Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-29
RICHMOND TIMES DISPATCH: SUNDAY OCTOBER 49, 1916

more than SIS an ounce. other gold
/ dust may be worth $50 an ounce. When
the dust comes to Mr.. Rcraud II is
assayed-that is. it is melted and it's
| gold contents tested
ASSAY MADE AFTER COIN
IL CAST INTO 8nICkS
The assay is made after the gold ie
cast into bricks. From each brick Il
corner is cut OF with n chisel the
amount taken being about the size or
marrowfnt pea. This is hammered
out on MI anvil and run through rollers
until IT is as thin as the newspapcr on
which this letter is printed a little
strip OF this gold leaf is then taken
OIL ana weighed on the fine scales
above spoken of. 1t is SO treated by
mei1ine IN furnace that the impuri-
ucs are taken out and Il little button
oil pure gold is left. This button IS
weighed and it's weight is subtracteu
from the weight OF the strip before
II was melted. The result shows the
| amount OF pure gold iii the brick: and
there are tables giving it's value i'm
dollars and cents
asked the assayer whether lie did
not coret the metal he handled lie
replied:
never think of the value. have
! oeen working in gold so long that the
stun seems to mo just like corn or oats
in the hands Of Il farmer 1t is like
The raw material used in machinery.
IL WAS different when first began 10
assay at Dawson, had never seen
gold dust and nuggets in quantity he
fore. and almost went craz%. | liked
the look OF the sold. and bought mug
gets and had gold pins and chat
made OF them. wore Il nugget as IL
scarfpin and had nugget cuff buttons.
After time ! grew tired OF them and
gave them away.
I asked MIR. Bcraud about his carly
experiences in Dawson. lie described
those days when fortunes were made
in week, detailing some Of tho cX-
traNaBances OF the miners. Said he:
The gold camc so easily that they
almost threw. II about. Tho miners
would 20 with their gold from saloon
to saloon treating the crowd and
throwing the poke to the bartender to
weigh out tho amount OF each treat.
They were SO careless that Il man
might take out double the quantity
and not be detected y miner might
have $1,000 worth of gold in his bag
and spend IL all in an evening. Now
and then ono would come into Il dance
hall, and taking his seat in the gallery,
call one of the girls to stand under
him while he poured gold dust into her
hair. y dance-hall girl might thus
clean up $50 in single shampoo. |
remember u miner named HauScr, who
fell in love with girl and got her
10 marry him by paying her what she
weighed i'll gold dust. She stepped OH
the scales aud kicked the beam ut 1875
pounds aVoirdupois. She weighed over
2,l0o ounces which. at SIS an ounce
cost him over S3So0O.
GREAT GENERoSITI
SHOWN BI PEOPLE
Similar eXtravagances prevailed here
at Fairbanks when the camp was in
the height of its glory. Miners are al
ways generous, and community like
this is far more charitable than those
OF n long settled country. Said l.. Il.
Erwin. the United States marshal At
Fairbanks. to me the other day:
The people here are the most gem
crouS on earth. II is no trick to raise
$500 10 send 4 sick man or woman
outside Only few months ago a
man was taken outside with Il trained
nurse. ana enough money was sen;
along TO pay his hospital expenses in
Seattle. have lived in Alaska
eighteen years, and in all that time
have not seen one person begging.
we have, You know. many unsuc-
cessful men," the marshal continued.
Mining is to Il large extent gambling.
and where one man succeeds there
are hundreds who fail. [ remember
an instance OF man who came TO
Fairbanks TO make his fortune. leav-
ing his wife and family outside. He
and died in cabin OH one of the
creeks. When the miners looked over
his papers they found letter that
had just come from his wife. who
lived Ill little town in Massachu-
sets. The letter was full OF ncws
about the baby that had been born
since the father had left. and inside
Il was one of the babys stockings.
The miners stood around the dead body
in tho cabin as the letter was ~cad,
and when the stocking was shown, the
tears ran down their faces. One OF
them reached out and took the stock
ing. lie pulled forth hs poke and
poured in enough gold dust and mug
gets 20 fill up the toe. Another miner
poured in more dust, aud this kept
on, the stocking passing from hand
10 hand Until i, was filled Blu; all
had not yet contributed. The gold
was then poured out -f tho stocking
onto The table. the miner who did so
saying: We'll dump this and start
over again In the end il was passed
around The whole camp, with the
suit that $1,000 worth Of gold dust was
collected and the money therefor sent
10 The widow
DROVE EIOCN or TURKEYS
INTO GOLD NEfsIDS
United states Marshal Erwin has the
unique distinction OF being the only