No telephone for Carson Mint
RogerB
Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭
It was 1882. The telephone was becoming a business "necessity" - but not for the Carson Mint. They were ordered to continue using telegrams (and maybe smoke signals?) for their messages.
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The request is not for just a telephone, but a telephonic line between Carson, Virginia City and intermediate points. The letter indicates not enough reasoning was provided to justify the cost of such a line. Do we know how much such a telephonic line would have cost back then?
The author of the letter is Horatio Chapin Burchard, 13th Director of the Mint:
Of note:
Way back then, business had to subscribe to the cost of building a telephone line before they could get a 'phone in their offices. Telephones were though of only as business equipment and only later did it occur to some that individuals might want one, too.
Johann Philipp Reis, Antonio Meucci, Elisha Gray, Alexander Bell and others had rather focused ideas for use of their inventions.
It would be nice to have a copy of the request from James Crawford, Superintendent of US Mint at Carson, to see the reasoning he provided.
Here's some info on James Crawford from the Carson City Coin Club:
http://www.carsoncitycoinclub.com/index.php/James-Crawford/
Of note, both Horatio and James ended their respective tenures in 1885.
775-687-4810. I just called and asked if they still have any left over 20¢ pieces. They hung up on me.
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The letter from Carson might be in E-229 , Series 1 (alphabetical by sender), box 1 of 18 or 2 of 18; or Series 2, box 16 of 17 or 17 of 17.
I guess that if he had asked for internet service that would have been turned down also!
I was just reading a bit more of the Carson City Coin Club article which has some interesting info and mentions the double dime was in peril due to management at the Carson Mint before James Crawford.
Read the coin club article for what Crawford did to turn things around at the mint.
John Percival Jones was the US Senator who nominated Crawford and was pushing for the double dime. He went to California for the gold rush in 1849 and made his fortune in silver mining, also founding the town of Santa Monica, CA. Isn't it great the things you learn on the coin forums?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_P._Jones
At least with telegraphs there would be a paper record. I don't suppose that there were trust issues involved. These days there are many types of communications with non-retrievable records as the Blackberry offered. Encrypted options too for bulletproof privacy.
They didn't want Lavere Redfield bugging them to make peach colored Morgans.
Did Sen. Jones name Santa Monica after his mistress, Monica?
The Carson Mint was in nearly continual trouble with Mint HQ, as was New Orleans. Sloppy accounting failure to follow regulations. Inept managers and clerks.
If you believe his mistress was a Saint, lived during the years 322–387 and was the mother of St. Augustine.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Monica
He built his house there for his wife Grace. Here's some info:
http://oldhomesoflosangeles.blogspot.com/2011/03/senator-john-percival-jones-1829-1912.html
Wow, neat !!!
Very cool.
Ah the simple times.... When a telephone was considered a luxury - even for a business. How far we have come now, when even grade school children have telephones that exceed the capability of early computers. Telephones, that, instead of bringing those far away closer, serve mainly to separate those who are close. Just look at people in public places - together, but looking at phones.... in a crowd, but isolated. Sad. Cheers, RickO
So much for getting a pizza from Virginia City in 30 minutes or less.
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See the new thread with Crawford's original letter requesting a telephone.
Early in the morning and late in the evening I often text and share photos with my friends in Africa. The world is small now. It's hard to remember not having the collective information of the entire world at my fingertips.
There was a time when the higher ups in government kept spending in check
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Crawford hated telephones ever since some kid called him up and asked "Is your refrigerator running?" and he had to yell at the kid "Ye dang foole!!! Refrigerators haven't been invented yet!!!"
Actually, they still do that. Unfortunately, when staff is cut but work remains the same, agencies have to hire contractors - who typically cost 50% more than an employee, and require extra oversight. Sad waste of resources.