mint in this city. In the
| first place there are four minis in the
United States.
One is at Philadelphia, Penn, one
City, New, and this one.
| The corner stone of this building
| was laid in 1870. The structure was
completed, 1874. The hours for visi-
tors are from o'clock to 1880 o'clock
a. M, all working days; and that is
all days except legal holidays and
Sundays.
Guides Provided.
There are guides especially provid-
ed and paid by the government for
showing visitors around and explain
ing every part and process.
The Boiler Room.
First we were ushered into the boil
err room, where are situated the i'm
mense furnaces and boilers which
4 supply the energy or power that sets
the immense engine in motion, which
in turn drives all the ponderous, in
tricate machinery thruout the build
ing.
Millions in Sight.
4 From there we were shown into the
vault ROOM There are several OF
them, with their immense iron doors
equipped with the massive bolts ano
bars, maintaing stern and silent pro
lection over the treasure stored with
in. At the present time there is con
tanned in these vaults, over $4,000,
900 in silver. This vast amount, tho
not in actual circulation, is repre-
sented in daily commerce and trade
by it's representative, certificates.
Il Melting Room.
Next we entered the melting room
/ - ILL., ie, ,1nit
with a carpet-yes a grapefruit I'm
like any you ever saw it is compos
ed of iron and constructed in sections
of hexagonal, or octagonal shape
about an inch in thickness, and foo
or SO in diameter. 1t is made on thu
plan of netting with the little inter
stices about an inch in diameter. Thi
is for the protection of the concret'
floor; being made into sections it cal
be removed and every part thoro!,
cleaned (about the cleaning | will sa,
more later on.) Into this meitin!
room is brought the bullion as
comes from the hand of the owner
Here it is placed into crucibles. whicl
!, in turn are placed in the furnace an,
!, there melted and run into bricks
; The size of the brick, of course, dc
pending upon the amount of gold Q
, silver in the consignment.
The Assayer.
Now, small piece is Clipped fron
one end of the brick, and taken to tn
mint assayer, who tests it and deter
mines it's precisive purity and value
The following day, after the bullio
, has been delivered at the mint, tn
owner may call and receive his pa
in bright, new coin.
Engine Room.
From here we passed to the engin
room. There, in betting harness,
the monster engine, weighing owe
\ 80 tons, with a drive wheel over 8
feet in diameter, moving so majestic
ally in it's might and power that on
feels almost sense of awe in it
presence There it has been, day i
and day out, for twenty-siX long year
faithful to it's trust and duty, to a
+ appearances in as perfect order a
!, when it gave it's first stroke ths
! started the coins to Gathering frol
!. the stamps, or dies.
: The lneots.
, After a few moments Observable
! of this piece of master mechanism
| we pass on to the next room, to sc
) what has become of those gold brick