St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-10-22
washington Letter.

the WdICnllen allowed Hill 10 SGL away {.
Suppose all the money in the treasury
was piled up in one room. My giant
burglar would find at his hand 1884, =
100000 in gold and silver, s250,000, 900
in bonds, and an additional $4,000 900
in new silver dollars if he happened to
time his visit when the new silver vault
in the main courtyard is full, and sill
yer stream of 100000 day is steadily
flowing into that subterranean treasure
house.
Here is nearly 5000, 900, 900. Just think
of it, More money than can be found
in any bank i'll Europe. The Bank OF
England has only SOL, 100000: the Bank
of France, 1852, 100000; the Imperial
Bank of Germany, 1927, 100000.
This little Wad of 5000, 000, 900 is NOM
inally in charge of James w. Hyatt, the
United States treasurer, who, by the
way, is a very bright specimen of a
Connecticut Yankee. Mr.. Hyatt has to
give bond of S150,OO0 for the safe
keeping of that money, not cent of
which he ever actually handles, but he
doesn't stay awake of nights counting
his cash, and the cares of Office sit light
ly upon him.
Massive iron safes. embedded in solid
masonry, protected by time locks and
every other kind of anti-burglar device
known to the ingenuity of man. guard
this treasure, and, in addition, force
of armed watchmen patrol the building
night and day. If a 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, always
excepting the firm of L. j. Brady 81 Co.,
ana some other gentlemen Of the same
kidney, who planned very successful
raid. But they had the combination at
that time, and since then we have
changed all that.
And one who has been abroad is at
once struck by the armed Sentries con-
Stantly on guard in front of the old
government banks. If you should hap
pen to pass the Bank of England any
night about o'clock you would see a
detachment of Grenadier guards march
into the bank, and there they remain
until O'Clock the next morning. There
isn't sentry, not even as much as a
marine, to be seen anywhere round the
treasury. but at every door sits vigil
liant Waterman, and he sharply ScrIti
niZes all corners, especially those who
are strangers to him. He doesn't look
very fierce, but the drawer of the desk
.
revolver, and at a given signal he would
Immediately close his door and stand on
guard, revolver in hand.
At 2 o'clock the department is closed
to visitors, and a light iron grating
serves to bar out the general public.
Only persons armed with pass are then
admitted. At 4 o'clock the employees
leave, and the building is turned over to
the night watch to remain in their
possession until s o'clock the next
morning. F0rty-four men comprise the
night watch in two reliefs, each of
which is in command of lieutenant.
The night watchmen carry their 45-cali-
Der rey0lverS in their belts, ready for
use at moments notice. 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 the cap
tain of the watch, where they are hung
on big board. The men are diStrib-
uted round the various floors and as
signed to certain corridors, and every
half hour they turn in a signal from
watchman's box. The big money vaults
are never left unmatched for moment
during the entire night, and, in case Of
necessity, the guard can Immediately
summon assistance by turning in a sig
nal from his call box. Three men pa
troll the building on the outside. In
the captains office is case containing
thirty-fve Springfield rifles and bayO-
nets, the same number of cartridge
belts and 500 rounds of ball.
All things considered, it wouldn't be
safe for mob to try and loot the treas