The San Saba news. [volume] (San Saba, Tex.) 1873-1966, 1882-04-15
A FORTUNE IN BRICKS.
Zen Tons Of G,ld Carted 10 The Door Of the Min
phusJofpht. D..

Ten Tons Of Gsd Carted 10 The Door OF the Mint.
Philadelphia Press.
Ihere was an unwonted hustle about
the west basement entrance of the Uni
ted States Mint shortly before 3 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. One OF the Adams
Express Oompanys great wagons.
drawn by pair of magnificent black
horses, had just stopped in front, and
immediately dozen hands were trans
ferring its load of fiat, curious. looking
boxes, tightly bound with hoop-iron, to
the gloomy depths of the adjoining
basement There were twenty-seven
OF these mysterious cases in the load
and though they were apparently no
bulkier than grocers box of raisins,
they were laboriously raised on end
and Slid down an inclined plane to
truck, there being apparently no ambi.
ton to support them with unaided
muscle. A few moments brisk work
sent the springs of the wagon back to
their normal position, and with an evil
dent air or relief, the horses speeded it
away with brisk trot. A second wagon
then drew up, them third and fourth,
and the same performance was gone
through with.
Beyond the fact that each Of the driv-
ers hnd an armed attendant, though the
latter's appearance gave no hint of the
small arsenal concealed about him,
there was nothing in the procedure to
indicate that s5,000,000 of gold bullion
was encased in these strange iron bound
boxes. This is the second installment,r
SAID Superintendent Snowden to Press
reporter, "of the $780, 900 900 Of bullion
ordered to the Mint from the New York
ASSAY Office. We have something like
Sl7O00,000 on hand now, and this $780,
100000, which will come in s5,00O,00O
lots, at intervals of a week or so, will
still leave round S20,000,000 in New
York. The transfer is made to relieve
their vaults and to give us bullion sufii-
cient for the large coinage demands
now made upon us-averaging about
s7,OO0,OO0 per MONTH"
AS may be imagined, the shipment
Of this valuable treasure was accom-
plished with the greatest celebrity, and
no precaution insuring its safety was
omitted From the Assay Office in
New York to the vault of the Mint in
Philadelphia it was in the custody of
the Adams Express Company, leaving
the former place at i o'clock yesterday
morning and arriving here as stated
above. Two cars were used in it's trans.
pOrtation, each in charge Of special
messenger armed cap-a-pie, one OF
whom has for years attended similar
Government shipments between Assay
Office and Mint. Though armed with
that completeness which the value of
their charge would suggest, the mes
senger has little relish for these trips.
In case of the slightest accident the
millions of treasure surrounding him
on every side are turned into very in
stfuments OF death. ii car OF the track
would send tumbling down upon him
dozen of these 2O0-pound boxes OF
brick, and death would be instant as
the sheck.
TEN TONS OF GOLD.
The 5000, 900 which came yesterday
consisted of thousand and odd
bricks" filling LOG boxes, and weigh
ing in the neighborhood of ten tons.
This morning the boxes will be opened.
aud each brick will be weighed and
assayed, aud the results compared with
the record of weight and fineness con-
tanned in the invoice. A "brick," it
must be remembered, is not the mere
dull mass of matter which its clayey
name suggests. 1t is separate and
distinct entity, has number and de-
scription OF its own, and is as traceable
rs any bank note or Government bond.
There is little in its appearance to ex-
cite ones cupidity. 1t is yellow
chunk, with some luster, about the size
of bar of chocolate, and weighing
from eighteen to twenty pounds. To
steal a box of them in transit would be
an operation involving no less muscle
than daring, and while no robbers lack
the latter, very few of the craft are in
the habit OF picking up 200 pound
packages. Notwithstanding this seri-
GUS obstacle to would be plunderers,
the express officials are never easy while
these golden bars are in their care; and
it was with manifest air of relief that
Agent Arrison yesterday afternoon re-
ceived Col. d. NJ. Evans receipt on
behalf the Mint. ffN taf
1t happens that at just at this partis
cular time the bullion receipts at the
Mint are more than balanced by the
daily shipment Of coin. For the last
eleven days the sum of 81 100000 in
eagles and halfeagles has been daily
sent to the sub Treasury in New York,
aud this outflow will be kept up till
the Sl7 100000 ordered to that reposi-
tory has been supplied.
+.