Norwich bulletin., 1921-11-07
ODD INCIDENTS IN AMERICAS
 HISTORY
OUR FIRST MINT

One of the first things that Congress found it necessary to do, after the es- tablishment of the Government, was the staring of mint to produce the money that was needed, the Continen- tai paper currency having depreciated so much that it was absolutely of no value. Washington in his first an- nual message referred to the impor- tance of uniformity in the currency, and in his second message he urged the importance of the establishment of a mint.
 Congress took up the suggestion and Alexander Hamilton, who was Secre- tary of the Treasury at the time, on January 28, 1791, sent a lengthy con- munication to the House of Represen- tatives on "The Establishment of a mint" This communication was the basis for the Act of Congress of April 2, 1892. which not only was the founda- ton of the institution, but also regu- lated the coins of the United States. On May 8, 1792, the director Of the mint was authorized with the appro- bation of the President, to purchase a quantity of copper for the coinage of cents and half cents, and Congress also provided that when fifty thousand dol lars had been coined motive should be given the public in at least two news papers.
 Philadelphia being the seat of Gov ernment at that time, naturally the mint was located at that point The building chosen for our first coinage was at 37 and 39 North 7th street, and 1 this was the sole United States mint from 1792 to 1888. The corner -stone was laid on July 31, 1792, presumably hu Ioa J astronomer and philosopher and first director of the mint.
 l The ground on which the first mint ! building stood was sold by William Penn to the Pennsylvania Land Com pan. The deed was signed by Penn | on August IT, 1899, for a consideratiop of fb2 900. This land had been deeded
 to William Penn by Charles II. Rit-
 tenhouse was appointed director of the
 mint by Washington on July l, 1892. The building operation was started
 soon afterwards. Three coining presses imported from Europe, arrived in Phil
 adelphia, on September 21, and in 1 October they were in operation. | On December 30, 1792 Jefferson wrote Pinckney, our minister to England, l about the difficulty of procuring cop
 per, and suggested Sweden as a source d I treasury of the United States for S10,- 900. The regular coinage of copper be-
 gan in 1793, silver in 1791 and gold in 17s5. The following curious extracts are taken from the Daint rules and reg ulations of the early days:
 'The allowance under the name oi
 drink money is hereafter to be discon- tinued.
 ''The operations of the mint through out the year are to commence at
 o'clock in the morning.
 'He (the watchman) will keep in (
 proper chest, securely locked 6 mus ket and bayonet, two pistols, and { , sword.
 Christmas Day and the Fourth O , July-and no other days-are estab lished holidays at the mint.
 'The watchman must attend iron S o'clock. in the evening to in tn, , morning; he must ring the yard bel every hour, -and send the watchdo, , through the yard imediately after ring ing the bell"
 At first there was more or less crit |. icism about the conduct of the min which MT. Boudinot explained was du to trouble in getting competent work men, proper materials and strong ap paratus.
 lt During the latter part of 1797 it be