Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-01-11

The Strong Boxes Of EOtham's
Coupon Clippers.
y Gesrriptiou Of ths Massive Steel-linsd
Vaults in Which Unfold Millions are
Kept Secure from Thieves
and Robbers.

Inv = -
the ~inilionaires Of this city are not stored
in the brown stone dwellings, of the avenue
The thin walls, black walnut doors and
easily picked locks OF those houses would
offer little resistance sglinst the violence OF
a mob or the ingenuity of a burglar. the
DAYS when skilful craftsmen could capture
large quantities Of valuable property IN
rich mems homes have almost passed away.
Taught by experience, or admonished by ex-
ample, persons with portable valuab!es nave
beea forced to seek places of storage and
security. Within nearly the last dozen OF
years there have sprung up in answer to
that demand buildings Of massive structure
and exceptional strength. ALL that inven-
tive genius could discover or money COM
mand has been employed to render these
places
Fire and Burglar Proof.
There are many of them scattered through
the city from Wall street to Harlem, all
agreeing in their main features oil massive
strength and inspiring solidity. These are
known as safe deposit vaults. They usually
occupy the ground floor ofsome stanch lire
proof structure. and the mass Of locks, bars,
bolts, combinations, and burglar-resisting
contTiyances is really wonderful
A description of one up town near the
centre of the city will answer for the rest.
Entering from the street you pass up to q
vail OF solid steel bars, every bar as thick as
a mans wrist, and twelve or fifteen feet high.
These ere firmly fastened to each other and
mo The stone floor, and across them Is
placed d stout wire screen. Two keen eyes
iLsrply survey you from the intersticeS OF
lie screen. If their owner is impressed
favcrably there is q clicking Of locks, a rat
,lirg Of bolts, and slowly the ponderous iron
gate swings back. Next you fall into the
hands ofthe superintendent, who gives you
another keen survey, and then, unlocking an
iron wicker, ushers you into the vaults.
Two Massive Doors,
each nearly eight inches thick, stand ajar.
Each of the three entrances is double
.Goored, and every door is secured by time
aud combination locks and six large bolts
81 steel. Leaving the daylight with the
outside world and passing into tho interior,
he trightly.burning gas jets reveal a low
t,i,,d, square apartment. The floor is
s.Cbe. iron aud cement; the ceiling is from,
ard four iron walls are concealed behind
tour rows of iron safes. This is the treasure
L.Ovse Of Vanderbilt. Human skill coIld
nc; build i; stronger; mortal genius has not
Welded steel and stone into q frmer com
6iEa,iOn.
When ones eyes become accustomed to
The light of this iron chamber one pcrceiVes
that the surface of the walls is divided into
little squares Of various sizes. The deposit
tor inserts a thin key Of curions make into
ore of the squares. He begins to haul on
,hc square, and it ~lepgthsns out into an OBJ.
iurg iCon box nearly three feet long and
divided into compartments. These boxes
ale movable, and may be taken out and
brought into a private room, where IN the
s]rrictess privacy the contents Of the box
ma be examined. Other safes are firmly
lssiened into the wall, and have changes-
bic combination locks. The locks OF the
outside doors Of the vaults are both
Time md Combination Locks,
snd the time lscks are so arranged that the
jOvrs once closed, cannot be opened until 3
o'clock in the morning. Outside and in
.iGc at least q dozen persons are within ear
shot, and could easily hear the slightest uu-
a.Ual noise. 1t is calculated that IL By any
,coiGent the locks should all get out Of
order, it would require moro than for days
&C constant effort to effect IN entrance.
these vaults contain almost every vari-
CIV Of valuable property-gold and silver
lCin, g~reenbscks, diamonds, and other
precious stones, family plate, sayerware,
i~ewe!1y, mementoes, bonds, deeds, and val,
uaLle papers Of every description. Families
mr. akirg up housekeeping and removing or
rcipg abroad, are obliged TO store their
ribre and valuables for safety sake. Mr..
". H. Vanderbilt has an immense amount
Of property stored in this way, and frequent
" roes to the vault to cut of the interest
coupons oil his bonds with his W fingers,
or 10 read
The Tally Of His Golden Hoard
in all the seclusion that this ssone-steel
vault can afford. Private papers of i'm,
| rsCnse value lie there in perfect security.
LAWYERS uge the little safes as repositories
iof important papers, and the key to many
I bitter litigation is locked within those
:, IL. Many fashionable ladies keep their
;,aels there, taking them out for an even
Il and putting them back the next morn
irg. Watchmen guard the vaults within
aid without, and that sll.potant agent, cleo.
'fici.y, protects them by ingenious systems
cfb,lls and alarms, Even should a mob
set out to pillsge and destroy the city it
weRld rage in vain against these ironelad
structures. The companies generally guar
sBtee the safety of goods left in their care,
ard charge only a few dollars q year for all
this boiling, barring, and uncessing vigi-
lsnce. A small box costs twenty or thirty
dollars. From that figure the rental of the
boxes runs Up into the hundreds, bat all
lave the same measure Of protection.