River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-05-01
Ereighted With Tons of Gold.

The New York Sun says: Trucks
loaded with well-dressed men rolled up
West street at intervals, and disappeare
on the covered pier of the Cunard
steamship company at the foot of Clark
son street. Besides the men the trucks
carried small kegs and iron bound boxes,
which were unloaded ON the pier along
side of the steamship Seryia, which
sailed in the afternoon. The men care
fully carried the kegs and boxes to the
after part of the vessel, where they were
locked in an iron chamber. The kegs
and boxes held 81 $50 900 worth of gold,
which was going to Europe. On tho
steamship Baltic - $50, 600 in gold was
shipped.
The gold was in the form of bars and
double eagles, and was the largest
amount shipped ON single day for
several years. The gold bars were OBJ
tanned in exchange for gold certificates
at the assay office, and the double ea-
giles came from the vaults of the sub
treasury, where gold certificates were
deposited in their stead. The double
eagles were delivered in canvas bags,
each holding 5000. The bars, which
are worth anywhere between 81 900 and
IS 900 each, were packed in sawdust
in wooden boxes. They were carried on
trucks to the offices of the firms that
had bought them, and were then boxed
and barreled and carted off to the
steamship piers under heavy guard.
The little kegs and iron-bound boxes
stored in the "treasure-room" on the
fal
counted by the purser and all the of
ficers before the large iron door was
closed and locked. The pufser has the
money in his especial care. The stor-
ing of so much in the Servia created no
particular stir.
at is not unusual for us to receive on
board large amounts of gold, said a
clerk at the wharf. "We carry more or
less on every trip"
"What precautions are taken against
robbery"
"In the first place, the treasure room
is of iron, and is as strong as any bank
safe. 1t has complicated locks, and no
craftsmen, no matter how clever they
were, could get into it inside of a week. I"
"Is it especially guarded during the
trip"
aYes, it is thoroughly looked after.
The purser and officers thoroughly in
spect it three times a day and three
times at night. "
"Was the Servia's treasure ever brok-
en- into?"
Never; and no one ever tried to
break into it. Anyway, if thieves did
get in, they could not very well carry
away the gold for it is too heavy. The
gold in these forty kegs and boxes weigh
close to $4,000 pounds"
A weatherbeaten- man with droop-
ing eye-lid, who had been listening,
tapped, the reporter on the shoulder as
he was leaving the wharf
young man, " he said, "ever heerd OF
Cap'n Kidd? Well, his plumber warn't
rope yarn to six-inch hawser along
side this here wealth in the Servia. Ell
Kidd was around these days them mil
lions wouldn't never get across the pond.
Wot pity for him he's dead"
The superintendent of an importing
house which is constantly sending out
large amounts of gold said yesterday
that the house insures it. The firm get
the money from the sub treasury or as
say office, prepare it for shipping, and
then lodge it in the vessel. There their
trouble ends.
"Dy you send any one along to watch
it on the way?"
"No; it would do no good. The mon
ely is perfectly safe in the vessel, and in
the extremely improbable event of a
piratical attack our man might get
killed
"Why do you send out gold?"
Because it is impossible to buy com
mercial bills. There are not any in the
market.