The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-01-21
Cash In Transit.

An express Superintendent tells in
the N. J. S0n how the express compa-
MES protect the money entrusted to
their care:
Z" 1t would not pay robbers to make a
raid on one of our parcel wagons. The
aggregate value of all they could secure
would not be enough for the risk. With
respect to the wagons for money de-
livery, however, the case is very differ
ent. There the driver and his assistant
have in charge sometimes hundreds of
thousands of dolars-a rich haul for
thieves if they could get at it, But that
is what they cannot do. In the first
place, the region where these money
wagons are generally used is in the most
crowded part of the city--the down
town part-wherc there are thousands
about all the time, and it would be i'm
possible for thieves to make any attempt
on our drivers without such a struggle
and row rs would call attention, and
not only Illustrate the purposes of the
| robbers, but in all probability insure
their arrest. There are always two men
in those wagons when they are out on
duty, and care is taken in their selection
that they shall be young, vigorous, quick
witted and courageous fellows. They
are armed with revolvers, and they
know how to use them, but my instruc-
! tions are they shall put more confidence
Ill their voices than their pistols. a
! pistol, even the best, might snap, but a
! yell is bound to 90 off So, if attacked,
/ they are expected to make all the up
roar they can. Anybody with any
knowledge of New York street crowds
can imagine what would be the conse-
quence.
''Besides, our wagons are arranged so
as to put the greatest obstacles in the
way of unwarranted intrusion compati-
BILE with convenience. Look at this one
for illustration. 1t is one-horse vehi-
Gle with only two wheels, and the only
way of getting into it is over the seat in
front, where the driver or his partner,
or both, will be on guard. Externally
it is a solid surface of vanished wood
on sides and back, except where that
small window of thick glass, high up in
the rear, admits light. Internally it is
lined with heavy wire netting. Inside,
filing the space behind the seat, and
fastened there, is a heavy wooden box,
with a safety lock. That box is never
opened, except when the driver is TAX
out q money package. When he leaves
the wagon to deliver package he locks
the box and carries the key with him.
His partner, who is left in the wagon
has no means of opening the box, and
it would take thieves, even with axes
and clear field of action, several min.
utes to get its contents. When the
driver takes a package out for delivery
he is instructed to either carry it hidden
or in bag slung to his left wrist, while
his right hand is free to use his pistol
Where we have occasion to send money
up town, where there are comparatively
few persons in the streets, a wagon is sent
with single package, or perhaps two
and the men are cautioned to extraor
binary vigilance. The system is the
same in all the companies. Wherever
an improvement for greater security
can be devised by one it is immediate
ly communicated to and adopted by al
the others, as all are equally interested
in keeping up the common reputation
for absolute safety. Then another fact
may have some influence in our favor
The thieves know that our companie;
are very rich corporations, and that we
will prosecute to the utmost anybody
who makes an attack on the goods un
der our care, regardless of cost anC
trouble. A prosecution by an express
company would not be the perfunctory
service of an ordinary prosecuting at
torney."