The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-07-20

FORTIFYING THE TREASURY.

STEEL BARS AND LOOP HOLES FOR MUsKETRY-
CoNvENIENCEs FOR HAND GRENADEs AND
GATLING GUNS ON THE ROOF.
About six months ago the HERALD announced the
fact that the Secretary of the Treasury represen
tations made to him by Assistant Treasurer HILL
house. decided to have the sub-Treasury on Wall.
Nassau and Pine streets fortified in such manner
as to be impregnable to any force a mob might
bring for the purpose of making raid on the gov
ernment's cash box. The utter insecurity of the
building against determined attack by crowd of
rioters fully demonstrated during the incipient
labor riots in 1875, when the Assistant Treasurer
was compelled to keep all his force duty might
and day, armed to the teeth, besides having re-
yaus the sss Keeping of the have
erected. and strong force of workmen
gagged in making the outside and inside OF the build
ing vertable fortIfcation.
WHAT THE WORK CONSISTS OF.
The windows OF the basement and first floor are
being protected by steel bar gratngs and half
inches in diameter, nine feet long at the lower and
feet long at the FIRST floor windows, completely
covering the same from casing to casing. Each up
right bar is pointed at the top seventeen uprghts
are fastened to each Of the basement windows and
held place by four crossbars. Five crossbars hold
in position twenty-one. uprghts each first floor
window. The crossbars measure three inches
and one inch thick. Fifty-two windows
in the building are thus protected. Each of
the crossbars weighs 100 pounds. aggregat-
ing $4,000 pounds. and the uprights aver
age fifteen pounds to the foot making a
total weight Of over hundred thousand pounds
OF highly tempered steel, strong enough to resist
any attempt at removal. This grating, when COM
plete will not only give protection from without
but allow the windows to remain open for yentla-
ton An additional quarter inch steel plate is to be
affixed to the present iron shutters, which to be
pierced for rifles The loophoes to be protected
by coverings of steel The rihemen, thus protected
by the shutters, can sweep the streets from the
NORTH west and south sides OF the edice they being
concealed in bullet proof fertilization. Besides the
loophoes for rifles arrangements have been perfected
for throwing hand grenades at . mob from the win
dows under the of the roof without exposing
the throwers to any danger from the house tops OPP
positc.
MONITORS TOP.
The Architect OF the Treasury Department, in his
drawings OF the tortihcations added another novel
feature OF Defence To repel an attack which might
be made on the Treasury Building from the roo 5 of
the Assay Office the adjoining buildings owned
bv the government Pine street there will be three
steel turrets built the roof of the Treasury, in
which will be mounted Calling guns, which will
have clear sweep of every housetop within range.
The contract for the work has been given to Bos-
firm, and is being rapidly pushed to completion.
1t Is expected to have the fortihcation finished
by the 18Th of September. 1t must be remembered
that from $3.50 900 900 5000 900 900 constantly
In the vaults OF the Sub-1reasury; hence the precau
tons taken by the authorities for the utmost safety
of this vast treasure.