Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1886-10-06
TREASURE HOUSES.
The Great Deposit Vaults Of the
City of New York.
Where the Moneyed Men of the Metropolis
Deposit Their Cash and yaluables-
Where Vanderbilt Kept His Mill
ions-Power!ul Banks.
M. Cor. Indianapolis Journai.i


N. Y. Cor. Indianapolis JournaLj
Money may or may not be the root of
all evil, but It is certainly the root OF all
commercial activity. Reduced to its SIM
plest meaning, the roar and hustle Of
great metropolis is only the sound of
money changing hands. 1t leaves the
bank every morning either in bills, checks
or coin on its daily rounds through q
thousand avenues of trade and commerce
until it finds its way back to the vault.
Necessarily the great money depots Of
the continent are in New York City.
There are about seventy five banks repre-
selted every day at the clearing house,
and there are nearly a many others which
conduct their business operations indie.
pendent of it. Then there are the safe
deposit vaults-comparatively recent but
interesting institutions-whicha abound in
all parts Of the city. The large uptown
vaults are magnificently appointed. Here
the millionaires unload their stocks,
bonds, securities, and often their cash, for
safe keeping. The floors are tesselated.
Plate glass, marble, polished brass and
steel are the material which make up
their interiors. The vaults are approached
through a network of steel and iron.
They are low, square apartments, the
walls OF which hold lockers OF all Sizes
ranging from four inches wide by two
deep to two feet square. The rental Of
each slide varies from SO a year to 5000
the price paid by w. II. Vanderbilt for his
slide in the vault of the Lincoln National
Bank. The 81 des are of tin, about three
feet in length. which flt into the compart-
1ents of the wall, and are inclosed by
heavy iron doors.
"But is there not danger that patrons
may open each others boxes?" the super
intendent OF the large vault was asked.
"Not the slightest danger" he replied.
"You see," he continued, while he stirred
up huge pile of keys which lay upon the
table before him, "no two of these keys
are alike. When any person hires a slide
he comes to this pile and picks out key
at ran lom. We then fit the lock to the
key. But no customer can open his slide e,
even then, unassisted. There Is a second
lock to every, door which can not be
turne except with key which 1 carry,
50 that no slide is accessible without the
assistance OF both the lessee and the au-
thorities of the vault. This protects GUS
toners from each other AMI relieves us of
any temptation to load up and start for
Montreal"
Each OF the large vaults had a coupon
room containing number of stalls sup
piled with writing facilities into which
customers may retire to attenl to their
coupons and all correspondence relating
thereto. They are free to all Gus omers
1t is said that many business men who
have little or nothing to deposit hire a
small box for the sake of getting he privi
lege of the coupon-roons and saving the
expense of office.
For some years all the checks of the
Vanderbilt family had been drawn against
the Lincoln National Bank, which was
founded by William II. Vanderbilt to save
himself the commissions which formerly
went to other banks. In a corner of the
great deposit vault of this bank incIosed
by heavy iron lars, are the sides used by
the Van lerbilts. The Enclosures is per-
haps six feet square, aud conta ms an or.
dinary table and chair. During the latter
years of his life. Mr.. Vanderbilt was fire.
quenily seen at tEis table poring over his
private papers. Here he enjoyed absolute
seClusion with large share of the fortune
which he controlled at his elbow. In the
large box dedicated to his private use he
once ktst S55 ,OoO, ,00o in Government bonds
Two men were kept basy night and day
clipping of the coupons. The slide will
be reserved for the use of Mrs. Vanderi lit
In another part OF the vault is the slide
leased by General Grant. 1t is about tx
inches square, AMI lies next to the floor
1t is now held 10y one of his sons.
On the west side of Broadway, opposite
the City Hall Park, stands a low antique
structure of brown stone, which looks like
a remnant of old New York. Surrounded
ly magnificent warehouses, its quaintnsss
and simplicity challenges attention. 1t is
the Chemical National Bank-one of the
greatest banking houses in the world. AL
though it has never paid a cent of inter.
est, it carries up ward of $23, ,000, COZ net on
deposit. With a capital stock Of $500, 900
it ha accumulated a surplus of 81 SOC, 900
Three thousand two hundred dollars wai
recently bid for a single share of it's stock
which originally brought 500. Probably
either the Park Bank or the Importers
and Traders's handle as much money a.
the Chemical, but when we consider thai
bucl HdNo IHOTe bndu ten Times the CAPITA
stock of the latter, our minds can not in.
stitute a comparison between them.
But the largest depository cf money n
America is the sub-treasury building thai
stands on the corner of Wall and Nassau
streets. Every one who ever visited New
York has seen it and the heroic statue oi
Washington which stands at its Dorit
| portals and the stone on which his mortal
feet once stood. Eighty-ive per cent o.
Uncle Sans debts are paid hore. From
| fifteen 10 twenty thousand of his checks
are paid here daily. The receipts of post.
masters, customs and internal revenue col.
lectors are turned into its vaults. 1t car.
rios on deposit en- average sum of $3.50,
000, zoo in cash. Half Of this amount is in
| gold, which is stored away in bags con
aiming 5000 each. Its daily disburse
ments to the banks OF New York average
| $60l 900. 1t is substantially built of white
| granite. Its ceiling Is a dome of whit,
and gold supported by Corinthian pillars
1t is an architectural stronghold, and it,
walls are thick enough to shut off tn,
| 4.