Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-09-19
TIE PEOPLES MONEY.
Where and How the Nation Keeps Its
Store of Ready Cash.

" millions, and the sum is increasing
monthly at the rate of ten to fourteen mill
ions. Unless some relief is promptly af-
forded the new vault viii not accommodate
the constant accommodations to the end of
the present year.
The one hundred million vault is the
largest construction of the kind in the
world As it now appears it looks like a
modern Improvement on the dungeons of
the old inquisition in Spain Italy and Aus
tria- Descending into depths of the mas
sive foundations of the Treasury. about
thirty feet below the surface of the public
thoroughtares outside, and crossing q
dingy, dimly lighted bare apartment, a
great square of steel, standing partly open
In steel easement, suggests the entrance
to the new vault This door, about eight
feet high and six feet wide, is six inches
thick and weighs i've thousand pounds, or
two and one-half net tons. To move it on its
tracks into its steel casing requires the
desperate exertions Of five men. A me-
chanical device is now being constructed to
lessen the demand for this amount of mus
Gle IN handling the ponderous portal A
lock one foot in diameter, resembling the
highly polished bottom of dish-pan and
operated through a combination of the most
delicate and intricate mechanical appE-
ances by means of key about the size Of
an ordinary night latch-key, throws the
powerful bolts INTO the slots in the frame,
and time lock holds them there against
any thing short Of blowing up the building
by the roots until the hour fixed for the
morning rounds Of the official custodian of
the vaults.
Passing through the Jaws of this mon
ster of human continuance against bur-
glarious attempts, the chill, damp air and
inlzy darkness suggests the strength and
isolation of this vast treasure box. 1t is
eighty-five feet long, fifty feet wide and
twelve feet high, surrounded by massive
walls of masonry and brick five feet thick.
In the dim light of candle the weird lat
tce work OF interlacing bars of steel
which form the sixteen cells, each ten by
twenty feet, may be vaguely seen. Around
the inner cage leads a narrow corridor,
where the custodian of the vault may
make his rounds of inspection. Upon a
traverse central corridor the cells open.
Each door is fitted with an ingenious de-
vice for fastening, which will not catch I'M
til the door is entirely shut and the key re-
moved.
Each Of these cells will hold six and a
half million dollars, or two hundred tons
Of silver dollars, or a grand total of $500
net tons, equal to 100000, 900 silver dollars.
If the corridors were used for storage this
aggregate could be increased TO SIPS, 000,-
OO0 Some practical idea of the extent of
this treasure may be formed when it is
realized that 10 transport it would require
at least l,S0O wagons, which would extend
in continuous line from the new city hall
of Philadelphia 10 Norristown, or a train Of
cars which would extend from the Broad
street station to Fifty-second street.
In addition TO this vault is the active cash
vault for the current cash transactions of
the cash room, which is an enormous chilled
steel box eighteen inches thick, twenty-five
feet long, sixteen feet wide and fifteen feet
high, which contains about twenty millions
of current funds
Above this vault is the reserve cash
vault, the same size, containing twenty
millions more of cash. In the sub-basement,
under the cash-rOom, is the old silver vault
constructed in 1854 to contain so, 600, 900 silver
] dollars, but which, in the plethora of ac-
/ cumulating treasure, contains SS2, 900 in
/ $1,000 canvas sacks of 1000 each.
In the redemption division vault are S.
| 100000 in silver. This vault, originally de-
signed for undestroyed notes, with it's over
] burdened weight of silver dollars, to pre-
vent its sides, bloated with standards, and
already bullying far out of plumb, from CIV
| ing way, has been stayed by immense
/ ing sides.
The note vaults are the National bank SO.
/ curity vault, a steel box about ten feet
square, containing S350,0O0,OO0 of the Gov
ernment securities held for circulation of
National banks, and the redemption division
vault. for United States notes and silver
certificates, and another vault for National
bank notes and the surplus.
This vast and almost inconceivable amount
| of cash wealth is IN custody of the Treasurer
of the United States. The present Individual
who fills that close relation to Uncle SANS
money is james w. Hyatt, of Connecticut.
He does not exhibit a physique which would
be a match for Sullivan or Kllrain on the
issue of muscle, but as a clean-cut, quick
and courteous official he is the peer of any
man, and for integrity, which is his fortress
of strength, he is worthy of the confidence
OF the 60,0O0,0OO of people whose public
money is in his care.
His representative in immediate charge
of all this treasure is James f. Meline, q
tall, erect, solemn-looking, quiet individual
n lOng-tried and faithful public officer, who
makes his rounds at stated intervals each
day, the first man in the morning and the
last at night, among the vaults and money
bags of the Government His eyes have
seen more money in actual cash during the
long period of his service than any other
man on the face of the globe and doubtless
than any man who has ever lived.
Notwithstanding the enormous quantity
Of circulating medium in and out of the
hands of the Government there are no les:
than sixty millions of silver dollars in the
Treasury upon which no silvd certificate.
have as yet been issued. 1t should be under
stood by the general reader that for every
silver dollar held in the Treasury an equa
amount Of silver certificates may be issuel
for the convenience of circulation.
CHfnas. noo Ts.pcf,.s