Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-12-06
Safe From Fire and Thieves.

THE STRONG VAULTS OF THE NATIONAL SAFE DE-
POST COMPANY STRUCTURE TRAIT CAN DEFY
The PLANES AND BAFFLE BURGLARS-IRoN AND
STEEL, TIME LOCKS, AND IMPENETRABLE WALLS
IL olden times man would lock up his valuables
In strong box, and then sit on the box with
blunderbuss and bulldog for company. grimily de-
termined to keep his own against all corners. Now,
he takes them 10 the vaults OF the National Safe
Depo.s. Company, and has no further anxiety. A
STAR reporter stood, with an official OF the COM
pany. near tine door Of the fire and burglar proof
vault il the comp9ny'S building. corner of 18th
street and New York avenue, at busy hour yes
terday, when customers were going in and ont of
the vault each accompanied into the interior by an
officer of the company. The CHIEF object OF the
Safe Deposit Company. the Officill explained, is to
provide safety from fire. and security from theft.
So far as steel ana iron, impenetrabe walls and
human ingenuity In providing safeguards go. the
company offers place of deposit which can defy
both flames and thieves.
The vault or yaultS-for there are q series OF
them-OcCupy a structure within. but entirely sep
arate from and independent OF the main building,
rs seen from the street. The plan OF the struc-
tuTe and the materials used render these vaults
as perfectly freprOOf it Is possible To construct
anything. First a foundation OF concrete broken
stone ard cement two and half feet thick was
laid and upon this were built the walls, which are
four feet thick. constructed of hard burnt brick
laid in cement. ana have u 1Our-inch air chamber
running through them from TOP to bottom. This
air chamber serves the double purpose OF providing
perfect ventilation md affOTling additional safe
guard against ire. The roof OF the vault is arched
ana iOur feeC thick. This arch bends nom east to
west. and above 1t Is layer of North river flag
ging five inches thick Above this tagging is an
other arch. or set OF arches foot In thickness,
bending from north to south. These arches are
strengthened with wrought-irOn girteTs pudded In
broken stone and cement. The upper arches, it is
claimed. would hold any weight that could possibly
Iail upon ii: but II they we're crushed there would
still be below it the massive arch four feet thick
! to ne encountered before the vault could be
reached.
Around this impenetrab,e structure is another
wall. is inches thick, Independent both of the walls
or the main building and the walls OF the vault
proper. Between this wall and the vault Is space
three feet wide. arched over at the top which is
Kept lighted ard Which is patrolled by the watch
men employed by the company. The company IS
building fronts 65 feet New York avenue and 100
feet on l5th street. IL vas purchased in 1875 by
the company, which controls all the surroundings
OF the vault that no ingenious burglar can gain
access 10 it by establishing himself la an adjoining
house ana burrowIn2 through. The walls OF the
vault occupy space OF about So feet by so feet.
The lower vault is below the Level OF the street, and
IS known as the silver vault, because here are
stored vast treasures OF Siiverware, packed away
In trunks and cases SO well is this vault venti-
lated by the arrangement of the air chambers that
II Is perfectly free rom dampnesS although there
IS constant circulation oil cool air through 1t.
Above this vault is the burglar-proOr vault, OF
steel and hon. made by Marvin, and encased
within the thick walls and arches OF brick which
have been described The doors are of steel plates
2A inches thick, and are secured both by double
combination locks and a time lock. Within this
I
rows upon each side OF boxes or safes OF various
sizes, which are rented to customers.
There has been no elaboration or fancy work "
said the official who conducted TEE STAR reporter
through the vaults. Every dollar has been OK
pended TO make the place absolutely secure against
fire or burglars. There is another thing that adds
10 our security in OF any riot or disturbance
when might endanger property. We are practi-
caliy under the protection OF the government; we
are located here by the Treasury, and the protec-
ton OF government property by military would
naturally Include our building
I'VE nave been here" he went on, for IS years,
and never lost penny. had paper misplaced, or
had any accident OF any Kind though we have hand
led millions OF money! don't know what the sum
would amount to-" Every DrecautOn is taken to
prevent loss provision having been made for every
Imaginable contingency. No one, not even the
president Of the company is permitted to enter the
vaults unattended.
The National Safe Deposit company was char
Iered by Congress January -, 1861, and was the
third company in the country TO build such vaults
The vaults are considered 10 be equal TO any in the
country. not being eXcelled In point OF security by
the famous vaults OF the Fidelity Trust company
OF Philadelphia.