Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-04-11
THE WEIGHT OF GOLD
HOW MUCH or THE PRECIOUS METAL
CAN A MAN cARRvr
ssrsnge Fsiisefe- of Many OF the Fn-
moos wrfters-Odd Error. About the
Handling OF Coin That Are Perpe-
trnted In Works of Fiction.

Handling OF Coin That Are P~rpe-
trnted In Works of Fiction.
One OF the peculiaritles OF civilization
Is that by the use of new methods We
lose sight OF well known facts that /
were once as familiar I'm mems minds |
as household words. Money Is now |
represented universally by bank notes |
and checks. but the majority OF living
Californlans remember the days be- |
FORE the resumption of specie pay |
ment when legal tender was not cur
rent money on the Pacific slope and /
nothing went save gold eagles. double |
eagles and half eagles. When the Bank |
or California opened its doors OF n
morning there was always the sight OF |
the officials bringing trays OF gold coin
from the safe 10 tables i'm the rear OF
the counter. Each tray held $4,000.
and the weight OF the gold was thirty
one pounds four ounces. Sometimes
an official would carry two trays. and
there were strong clerks who could
carry three trays, but on their heads.
not in their arms. Calfornians. there
fore. are exceptions to the curious fact
that the world at large has begun 10
confound gold and money. and this
confusion OF ideas comes out curiously
In modern fiction. Writers either
make men unable 10 carry large sums
OF gold or they make them carry enor-
nous amounts as If gold weighed no
more than greenbacks.
conspicuous error OF this kind will
be found In Marion Crawford's story.
THE Heart OF Rome" where two
workmen propose TO blackmail a Ro-
man princess. They demand 100000
lire about 100000. which she is TO
bring I'm her carriage and deliver to
two men who will be walking steadily
along the Appian way. and who will
wear certain sign giving things supple
mentary to the usual best clothes OF
Roman artisans Crawford makes the
curious rejection that these men did
not know the weight OF gold coin and
did not realize the impossibllity Of
their carrying of their respective
shares In their pockets. Yet each
man would have had 10 carry thirty
one pounds four ounces. and this could
have been done with ease.
Now. this Is only a reelection and
does not I'm the least mar the story.
which is unusually interesting. even
for Marion Crawford But far other Is
the case with Balzac's lie Cure du
Village" where the whole plot hinges
upon the supposed weight OF 100000 /
francs In gold. This would be only /
sixty-two pounds eight ounces. yet Bal 7
FAC imagined that strong young man
r-aprrfral uGafef,nao 70 80, v,-,- IL, ro.r,.
trips TO the river about Il mile dis /
lance. where lac hid It close 10 a small /
wooded island In the center OF the (
stream.
IL is quite possible that the hardy
miners who go to the Klondike do not /
read either Balzac or Marion Craw- I
ford. but If they did they would be as
tonished at the curious Ignorance dis
played. We may take il for granted
that the weight OF gold and provisions I
carried 10y the most successful miners I
ranges from 80 TO 100 pounds avoirdu-
pos We know from Gibbons de-
scription OF the Roman soldier that
each man carried. In addition 10 his
defensive armor and his sword and
plum, or pike. sixty pounds weight OF
cation OF the temporary camp at the
end OF the days march. This was six
teen miles. but when the Theban le-
gion. composed entirely OF Christians,
were sent from Egypt TO reinforce
the army OF MaXimian. the colleague
OF Diacletian. IN his campaign against
the revolted peasants OF France. they
made double march OF thirty-two
miles to avoid burning incense before
the figure OF Victory. located in front
OF the emperor's tent. Next day they
were all massacred. Their exploit
however. which is historical, shows
clearly that sixty pounds is not an in
cumbrance TO an active man and can
be carried for long time.
The blunder OF Balzac is the more
inexcusable because his story was
written as n sort OF challenge 10 the
fantasies, headed 10y Charles NOdier,
and the romantics. under the leadership
of Victor Hugo and TheOphile eau
thier
Let us now examine the other side OF
the question. the writer's who have
made men carry insupportable loads
OF gold. In the first rank OF these IS
Prescott in HIS History OF the Con
quest OF Mexico" in his splendid de-
scription Of the noche triSte. when the
Spaniards, besieged in the palace OF
Axayacatl, endeavored 10 escape. Their
quarters were upon the broad boule-
ward that ran from the northeast TO
the southwest, dividing the city OF
Tenochtitlan from the other quarters
OF Mexico-viz. the city OF the priests,
the City of Mexico Tenuchea, the city
and bazaar Of TlatilolcO and the two
quarters inhabited by the serfS. Close
20 the palace of AXayacatl was the
great canal which cut the boulevard
exactly at that point. This was bridg-
ed ordinarily by huge beams that were
squared so as TO fit evenly. which they
must have done. for the Spanish cav
airy and artillery crossed other bridges
of the same description. The MeXicans
had removed the beams. and Cortes
ordered his carpenters to make pOrta-
BILE bridge Before the Spaniards
started the royal treasurer displayed
the gold and emeralds OF the emperor's
fifth and babe the soldiers take what
they would Old Bernal Diaz relates
that he took a beautiful emerald. which
annoyed the treasurer very much.
''No. no." he cried: take goldi We
can manage to save the emeraldw
"Go TO thunder said stout old Cap
boil nd h.N ma haI .Nff md