Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-08-05
BILLIONS IN A CART.
HOW CUSTOMS RECEIPTS ARE TAKEN
TO THE SUB-TREASURY.
From $500, 600 to 81 900 900 Carried in =
Modest Old Hand Cart-A Simple Sys-
CuStons

I1OOcSt Oko h4uo N1s--A cAAAPAS ~
tem-Daily Cash-A New Plan of Pay
ing Customs
4 heavy wheeled hand cart, with 3 thick
set little guiding wheel IN front and pushed
by two men from behind, clatrered down the
steps of the William street entrance 70 the
custom house at 3:45 the other afternoon
1t was instantly followed by four broad
shouldered laboring men, smooth faced Old
man OF clerical appearance and stern
looking man with a heavy brownish mus
tache, who quickly grouped themselves on
both sides Of it and in front OF it and be
hind The little group. WITH the cart rum
bling in the center. pushed rapidly TO Wall
street TO the north SIDE and then went at
q quick pace up the street 70 Nassau,
then around 20 Pine street and was
swallowed up in the rear entrance TO the sub
treasury building. AL along the journey
from the custom house TO the sub-treasary
people stopped and ga2ed curlously at the
group as it hurried along and tried 70 get
glimpse of The cart Il was NOS very hand
some vehicle. The box was literally box
iron bound and tightly locked with heavy
brass paddock, but those vino understood the
matter knew that il mig ht contain anywhere
from $500, 600 to 81 600 90 OF more and that
this money represented Uncle Sans daily
tolls on merchandise imported from abroad,
ard that it was OF its way 20 be poured into
the treasury, another contribution to swell
the great surplus which now lies idle there.
TIE 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 surrounded by its
escort. How many thieves have cast en-
vious eyes at it, how many SPECTATORS on
the verge of ruin, how many dishonest bank
employees with the impending crisis Of dis
covery hanging close over them, have
thought that to only have for but a few
weeks or q 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 long hour trying TO devise
some daring scheme to waylay 5 guardians,
smash the heavy box and make of with its
contents But from all this nothing has
ever come For nearly quarter Of cen
fury the Old cart has trundled over its route
and not an unlawful hand has been raised
/ against it Collector Hedden in his time
did receive, it is true, written warning that
a DLOt UdO DSSL uoCNDcd " Ltlc
ure cart II was the work of some practical
joker, most likely. A little extra p"ecaution
was exercised for a time, but the plot never
developed The most daring robber could
not fail to see the madness of such an at
tempt The cart has carried its millions
with never the loss Of so much as a cent.
Familiar as is the sight of the little vehicle
and its guard Its appearance never fails TO
partially stop the hurrying Wall street
throng for moment Those who know
what it means cast u rcverent eve on 1t as it
passes Strangers who understand nothing
of it catch sight of the big letters u. S."
painted on each end or the cart, and the bur
red 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 KEEP.
four boxes, iron bound and made OF thick
oek board They are two feet in length by
one foot in breadth, and about foot in
depth At each end is massive iron handle
that in itself weighs nearly two of the fifteen
/ pounds az which each box tips the beam.
When the days work Is completed the money
is counted and placed in these boxes. Ii is
then delivered to the custody of United
States Detective T. J. MuI-tha Four labor
ers then come, and each one shoulders box
and carries it to the ground floor Here the
boxes are placed in the strong box on the
cart, which Murtha locks. At the sub-treas-
ury the money is again counted, and if il
agrees with the custom house count a receipt
is given
DAILY AVERAGE OF CASH