Year: 1872

Dollars Manufactured in TIVE


M0nths-The Coin Pronounced


the Purests Ever Put in a Cruel
Bile.


From the San Francisco Chronicle, Au,


gust 1lth.


The following story, as reported
to US, has much Of romance in it
but the future may demonstrate it.
truth, EevOlutiOniZe commerce, anC
make the pressessors of the marvel
Gus talisman the veritable Midas o.
the nineteenth century. 1t is no less
than the discovery of a chemical
process, which, when applied to base
metals, transmutes them into gold
pure, shining, veritable gold. The
rumor of the diamond discoveries in
Arizona have somewhat precipitated
the disclosure of the facts we are
about to relate, and though at the
risk of breaking faith with our in.
formant, we consider his statement
too important to be withheld from
the public.


THE MODERN MIDAS.


Some three months ago n plain
looking man, of American birth,
presented himself at one of our lead
ing banks and solicited an interview
with the manager. The banker was
very much occupied with his cares,
oveTburdened with offers of paper
for discount, and harrassed with the
prospects OF losses on loans for
which he held collateral in the shape
Of mining shares, seemingly de
scending on his hands. He survey
ed his supposed customer, and al
most before the first words of salu-
tation had passed from the new
comer's lips, he said:


''No, sir; can't do it. Very sorry,
but have gone beyond our limit to
accommodate our own customers
Doing nothing on the other side to-
day at any rates"


The stranger made no reply, but
deposited a leathern valise on the
bankers desk, opened and took
from it a mass of dingy metal, look
ing half like copper and half like
brass, and handed it to him. The
man of money examined it curious
", and returned it, saying ne was
no judge of mineral substances, and
had no time to study this particular
specimen.


A CONFIDENTIAL PERSONS JUDGMENT.


The stranger asked him if he
would know gold if he saw it, and
if not would he be kind enough to
send for some confidential person,
on whose judgment he could rely, to
assay and determine the quality
and value of his lump Of metal. The
proposition was reluctantly acceed-
ed to. One Of our most prominent
assayers was summoned, and after
examining the substance and inquir-
ing, with visible excitement, where
it came from, and receiving no sat
isfaction, departed, taking it with
him, promising to report on it the
next day but one, st noon. Punctu-
ally at the appointed time the three
men met at the bank. The assayer
produced the metal, which had been
run into the form of bar, and had
all the appearance of the ordinary
gold ingot of commerce.


THAT looks like gold," said the
banker.


ct is gold," said the assayer,
nearly a thousand fine-Uhe purest
have ever put in a crucible."


ANOTHER SEARCHING TEST.


The stranger said nothing. The
others piled him with questions con
cerning the source from which it
came. He civilly, but firmly, de-
,lined to furnish any information,
them, as further test of
is genuineness, to send it to the
mint in this city for coinage? To
his they assented, and the bar was
'ent, with other bars, to the mint
Ii was there again submitted to the |
est usual in such cases, and the !
lext day its value was returned in !
louble eagles-something more than |
light thousand dollars-which was |
placed to the credit of the now de
.idedly interesting stranger. For
lesTiy a week nothing was seen of |
lin or heard from him. The bank
r was in a fever Of excitement. He
ould think of nothing but the own
T of the gold. He ran over all the
mining news of the public press for
ONE record of 4 strike in the gold
districts; and, if the truth
must be told, he waited for some in
Of an audacious robbery
f the treasuTe-bOx of an country
tage, or of the rifiing Of some bank
r assay Office in which his new
riend should play q prominent part.


A SECOND INsTALLSIENT.


So we'll satisfied was he of the cor
of this latter conjecture that
e was on the point of advertising
he possession by him. under pecu-
ar circumstances. of n large Quan-