St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-03-17
IN LOADS OF A MILLION.

How Specie Is Transferred From
Philadelphia to Washington
An Interesting Sight for Poor
People.
Philadelphia Record.
Through the Adams Express company
the United States government is en-
gagged in transferring 100000 in spe-
Gle from the ST., 750, 900 in the big vaults
in the postofice building to the United
States treasury in Washington.
One million dollars worth of the
precious metal moulded into United
States COINS is being daily carried out
OF the postoffice building, loaded ON the
Adams Express cars, and shipped to
Washington. The removal of coin is
made under the supervision of Maj.
James Mullane, assistant cashier
of the national treasury. He
is accompanied by two assist
ants from Washington. Twenty
laborers from the Philadelphia mint,
under the direction of Supt. Fox, COM
plcte the working force. The workers
are guarded by secret service detectives
attached to the treasury department,
who are unknown to all but the officials
from Washington, and their chances
never wander from the mountain of
silver dollars in the vaults of the post
Office.
The first installment was shipped to
the national capital on Monday. Early
yesterday morning the second 81, 100000
inStallment started Oh its journey. The
specie is tied up in heavy canvas bags,
each containing $1,000, which weigh
sixty pounds. These bags are sealed
with the government seal, and
before passing from the vault they
are carefully scrutiniZed. After being
satisfied as to the correctness in weight
and the perfect state of the bag, the eX-
press cOmpany'S inspector seals it with
the company'S seal. The slightest i'm
perfection is sufficient cause for rejec-
ton by the express company'S officials.
A $1,000 bag with a small hole was re-
Jected yesterday, and had to be re-
counted and verified before it was al
lowed to pass the inspectors.
Fifty bags. each containing 1000 sill
yer dollars, and weighing in the aggre-
gate 5000 pounds, are loaded upon
carriage or truck. Guarded by two uni.
formed officers and the eyes of the Sc
cret service detectives, the carriages
are wheeled to the elevator and taken
down stairs and through the passage
way to Chant street. At the rear en-
trance stands heavy wagon of the
Adams Express company. The con-
tents of the carriage are transferred
to the wagon, and, manned by
four detectives, the load is conveyed TO
the main office of the company at Six
teenth and Market streets. The $50
600 inStallmentS are conveyed to the
depot until the million dollars are
stored at the depot. Each detective
carries two loaded pistols ready for in
slant action. Two pairs of the finest
automatic handouts and blackjack
complete his defensive outfit. Any at
tempt to modest the precious load would
cry detective. as their orders are to
shoot upon the slightest attempt at
robbery.
When the siXty-pound bags of silver
arrive at the main Office they disappear
as completely asif the earth had opened
and swallowed them up. The money is
never seen again until it's arrival in
Washington. Each bag of silver is
placed in heavy oaken keg, bound with
iron and sealed with the government
and express company's seals. These
kegs are loaded upon an express car
built expressly for the service and
lined with wrought iron. Each car will
carry Sl.000,000 I'D silver or $4,000, 900 in
gold specie. About the movement of
the car the closest secrecy is observed.
But one person knows when it will
start on its journey or to what train it
will be attached. Awaiting his orders
is corps Of armed detectives.
A few moments before the starting of
the train selected TO bear the money the
car is attached. The detectives are in
formed, and one detachment Is placed
in the car. Other detectives distributed
through the train closely watch the
movements of the passengers. This
until the train reaches Washington,
when the same method of transfer is
employed as occurs at the subtreasury
vaults in the city.