National Republican., 1885-09-29
BRINGING IN THE BULLION.
The Treasure Vessels Being Unloaled-
A Bursted box.

A Bursted Box.
At $3.50 o'clock yesterday morning five
large Adams Express wagons were driven
IN the navy yard and to the wharf where
the United States steamer Swatara and the
YGntic lay at the dock. They proceeded TO
the work OF transferring the SIC, 400, 900 IN
silver dollars to the Treasury Department.
Each wagon was accompanied by an officer
Of the express company, beside the driver
and corps of treasury messengers were on
hand one of whom attended each wagon
TO the department They proceeded in
business-like manner, and II no one had
known otherwise they would not have sus-
pccted that the cargo consisted of anything
more valuable than hard tack or salt bacon
There were onlya few loungers around who
watched the movements OF the party, aud
besides these the work attracted no atten-
ton whatever.
A pulley was constructed over the hatch
Of each vessel, and X. III. Forsyth, on the
Yantic, and NJ. i. Muhlman, ON the Swa-
tara, proceeded to break the treasury seal,
which had been placed on the hatch OF the
hold where the silver was stored on leaving
New Orleans. Four or five sailors were
stationed In the two wagons which were
backed up to the ships to receive the
boxes as they were unloaded. The
pulley disappeared down the hatch and in
q few minutes came up again with pine box
about twenty-three inches long, six inches
deep, and sixteen inches wide, nailed to-
gether and bound with strips of iron around
the edges. This was quickly swung into the
wagon, and the operation repeated fifteen
times that number OF boxes being the load
for each wagon, which scarcely covered the
flooring Of the wagon, though the load
weighed about $3.50 pounds. Each
| box contains $1,000, the money being
nj la honc Nyi N
each, the metal Of each box weighing 2i0
| pounds. These boxes were made mostly
| In New York and few In New Orleans,
and are decidedly fragile looking, not hav-
ing the strength OF the ordinary box used
| by the treasury for the purpose they served,
but as they were to be used but once It was
| thought they would answer the purpose.
They cost but 25 cents each without the
| iron bands.
There was no extra guard at the ships,
ana no unusual precautions were taken to
| protect Uncle Sans wealth from land
sharks. A treasury official was on duty
ON the gun deck, and kept tally of the
boxes as they were brought from the hold,
while the ships yeoman on the deck
above did the SAME as the boxes were
swung into the express wagon, he, as
with all other freight, being responsible
that the number OF boxes that came out
tailed with the number he had received Oh
loading. Each wagon on being loaded pro
ceeded separately to the treasury In charge
OF the express company official and treas
| ury messenger, the latter Of whom was re.
sponsiblo for its safe delivery, but as some
OF them didn't appear to have muscular
powers quite equal TO those of John l.. Sui
| livan, any number of those who the cargo
passed were tempted to desperate deeds b,
the unprotected appearance OF the treasure
which the love Of country alone suppressed
1t was at first proposed to accompany eacl
wagon with marine guard, but this wat
not deemed necessary, as SGO,OOO, which
each wagon contained, is not an unusua
load for the express company's wagons tC
carry through the streets. The work pro
ceeded for some time with no mishap. A boz
badly tied to the pulley, on being swung
out on the Yantic, fell to the deck couple
of feet with dull thud and q smotheret
jingle of silver; but II did not break, ant
no harm was done. A large number OF thC
boxes were noticed to have the cover
sprung, and a good many looked as II thel
would not stand much "smashing;h and 4
Is very sure II they had to go through thu
hands of railroad baggage smasher,
silver dollars would be strewn about pro
miscuously. AS II was, with careful han
ding, one of the boxes on the Swatara, OF
being raised from the hold sprvng aleak
and two brand-new silver dollars rolled I,
the floor; showing that one Of the bags il
which the coin was held had broken
The box was set aside, and Mr.. Muhlman, II
charge, was summoned and the box was
opened. 1t was found that all the bag
had become damp and musty and 80 rotter
that the least strain would tear them. Onl,
one bag had broken, and three or four sail
ors gathered around and scooped the silve
up by handfuls on to a table, where 1t wa
piled up twenty pieces TO q pile, making
fifty piles of the coin. The treasury ofllcia
passed his hand over the mass, and finding
the piles of coin even pronounced the 81 90
safe. A new bag was made, and, putting
the coin In, 1t was restored to its place II
the box. 1t is quite likely that on openin!
the boxes a large number of the bags vii
be found burst open, as the coin jlnglet
about in some of them In n lively manner
Yesterday about ten loads, or $500, 900, wa
taken from each vessel to the department
There was considerable delay caused by al
insufficient number of wagons, and to-da,
1t is probable that enough will be ol
hand to keep the meh unload
Ing nmSSr without Of apy Eoxs sopPSage % PSs Ta
is 1900, 2,100 on the Swatara and 800 o
the Yantic. Each wagon made about fou
trips during the day, which will be til
usual days work for them.
The treasury officials have already a
much coin as they can handle for tw
weeks. Besides the silver, about $1,000
per day is being received. When the trans
fer is completed 1t is expected about $40
600, 600 in silver and $50, ,0O0,0 900 In gold wi
be in the treasury. The reception of th
money from the Swatara and Yantic mad
the treasury lively scene. The metal wa
received at the lower basement Of the treai
ury, the boxessbroken open, and the BAG
weighed and placed In the vaults.
Bows Clothing of our own manufactur