Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-11-20
THE NORTHWEST.
MILLIONS OF MONEY.
Hoarded in the Sub-Treasury Vaults.
Tons of Gold and Silver Held in Re-
serve by Uncle Sans Minions.
Ueverly DoctOred Coins Detected by
Instinct.
MILLIONS OF MONEY.
New York Herald.l

New York Herald.l
.'Come this way and I'll show you
Row much cold cash Uncle Sam has
got stored here" said Cashier Floyd
Is he led Herald reporter through a
labyrinth of desks on the first floor ol
the treasury building to a heavily
barred and studded iron door thai
opened into a passage leading to the
gold vaults. At the other end of the
passage an attendent unfastened Sec
end door. AS the reporter followed
his guide into a dimly-lighted room,
about fifteen feet square, the door was
closed behind them, and they were
made prisoners with over $40,0OO,0OO
Of gold coin. The four sides of the
vault from floor to ceiling were COW
cred with iron doors opening into COM
partments containing the coin.
"These boxes that are sealed" said
tAe cashier, pointing to door where
. slip of paper was stuck to the lock
with red wax, "are full. They contain
81 100000 each. Here"-throwing
wide open door that was standing
sjsr and revealing a compartment par.
TALLY filed with plump white canvas
bags carefully packed-"is box We
are using from. There are $25o,oOO
IN there" he continued, after glancing
st the tags
"How much gold do the bags con-
tsin?" asked the reporter, as his eyes
rested wistfully on the out lines OF the
coins shown through the canvas.
alive thousand dollars each always.
Silver is put up in thousand dollar
bags. This lower tier is the double
eagle row. In the second are stored
eagles, and so on to quarter eagles, the
smallest gold coin we have on hand
'How heavy is this" asked the re-
porter, as he took up a bag.
"Oh. that is easily handled; it
weighs only eighteen pounds. 1t
would be different matter to carry
bag of silver, though; they weigh six
ty pounds each. But come and 1 will
take you down to the silver vaults
There Is still another gold vault on
the second floor of the building oppo-
site the one the reporter had already
visited and exactly like it in the inter
sor arrangements. The two vaults to-
gether contain $7l,4OO,O0O.
After descending to the floor be-
low in slowly moving elevator and
passing by doors with complicated
time locks clinging to their backs, a
q long passage was reached with white
painted iron gratings on each side
Behind the .gratings were bags of sill
yer, filing every available inch from
Aoor to ceiling.
eYou see we have more silver here
than there is accommodation for, so we
were obliged to fill up this end of the
passage with it. There are $35, 5,OOO,-
600 before you. Twenty FIVE millions
are in standard dollars The demon
nations are separated by those cross
gratings."
"What does 1t all weigh?"
Over 1000 tons. That would be
eighty railroad car loads. There are
lao tons of gold up stairs. Allowing
a ton to be cart load, it would take
l,l4O carts to carry away the coin in
this building
"Is not this an unusually large
amount to have on hand?"
tsTo be sure it is. We are sending
away very little coin now, and taking
il in at the rate of $4,000 to $4,000
q day. Silver certificates are very
popular now, especially in the South
and Southwest. New York merchants
seem to be prejudiced against them.
Since March l, 1888, we have sent out
$53, 900, 900 in certificates, and we will
probably send out $3O,OOo,OcO more
before the cotton is in.'
aWhat is the total amount of cash
on hand now?"
"A little over $l4O, 100000. There
are 100000 each in gold and silver
certificates and legal tender notes"
The largest shipment that has re-
Gently been made occurred last spring,
when $4,000, 900 were sent to Eu-
rope in gold coin and bars. Contrary
10 the belief entertained by most peo-
pie, no bullion is brought to or stored
in the sub-treasury; that is all done at
the assay building. The coin is
baought from the mints generally by
express companies, but sometimes it is
sent as registered mail matter. Never
more than $50, 600 is sent at one time.
1t ia guarded en- route by the COM
rany, which ceases to be responsible
tos it only when it is delivered into
ruEa