The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1888-12-29
UNCLE SAWS TREASURY. .

UNCLE sAM's TREASURY.
A Mighty Tough Nest for Thieves, or Even
Mob to Crack.
II one of thos giants, about which
we heard so much in our younger
days, was to develop modern Bill
Sykes tendency, and select the Treasury
Department as the scene OF his opera
tons, he might make pretty good
haul, provided the small army OF watch
men allowed him to get away.
Suppose all the money in the Treas.
ury was piled up in one room. My
giant burglar would find at his hand
1921, OO0, 900 in gold and silver, 1920
OOO,O8 in bonds, and an addi-
tional OO.OOO.0OO in new silver dol
lars If he happened to time his visit
when the new silver vault in the main
courtyard is full, and silver stream
Of $500. 900 a day is steadily flowing
into that subterranean treasure house.
Here is nearly $500, 900. just
think Of ii! More money than can be
found in any Of the banks Of Europe.
The Bank of England has only $101,-
000, 600; the Bank of France, $452. co.,
600; the Imperial Bank of Germany,
S237. OOO, 900.
This little "wad'' Of 5000. 600, 900 is
nomihally in charge Of James w.
Hyatt, the United States Treasurer,
who, by the way is very bright speci-
men of Connecticut Yankee. Mr..
Hyatt has to give bond of $4,000
for the safe-keeping of that money, not
a cent of which he ever actually ham
dies, but he doesn't stay awake OF
night counting his cash and the cares
of Office sit lightly upon him.
Massive iron safes, imbedded in solid
masonry, protected by time locks and
every other kind Of anti-burglar device
known to ingenuity Of man, guard this
treasure, and. in addition, a force Of
armed watchmen patrol the building
night and day. If man wanted to
steal any money out Of the Treasury he
would have pretty hard time Of it. ]
don't remember now Of any attempt OF
the kind having ever been made, al
ways excepting the firm OF T. j. Brady
& Co., and some other gentlemen OF
the same kidney, who planned a very
successful raid. But they had the COM
bination at that time, and since then we
have changed all that.
Any one who has been abroad is ut
once struck by the armed sentries con-
stantly on guard in front of the gov
eminent banks. If you should happen
to pass the Bank Of England any night
about five o'clock you would see de-
tachment of the Grenadier Guards
march into the bank, and there they
remain until nine clock next morning.
There isn't sentry, not even as much
as marine, to be seen anywhere round
the treasury, but at every door sits q
vigilaut Waterman. and he sharply
scrutinizes all corners, especially those
who are strangers to him. He doesn't
look very fierce, but the drawer of the
desk at which he sits contains a heavy
Colts revolver, and at given signal
he would Immediately close his door
and stand on guard. revolver in hand.
At two o'clock the department is
closed to visitors, and lightir iron graf
ingse to bar out the general public.
Only persons armed with pass are
then admitted. At four o'clock the
employees leave and the building is
turned over to the night watch to re-
main in their possession until eight
o'clock the next morning. Fourty-four
men comprise the night watch in two
reliefs, each of which is in command
of lieutenant. The night watchmen
carry their 45-caliber revolvers In their
belts, ready for use at a moments mo-
tice. The first thing they do when
they go on duty is to see that every
room is properly locked and all fires
are banked up for the night, then
they turn the keys into the Office of tho
captain of the watch, where they are
hung ON big board. The men are
distributed round the various floors
and assigned to certain corridors, and
every half hour they turn in signal
from watchman's box. The big money
vaults are never left unmatched for a
moment during the entire night, and
in case of necessity the guard can
Immediately summon assistance by
turning in signal from his call box.
Three men patrol the building on the
outside. In the captains Office is a
case containing thirty-hve Springfield
rifles and bayonets. the same number
of cartridge belts and five hundred
rounds of ball.
All things considered, 1t wouldn't be
very safe thing for mob to try and
loot the Treasury. Washington Cor.