Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-02-24
WITH WATCHFULEYES
MOVING THE MILLIONS IN SILVER TO
WASHINGTON.
The Extraordinary Precautions Taken 70 Keep The
Coin From Msddling or Dishonest Hands.
Detectives Armed to the Tssh.
Why Such Care is Taken.
Philadelphia Record.

fhAldttpid RECORD.
Through the Adams Express Company
the United States Government is engaged
in transferring 100000 in specie from
the S2l, $50, 900 in the big vaults in tire
Pos. OAice building TO the United States
Treasury in Washington. One million
dollars worth of the precious metal mold
ed into United States coins is being daily
carried out Of the Post OAics building.
loaded on Adams Express cars and shipped
to Washington. The removal of the coin
is made unde, the supervision of Msior
james Mullane, Assistant Cashier of the
National Treasury. He is accompanied by
two assistants from Washington. Twenty
labOrers from the Philadelphia Mint under
the direction superintendent Fox, com.
plste the working force. TIE workers are
guarded by Secret Service detectives st.
tached TO the Treasury Department, who
are unknown 10 al but the officials from
Washington, and their glances never wan
der from the mountsil Of silver dollars in
the vaults of the Post Office
THE COIN -BAGs CAREFULLY EXAMINED.
Toe first installment was shipped to the
Natioail Capital on Monday. Early veg
terday morning the second million dollar
instsllmeut started on its journey. The
specie is tied up in heavy canvas bags,
each containing 81, go, which weigh sixty
pounds. These bsgs are sealed with the
Government sssl, end before passing from
the vault they are carefully scrutinzed.
After being satisfied as 10 the correctness
in weight and tn. perfect state Of the bag,
the EXPRESS coDpAny's inspector seals it
with the company's seal. The slightest
| impsrfcctiOn is sufficient cause for rejection
by the express comp'ny's officials. A
thousand-oollsr bag with Il small hole WAS
rejected yesterday, aud bod to be recount
ed and verified before it was allowed to
pass the inspectors.
ALWAYS UNDER wATcHFUL EYES.
Fifty bsgs, each containing LOCO silver
dollars and weighing in the aggregate 5000
pounds. are loaded upon carriage or
truck. Guarded by two uniformed officers
snd the eyes of tbs Secret Service detect
ives, the carriages are wheeled to the ele-
vator and taken down stairs and through
the passageway 20 Chant street At the
rear entrance stands q hesvy wagon OF the
Adams Express Company. The contents
of the carriage are transferred to the wagon,
and manned by four detectives, the load is
conveyed to the main Office of the cOmpa-
ny at Sixteenth and Marke! streets. These
$50, 600 in0tallmepts are conveyed to the
~, Iaf -
at the depot.
DETECTIVES ARMED To THE TEETH.
Each detective carries two loaded pis-
tolls ready for instant action. Two pairs
of the finest automatic handouts and
blackjack complete his defensive outfit.
ANY attempt to moiest the precious load
would invite volley Of pistol balls from
every detective, as their orders sre to shoot
upon the slightest attempt OF robbery.
OAKEN KEGS AND IRoE.LINED CARS.
When the sixty-pound bags of silver
arrive at the main Office they disappear as
completely as if the earth had opened
and swallowed them up. TIE money
is never ssenC penh uGlif is arrival in
Washington. ESch bag of silver is placed
in a heavy Oaken key bound with iron
aud sealed with the Government and
express comp1Dy's seals. These kegs are
loaded upon an express car built ex-
pressly for this service and lined with
wrought iron Each car will carry 81 ,0OO,-
600 in silver or Sl0, 900 600 in gold specie.
About the movement of the cars the closest
secrecy is observed. Bat one person knows
when 1t will start on IFS journey or to
what train il will be attached. Awaiting
his orders is a corps Of armed Secret Ser
vice detectives.
WATCHING THE TREASURE AND THE PAS
sENGERs.
A few moments before the starting ofthe
train selected 10 bear the money the car is
attached. The detectives are Informed,
and one detachment is placed in the car.
Other detectives distributed through the
train closely watch the movements Of the
passengers. This system Of surveillance is
continued until the train reaches Washing
ton, when the same method of TRAINER is
employed as occurs at the Sub.Trea;ury
waits in this city.
WHY SUCH CARE IS EXERCISED.
The Government learned the import
ance of secrecy by severe lesson in 1858,
when 50, 900, 600 in silver and gold was
transferred from San Francisco to the mint
in this city. When the train arrived st
Harrisburg the train was split into two
sections, the Government car b'ipg in the
second section. The first section was run
ming at high rate of speed near Frazier,
when the engine plunged over an embank-
msnt, wrecking the train and killing the
engineer ard fireman. The passengers
who endesvored to assist the wounded were
stoned By en- invisible gang Of robbers.
The car containing the money had been
traced from San Francisco ami the train
was to be derailed for the purpose Of rob
bing the Government. The unlooked-for
nrli4 II, thn trair, defeated the nlan.