Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1881-08-13
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From QUE regular CORRESPONDING.

hear OF poverty everywhere, and
see it all around us, there is lots of
money in the National cash box.
Few people know what a very large
amount of money passes through the
United States Treasury in the course
of year. The general idea is that
the Government is made of money,
or, rather, can make just as much of
that commodity as happens to be
wanted; which is practically though
not exactly true. To reduce these
congratulations to figures it may be
stated that the total revenues of the
Government amount to something
over three hundred million of dollars
per year, or nearly million a day.
That does not sound SO large, after
all, in a country where we rate pri-
vate fortunes by the millions in
their operations, yet to sit down
down and think Of it calmly and col
lectedly a million dollars is very
large sum, and three hundred times
as much goes almost beyond full
comprehension.
Let any young person who fails to
realize the magnitude of Uncle Sam S
income, undertake to count 10000,
900 blocks of wood or sheets of pa
per. 1t would need to be very
young person and very smart one,
to finish the job in this life. Count
ing 10000 per day only a little over
100000 could be counted in year,
if we except Sundays, and nearly
one hundred years would be required
to count the entire number. The
old gentleman with the scythe
would be along before any one now
living could accomplish the feat.
Yet every dollar of this large reve-
nue., is handled over several times
by the Government through its en-
ployees and officials, and under a per-
feet system of checks, balances and
counter balances every penny of it is
accounted for. Of course, not half
or a quarter of the whole amount is
handled at one time. 1t comes in
and goes out constantly, but there
are always large sums in the vaults
and strong boxes. In a future arti-
Gle some account of the sources
from whence this enormous revenue
is derived, and the manner in which
it is expended, will be given, but it
is the purpose of this letter to eX-
plain how the money bags are hand
led and guarded at the Treasury.
It isn't everybody that knows where
the money is or how it is kept safe
from moth and thieves especially
thieves. Your correspondent knows
all about it and could go into the
vaults any day and help himself to
as much as he liked. But he is too
honest; and besides he is wealthy.
Newspaper men generally are.
That large mass of stone and NOR
tar known as the Treasury building
is solid institution. 1t is not as
handsome as some Of the other Gov
eminent buildings, but it came to
stay. Located in different parts of
the structure are various vaults OF
such massive construction that they
may be safely said to defy all at
tacks of those who would break
through and steal. The five princi-
pal vaults are connected with the
Ireasurer's Office, for the contents
of which he is responsible. They are
known as the cash vault, the reserve
vault, the silver vault, the redemp-
ton vault and the National Bank
vault. The cash vault is used more
than all the others combined in the
daily transaction of business, and
presents more interesting features.
1t is constructed on tie most ap-
proved modern principles, and is,
strictly speaking, and iron-bound
apartment lined with gold and sill
yer. The walls, floor and ceiling are
of chilled iron, built in sections.
These walls are over foot thick,
the space between the inner and out
plates of iron being filled with heavy
iron balls, forming compact mass,
the removal of which would require
much time, skill and labor. The
operation of removal would also be
attended with much noise and dan
ger to the wOrkmen. There is only
one entrance TO the vault, through
an iron door, which is only reached
by passing through the cashiers
room, then through a high railing
always hcpG lOCheu, anu dIIel NdIOS
through the cash room, with anoth-
er iron railing. After the outer door
of the vault is passed there are two
inner doors of chilled iron and Sc
cured by two combination locks on
each door. In addition to this the
outer door has a "time" lock, which
precludes all possibility of access
until the hour set for opening has
arrived. Upon an examination of
all these guards and surroundings
one must conclude that it is indeed
easier for a cam ~ ~ through the
eye of needle tllan for Il wayfaring
man to break in here and steal from
his Uncle Samuel.