Los Angeles herald., 1907-11-24
aneolnl corrssponaenoe TO rhe Herald.

opening and shutting the split collar,
device for putting stars on the edge of the
newly designed double eagles, was well
attested In the emergency. There are
forty-siX stars on the edge of each piece,
because of the approaching advent of the
new. state of Oklahoma to the Union.
The machinery of the mint is capable of
grinding out 1000 of these pieces in an
hour. AS soon as sl5O,OOO in half dollars
and a similar amount in quarters are
sent out from the mint, and this will be
within a few days, the attention of the
entire working force will be devoted to
the task of meeting the requirement for
gold
When the two millions in gold double
eagles had been coined there were still
S24, 900, 900 in available bullion in the vaults
of the mint. On Wednesday, while part
of this was being rapidly converted into
double eagles, Cashier Joseph d. Murphy
of the Philadelphia mint received word
to look out for the arrival at the institu-
tion of S10, 600, 900 more in gold.
Do Not Fear Robbers
Instantly word was passed around, and
when, an hour later, a wagon Of the
United States Express company quietly
halted at a side gate there was force
of mint employees ready to help the men
in jumpers and overalls to land their
precious burden safely in the massive
vaults.
The gold was part of the glittering
cargo brought over by the Lusitania, and
it had arrived at the Reading terminal in
express cars shortly after noon. 1t was
then conveyed in ordinary express
wagons to the mint. Cashier Murphy
smiled indulgently when asked what pre-
cautions were taken to prevent the loot
of one of the treasure wagons.
"In a crowded city like Philadelphia, y
ne said, "it would be impossible for a
theft to occur on one OF the express
wagons. The idea of 'holdup is out of
the question: as deliveries to the mint
are never made except in broad daylight.
Now, it follows, if there is any loss 1t
must be the work of a sneak thief and
one who would be an extraordinarily
rapid worker The wagons are in charge
of two men, and even If thief managed
for moment to elude their vigilance his
shrift would be short 1t is no easy task
to get away with bullion as 1t is packed.
"Try for yourself" continued Mr..
Murphy, pointing to heap of mysterious
looking boxes. "That one contains bar
of virgin gold. Hold it in your arms for
five minutes"
Half that time sufficed to prove the
CaSn1er'S cOntentlOn.
1T would not be pleasant to run down
the street with bowling mob at your
heels and still hold on to the booty, would
it?''
1.-THE story of the armed express
guards he went on, sis on a par with
the story that every visitor to the mint
is searched before leaving. In the same
connection I may mention another anus
ing example of florid imagination run riot.
When the mint was on Chestnut street,
near Broad, pedestrians frequently
stopped to look at dense yellow fumes
that sometimes assembled from the CHM
ney They were simply one Of the results
OF certain refining processes to which we
subjected all gold that was under a
standard of purity. But there was a
wonderful story circulated to the effect
that those fumes carried minute gold
grains and that in consequence the gov
ernment had a claim upon sweepings
from the roofs of various commercial es-
adjustments in the immediate vicinity"
All Coins Marked
All the double eagles coined under Sec
retary Cortelyou's rush order are lacking
the 'In God We Trust motto which was
placed upon the United States coins at
the instance of James Pollock of Penn
sylvania. Upon his retirement from the
gubernatorial chair in 1858 he was made
superintendent of the mint at Philadel-
phia. When a new issue of coins was
authorized he obtained permission of
President Buchanan to have placed upon
them the inscription which President
Roosevelt has now objected to on the
ground that he thinks it irreverent and
out of place.
In charge of the coinage at the mint is
Robert Clark, whose official title Is chief
coiner. But it must not be supposed that
Mr.. Clark's duties rest with a super
vision of the purely mechanical process.
When an order comes for coin to be de-
livered to a certain sub-treasury Mr..
Clark has the final say. 1t happens this
way:
A Chicago bank wants $4,000 in quar-
ters. A request is made to the nearest
sub-treasury and this in turn is forward
ed to the treasury department at Wash
ington. If everything is regular one of
the assistant secretaries Of the treasury
countersigns and then 1t is forwarded to
Philadelphia. The superintendent of the
mint gives his approval and 1t Is sent to
Mr.. Murphy, the cashier. who in turn
passes it along to the court of last appeal
Mr.. Clark, the chief coiner.
There Is no more obliging individual
than Mr.. Clark. There Is no one more
keenly alive to the stringency of the
money market. But there are times when
he peremptorily refuses an order for cur
rency, backed though 1t may be by the
order of men in the seats of the mighty.
Frequently Appears Harsh
AT instance occurred while the Herald
representative talked to him. A clerk
hurried into Mr.. Clark's office bearing in
his hand an important looking document.
Mr.. Clark looked at it an instant, then
shook his head. AS an after thought, as
though to reassure himself, he glanced at
long sheet before him