The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-08-23
BILLIONS IN A CART.
HOW CUSTOMS RECEIPTS ARE TAKEN TO THE
SUB-TREASURY.

sUB-TREASURY.
A heavy wheeled hand cart, with a
thick set little guiding wheel in front
and pushed by two men from behind,
clattered down the steps of the William
street entrance to the custom house at
345 the other afternoon. It was instant
~ followed by four broad shouldered
laboring men, smooth faced old man
of clerical appearance and a stern look
ing man with a heavy brownish mus
tache, who quickly grouped themselves
on both sides of it and IN front of it and
behind. The little group, with the cart
rumblng in the center, pushed rapidly
to Wall street to the north side and
then went at quick pace up the street
to Nassau, then around to Pine street
and was swallowed up in the rear entrance
to the sub-treasury building. Ali
along the journey from the custom house
to the sub-treasury people stopped and
gaZed curlOusly at the group as it hurried
along and tried to set a glimpse of the
cart. 1t was not very handsome vehi-
Gle. The box was literally box iron
bound and tightly locked with heavy
brass paddock, but those who understood
the matter knew that it might contain
-
more, and that this money represented
Uncle Sans daily tolls on merchandise
imported from abroad, and that it was on
its way to be poured into the treasury,
another contribution to swell the great
surplus which now lives idle there.
THE ENVY OF THIEVES.
For over twenty years, at about the
same hour on SIX days IN every week, the
cart has made the same journey sur
rounded by its escort. How many thieves
have cast envlous eyes at it, how
many spectators on the verge of ruin,
how many dishonest bank employees
with the impending crisis of discovery
hanging close over them, have thought
that to only have for but few weeks or
a few days the contents of that ugly iron
bound box would be rescue from ruin,
flight or suicide, anybody can imagine.
Doubtless many gang of knaves have
wasted many a long hour trying to devise
some daring scheme to waylay its guard
ians, smash the heavy box and make
away with its contents. But from all
this nothing has ever come. For nearly
a quarter of a century the old cart has
trundled over its route and no unlawful
hand has been raised against it. Collect
or Hedden in his time did receive, it is
true. written warning that a plot had
been Matched to attack the treasure cart.
It was the work of some practical Joker,
most likely. A little extra precaution
was exercised for a time, but the plot
never developed. The most daring rob-
Der could not fail to see the madness of
such an attempt. The cart has carried It's
millions with never the loss of so much
as cent.
Familiar as is the sight of the little
vehicle and its guard its appearance new
er fails to partially stop the hurrying
Wall street throng for moment.
Those who know what it means cast d
reverent eye on it as it passes. Strang-
ers who understand nothing of it catch
sight Of the big letters ~. S." painted
on each end OF the cart, and the hurried
seriousness OF those who surround it and
know. that it is no light matter that is in
hand.
The system by which the money is
thus transferred is perfectly simple. in
the cashiers Office at the custom house
are kept four boxes iron bound and made
of thick oak board. They are two feet in
length by one foot in breadth, and about
a foot in depth: At each end is mas
sive iron handle that in itself weighs
nearly two of the fifteen pounds at which
each box tips the beam. When the day S
work is completed the money is counted
and placed in these boxes. 1t is then de-
livered to custody of United States De
tective [. j. Murtha. Four laborers
then come, and each one shoulders a box
and carries it to tie ground floor. Here
the boxes are placed in the strong box
on the cart, which Murtha locks. At the
sub-treasury the money is again counted,
and If it agrees with the custom house
count a receipt is given.
DAILY AVERAGE OF CASH.
THE daily average OF cash we carry
said the good natured detective, us about
100000, though there are many days
when we carry over d million. When we
have good deal OF coin the load is a very
heavy one, and this, with the weight OF
the cart and the boxes, makes it no easy
| thing to push. We always have two
| men pushing AID four around IL, besides
myself and the messenger. / am the
only one who Is armed. We go up the
| north side OF Wall street because there
| are more people there and always some
of Inspector Byrne's detectives about.
L have only been here about two years,
but | suppose we have carried not far
| from S35O,OO0,O00 in that time. What
wealth that old cart has had in its bow
els 1t makes man dizzy to think of it.
l never feel the least fear of an attack
How would they get away with anything?
The street is filled with people. They
would have to disable me first. There
would be pistol shots before that. Then
| they would have to smash in the box on
| the cart, and then they would have to
| lugaway the dead weight of one or more
| of those inner boxes. There world be
500 people and dozen policemen and
detectives about before they got that far.
The system is absolutely safe SO far as
that is concerned, unless a small army of
desperate men sweep down upon u.s."
Notwithstanding the system inaugur-
ated of paying customs dues through the
medium OF bank deposits in the sub-treas-
and certified bank checks drawn thereon,
the old cart still goes over its regular
route. But the days of its glory are
numbered. Already fully half the dues
are paid by the checks system, and as its
advantages become better understood by
banks and importers it will supersede
the old system. So the historical cart,
like many another Wall street celebrity,
Will drift penniless into some obscure
| corner and its past glories are forgotten.
New York World.