The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1917-10-25
SCRAP GOLD HOLDS
MANY TRAGEDIES
Sets Of False Teeth and JeWelry
Among Pieces Sent to
Uncle Sans Mint.
PATHOS IN EVERY ARTICLE

"Sooin9 nlh9s, NeckaCeSI FTNomehte
Of Yellow Metal From crematorIes.
Included In Offerings For
warded to Bureau.
At the mint bureau Of the treasury
not long ago there arrived a pathetic
letter from q poor widow, and inclOsed
in a package with it was n set of false
teeth, literally filled with gold.
The teeth had belonged to the hus-
band, who had died leaving her moth
Ing, although once wealthy man.
The poor woman, the words of her
letter showing great grief, asked
whether Uncle Sam would pay for the
gold in the teeth.
Although the rules Of the bureau
and the mints and assay offices under
1t prohibit the purchases Of scrap gold
valued at less than 500, Raymond
Baker, director of the United States
mint bureau, sent the teeth to the as
say office in New York with directions
to forward the poor woman payment
for the amount of gold found by the
office.
THE human tragedies behind pieces
of gold and silver sent to the mints
each year and bought by the govern
ment run into the thousands" said
the tender-hearted woman clerk, who
sat musing over many of the sad sto-
ries that had come under her notice
after years Of work In the mint bu-
reau.
Pathos In Every Ounce.
"See this one line in the Inst nm
nual report Of the director of the
mint" she went on. "It shows that
in the fiscal year, 1915, the govern
ment bought Jewellers scrap to the
value Of $6090,00O. Well, under this
heading there Is included NIL the scrap
gold bought that year from jewelers.,
pawnbrokers, and individuals, and
there was pathOs back of nearly every
ounce Of It,"
Congress gives the mint bureau each
year substantial bullion fund for the
purchase Of gold and silver.
The purchases are made at either
Of the three coinage mints or eight as
say offices outside Of Washington.
The bulk of the purchases are of for
eign coins and Alasla-mIned gold, but
Jewellers scrap" Is an important
item. No matter in what form the
gold goes to the government, it is
melted in electrolytical ref1nerles in
the assay offices and the price paid
according to the bullion obtained
therefrOm. This bullion goes back
into gold coin, into the manufacture
of jewelry, and for use In the indus
trial arts.
"Scrap" Carries Own Stories.
So there frequently come through
the mint bureau pieces of jewelry and
silverware that carry their own sto-
r!es of blasted and broken human
lives; Of woes and vlcissitudes endless
in number.
1t may be the wedding ring of happy
days past and gone. followed by pow
~ UAN yours IL
child's or wOman's chain or lOcket, the
latter sometimes containing q photo.
graph of one dearly loved: watch,
the engraving upon which told Of the
esteem of friends or loved ones; so
ciety and fraternal emblems; gold
medals awarded to heroes who have
passed away and left their families
In destitute circumstances trinketS
precious and numerous, now to be
parted with, despite the memories thar
linger with them, even after the melt
ing pot has done les work.
To these are to be added exqulsitely
beautiful family Silverware, bearing
inScriptive messages from relatives
and friends of the long ago, some Of
it handed down from father to son and
mother to daughter, now of greatest
value in keeping poverty from the door
or In carrying on the education of a
cherished son or daughter.
And to this is the gruesomeness of
the "scrap gold" coming from crema.
tories throughout the land. For gov
officials know that In the in
of the dead there is often
left in the ashes particles Of gold
that once adorned the teeth of
healthy, living being. Crematory at.
tendants are watchful for these small
pieces of gold and dispose of them so
that they are among the "scrap" which
the government buys and turns into
bullion.
His Savings a "JumbIe."
Not long ago the treasurer received
from n newsbOy in an American town
a mass of jumbled metal, melted to-
gether by fire that had destroyed
the boys home. He had put away
his savings In small bank and the
fire had done its work. He asked that
the metal be redeemed.
The government will redeem paper
money three-fifths Of which remains.
even where enough of charred paper
remains to determine what its denomi-
nation had been.
In the boys case nothing could be
lone, and the metal was sent to RAY"
Baker. The experts in the mint bu-
'eau arrived at the conclusion that |
he mass had originally been worth |
lbout 60 cents. The law could give |
10 relief, but Baker gladdened the lit
lie fellows heart by sending him a
'risp new 81 bill.