Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-29
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Bsrnlas " ne iiamiSsss Csuau Cssrs.
ssssss- sssirs safes 10 she Cssaasrstisu--
sl.f3s. 400 SAVED resstmssisi Of she Ceuaiy
csmmis-soscss.
County COMMISSIONERS OFFICE.
HAMILTON COUNTY.
Joseph ". Hau. Esq., President Halls Stjc
and Lock fVgspang, cfyi
Dear Sir.--Feeting that the great service
rendered this county by the perfect quality
Of your SAFES deserves some recognition. we
desire To say that at the time OF the great
riot OF March 20, 1854, the fire which laid
the Hamilton county ceurt-house In ruins
was started by barrels OF coai-oll and firn-
ture and records heaped together In the
Treasurer's Office where stood one OF your
large safes containing In the nelghborhood
OF one million one hundred and thirty thou.
sand dollars In money, besides papers and
records OF very great value. The test
to which this safe aud Others OF your
make in the building were subjected
was one that very justly caused alarm
among our citizens for the safety 81 their
valuable contents. from the fact that the
mob refused 10 let the firemen work aud
the flames ragged till nothing was left within
the block for them TO feed upon. II was Sat
untlay night when the torch was applied.
Monday morning we succeeded In reaching
the large safe referred to and opening st.
and were relieved Of terrible load OF sus-
pense by finding It's contents perfectly intact
and uninjured. More than this. there was
not even the smell Of fire upon them. and
the paint upon the inside OF the doors was
as bright as when the safe was closed and
locked the Saturday previous. The safe
was opened In the presence OF the Commits.
sioners OF Hamilton county and other OH.
GERS and members Of the press. aud It's perfect
preservation Of It's contents was all the
more q surprise from the fact that the con.
tents of an iron vault four feet from the
safe In the same room were entirely
destroyed. Your safes throughout the
building mliy sustained the great ran.
utation OF your work In this line. Among
the ruins, where hundreds OF thousands of
dollars worth OF property and priceless
records lay In ashes, they held and saved
hundreds Of thousands OF dollars to the
county, besides records that eonld not be re-
placed. In spite OF the handles and dials
being melted OFF Of the safe in the clerks
office. It's contents were found perfect AMI
the safe after slight repairs Is again In use.
The large safe that was In the Treasures
Office We expect 10 use again when our
courthouse is restored. but the floor in the
Temporary Office provided for the Treasurer
not being deemed strong enough to supper;
such safe, We have provided that officer
with another large Fire and Burglar-Proof
safe of your make. and have provided other
Halls Safes for the temporary Offices Of the
county. The confidence inspired by the
long established and uuequalled reputation
Of your Safes. and critical examination
OF the construction OF the same under your
various patents, which lead the commits
sioners Of this county TO adopt them for the
important purposes OF the county's use. has
been redOubled since the terrible and un-
usual test their trust has been put To. When
police and engines and the militia Of the
state we're powerless to avert the catas-
trophe those silent dumb custodians
known AS Halls satcs" performed their
duty. and did II well
Signed by II. u. kUHL
GEORGE WABISTz.
JOHS ZUHsTEIN.
Commissioners of Hamilty county. ..
lSignedl T. H. HINT. Clerk.
Not an instance on record where one of
Halls Fire Proof Safes has failed to preserve
its contents against fire.
The oldest largest and most reliable safe
mandatory In the world.
CRAWFORD. OWEN Il LALLY,
General southern Agents.
1928 Main street, Richmond Va.