The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-08-03


mirsble worknanship, painted and gildsd, standing
upon sgilded globe. One Of the most striking pscuArs
Of tah and every other portion Of the building s OK
sreme cleanliness A the Custom House, used 70 % o.
fensve to the eye and thing but fragrant TO the smell
But this has been ell changed. sfgHE
We with bring our visitor back 10 the front en-
trance and take him through the nst door on the let
(before coming 10 the counter), into
Nh. 0rs00's PRIVATE oTYrcH.
This room, formerly used a. the public once Of tho
Collector Of the PORT s most elegantly but chastey FUR
nshed ana Upholstered In blue. The carpet Is Of English
Brussels the curtains and furniture OF blue reps
Tho furniture, which b massive and in the very best
TASTE 70 OF black walnut Tho cornlcss OF the curtains
and the bookcase deliberately carved with the arms
of the Treasury Of tbs United Ssatsshs scales and key
We shall probably hnd Mr.. Cisco overwhelmingly busy
standing In front OF desk covered with certificates
letters, &c. awaiting his signature, writing, and at the
same time talking 70 half dozen people, who have come
to him on business He may not b able 70 personally
escort through the establishment but be IL not he
will delegate one OF his subordnaes for the purpose In
either case we will probably proceed by stone spiral
staircase Everything stone or iron) elegantly car
pesed and lighted by gas, tothe
ROOM or THE SECRETARY OF TIE TREASURY,
Immediately Mr. Ciscos and on the southwest cor
nsr Of Wall and Nassau streets This room Is In size and
uIuituSe almost the counterpart u MI VsCS, oASoPs
that green prevailing color instead Of blue Here
Mr. Chase receives the visits Of bankers and nnancers
who have occasion 70 see him when In New York
We again ascend the stairs and pass out Of door at the
north OF Mr. Cscos into the space occupied by
the paying clerks. Through this we proceed 70 the
VAULT OF THE ASSISTANT TREASURES,
the northwest anglo OF the rounda In the northeast
angle thore duplicate vault used by Mr. Cisco Trea
OF the Assay ONCE In describing one We describe
both. aep Nh 6ae
Before reaching the vault We enter into an ironcased
vestbue fitted up with Ae for tho preservation OF
vouchers, letters, &C. Between the vostibue and the
outer space there two massive iron doors, and be-
tween the vestbue and the vault two similar ones.
Each OF these four doors has q double lock
upon Il, arranged by an ingenious coutrivance,
that II lock should ever get out
OF order tho other would throw the bolt The locks
selected with the greatest care after the careful cxana
tion Of large number by EXPERTS and believed to
DO the very best In the world The first Yao's Treas
ury (keyhoe), tho next Yao's Monitor (combnation),
the next the shem icomSnatlon) tho last Dodd's
Eureka (combination). M
wenow enter the gas lighted vault which Is nothing
less than iron clad room twenty feet In length
and thirteen in height This vault contains upwards OF
hundred and forty tons OF iron and nothing to
pare with Is believed 70 exist elsewhere. Tho space
below and above IL built up with solid masonry.
The construction OF the doors, and or the ceiling,
roof and sides OF the vault, Is the same.
Between plates OF iron OF enormous thickness are
placid In sockets balls, amounting lin each
vau to about one hundred thousand. They are some.
thing inch 10 diameter, and arranged that II
burglar should succeed in penetrating the iron
he would either strike directly upon ball. or, after
going through the plate into which they inserted he
would strike upon one upon the other side. The ball
would then Immediately revoive in its socket his
strument would get purchase, and he would 90 no
further The various other contingencies connected with
burglary have also been provided against
Around the vault seventy Ave iron Compartments
m,de hold each vo hundred thousand dollars in gold
They only run half way up TO the ceiling and any time
many may be placed Them should occasion
require II. Each Of these Compartments all Of which
provided with locks has small wooden plug to rece We
the impression SEAL They contained In the aggregate
the time Of visit the modest Of twenty.n mil
lions OF dollars In gold silver, United States notes and
postage currency. s 4.sf4rtg 81
must be supposed that the vaults arc relied upon
TO the exclusion Of watching Six watchmsn armed with
revolvers, perambuats the premises oil night
Emerging from the vault, proceed out Of the rotunda
through apasssssway rallied on from the public into the
RECEIVING AND COUNTING ROOM OF THE UNITED
! la STATES TREASURY, eM.
formerly occupied by the Naval Oncer Of the port
Here al deposits Of money Of every kind arc received
and counted By star Of clerks under the direction OK
Mr. Edward n. BirdsAl CHIEF Of this department. the
ID fitted up with counters like those 10 the rotund
which, like them, are topped With gasbmaers OF ee
CANT PATTERN The rapdIty with which the experts in
this department maaipuIate money something almost
magical the inexperienced eye We were shown some OF
the ed gold double eagles eagles half eagles and quarter
eagles, which probably tic dangerous counter
fcs over put 10 circulation. The counterfeer takes
double eagle open, gold Of tho value OF
nearly twelve dollars Ais In platns recloses the two
halves, and rem the piece. II win then have tho exact
weight the ring and tn, exact surface OF genuine
COIN and yet Mr.. Birdsai and Mr.. John A. Cisco (Mr
John Ciscos son) win detect fraudulent piece instant
~ among thousands OF good These pieces circulate
every else but thcr short whoa the
rcacn the New York Treasury.
Leaving tho. receiving room CT the Treasury, and
crossing tho hill, we enter tho @NH
RECEIVING AND WEIGHING ROOM OF rH. ASSAY
OFFICE, w
forwery the once Of tho cashier OF the Custom House.
Here are received and weighed all gold and silver bullion
for bars aud CON- under tho direction Of
Mr. Samuel H. Graham. This IL almost tho counter.
part Of the opposite II communicates by passage.
way with the melting aud refining building.
vhe business Of the Assay Oco has greatly decreased
during the war and since have been upon a pa,er
basis. When we were there large deposit OF
silver plate, some Of IL Of elaborate workmanship
by Of our leading jewellers We were Informed that
such deposits very since the tax on plate
and the premium silver havo induced peoe 10 resort
TO washed goods. q aten an 5A
Tho room immediately over the ono last described
10 tho eN seas
aat FRACTIONAL CURRENCY pErARrxEST,
presided by Mr. Greenvis B. Smith It's aproiot.
menss are similar 70 those OF tho two receiving rooms
Downstairs Here postage currency is issued and re.
deemed. Mr.. smith informed thai the daily redemp-
lions now amount 70 abou, nfteen thousand dollars n
takes expert clerk cne day count two thousand
dollars The redeemed notes put up packages ana
sent 70 Washington 70 be destroyed Specimens Of coun.
terfsits Of each denomination were shown 70 w.
new fractional currency now belng prepared at the
Treasury Department at Washington will DO Issued 10 III,
place Of tho postage currency IN thS course Of month or
two. a Nsf.f
inc room opposite to the fractional currency depsrt