Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-03-12
FREIGHTED WITH GOLD.
Double Eagles and Bullion Piled Up il
tl,n r,rnnanrn E,nnr,nr Of rrrrn Steamers.

Double Eagles and Bullion Piled Up in
the Treasure Rooms of Two Steamers.
Trucks loaded with well-dressed men
rolled up West street at intervals yester-
day morning, and disappeared on the COW
cred pier Of the Cunard Steamship Com
pany at the foot Of ClaTkson street, says
the New York Sun of the 10th inst.
Besides the men the trucks carried small
kegs and iron-bound boxes, which were
unloaded on the pier alongside Of the
steamship Servia, which sailed in the al
ternoon. The men carefully 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
900 worth Of gold, which was
going to Europe. On the steamship
Baltic $2,350,O0O in gold was shipped.
. The gold was in the form Of bars and
double eagles, and was the largest amount
shipped on a single day for several years.
The gold bars were obtained in exchange
for gold certificates at the Assay Office,
and the double eagles came from the
vaults Of the Sub-Treasury, where gold
certificates We're deposited in their stead.
The double eagles were delivered in can
vas bags, each holding $1,000. The bars.
which are worth anywhere between $4,000
and $1,000 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 Ser
via were forty all told, and were counted
by the purser and all the officers before
the large iron door was closed and locked.
The purser has the money in his especial
care. The storing Of so much wealth IN
the SerYia created no particular stir.
sit is not unusual for US to receive on
board large amounts OF gold, said a clerk
at the wharf. 1--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 cracks
men. no matter how clever they were,
could get into it inside Of week.
as it especially guarded during the
tripw
Eyes: it is thoroughly looked after.
The purser and officers thoroughly inspect
it three times a day and three times at
night
.7Was the Servla's treasure chamber
ever broken 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. foI it is too heavy. The gold in
these forty kegs and boxes weighs close
to $4,000 pounds
A Weather-beaten man with q dropping
eyelid, who had been listening, tapped the
reporter on the shoulder as he was leaving
the wharf.
"Young man." he said, "eyer heard of
Cap'n Kidd? Well. his plumber warn't
a rope yarn TO a siX-inch hawser along
side this here wealth in the Seryia. Ef
Kidd was around these days them mil
lions wouldn' 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 got the
money from the Sub-Treasury or Assay
Office, prepare it for shipping, and then
lodge il in the vessel. There their trouble
ends.
"Doyou send anyone along to watch it
on the way"
'No: it would do no good. The money
is perfectly safe in the vessel, and in the
extremely improbable event Of piratical
attack our man might get killed"
"Why do you send out gOldW
because it is impossible 10 buy COM
mercial bills. There are not any in the
market"