The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1873-09-11
A Hundred Tons Of Gold.

dreamed of the golden possibili-
ties hidden In the rocks and earth
of the Pacific coast. Captain Sut-
ter, when he drearily worked his
little wooden mill on the Amer
lcan Fork OF the Sacramento
River, IN the winter of 1913,
could not, blythe widest stretch
of Imagination, have had con-
cepiion of the magnitude of the
auriierous deposits in the fertile
slopes and valleys about him.
Little did he dream that his in
significant nil race led to wealth
that would dwarf that of even
the fabled land of Ophir in its in
fiuence on the world.
On Monday afternoon there
arrived ut tho Sub-Troasury in
this city $2,C00,000 in gold coin,
1t was forwarded by the Adams
Express Company from the Sub
Treasury in San Francisco. The
weight Of this coin WAS about
four tons. 1t was packed in
twelve strong iron chests, each
about TWO feet and a half in
length by sixteen inches in
breadth and depth.
The gold consisted entirely of
double eagles, included in one
hundred stout canvas bags. each
containing 100000. Every bag
bore the seal ofthe Assistant
Treasurer in San Francisco, and
each of the chests had three com
bination locks. The explanation
Of the combinations was sent to
Assistant Treasurer Hillhouse in
two installments. This was to pre-.
vent its possible use in the event
of its falling into worthy hands.
The car containing the treasure
was guarded by nine armed men.
As an additional security the
Express Company was held re-
sponsi5le to the Government for
the safety of the gold. On it's
arrival here it was carried in ex-
press wagons to the Pine street
entrance of the Treasury, where
the chests, which weighed be-
tween six and seven hundred
pounds each, were placed on
trucks and rolled into the coin
division. The bags were cmpti-
cd and the contents counted by
weighing. BY this mode the alb
sence ota single piece would be
Instantly detected, as the exact
weight OF $40, 900 in gold coin is
registered, About 100000 OF
the treasure is fresh from the
mint and this it was necessary,
merely to woigh. The remainder
having been in circulation, is to
be exmained piece by pi ecc to sec
that every one is genuine. The
expert. began this labor Yesterday
and will be occupied in 1t for a
week.
Mr. Ashley, the chief on the
coin division, says that SO large
an amount Of gold is rarely received
in the Sub Treasury at ono time.
1t was sent here 10y the Treasury
Department because New York
is the only city where the Govern.
ment needs to keep largo quanti-
ties Of gold for mercantile pur-
poses. AT the close of business
yesterday there was a balan ce of
gold coin in the Sub. Treasury OF
S4S, 522,54S. 70, or about 100 tons
Of gold. This is an unusually
heavy supply. One reason for it
is tho light shipping demand,
only $1,000 having ocen deliver.
ed for shipment since Jan. l..
That is less than halt the amount
in the corresponding period last
year.
In addition TO this. the Sub
Treasury contains about 100000
600 in gold bars, 100000 in sil-
yer, aud about $4,000, 900 in cur
rcncy.
There are twotreasurc chambers
on different sides of the main floor
in the Sub Treasury. Each has
walls Of massive etone eight feet
thick, built in two parallel sec
tions. The intermediate space is
filed with boxes Of chilled iron,
backed with balls of tho same
material about an inch in diane
ter. These will turn the most
powerful drill ever employed by
burglars. Tho door is covered
with iron plates, and rests on
solid masonry, which extends
thirty feet below the surface OF
the sidewalks. The five iron
doors are secured by several
heavy locks. These doors weigh
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