The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-02
UNCLE SANS SPECIE.
How Silver Coin Is Transported non
Philadelphia to Washington.

How Silver Coin Is Transported ffon
Philadelphia to Washington.
Through the Adams Express Compa-
ny the United States Governments on
gagged in transferring 81 900, 600 in spe-
Gle from the $2l, $50, 900 in the big vaults
in the post-otfice building to the United
States Treasury in Washington. One
million dollars worth of the precious
metal nodded into United States coins
is being daily carried out of the post
office building. loaded on Adams ex-
press cars and shipped to Washington.
The removal of coin is made under the
supervision of Major James Mullane,
assistant cashier of the National Treas
ury. He is accompanied by two as
sistants from Washington. Twenty
laborers from the Philadelphia mint,
under the direction of Superintendent
Fox. complete 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 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
express company's inspector seals it
with the cOmpany's seal. The slight
est imperfection is sufficient cause for
rejection by the express company's
officials. A thousand-dollar bag with
a small hole was recently rejected, and
had to be reconnted and verified be-
fore it was allowed to pass the in
spectors.
Fifty bags, each containing 1000 sill
yer dollars, and weighing in the ag-
gregate 5000 pounds, are loaded upon
Il carriage or truck. Guarded by two
uniformed officers and the eyes of the
secret-service detectives, the carriages
are wheeled to the elevator and taken
downstairs and through the passage
way to Chant street. At the rear en-
trance stands a heavy wagon of the
Adams Express Company. The con-
tents of the carriage are transferred to
the wagon, and. manned by four detec-
tives, the load is conveyed to the main
Office of the company at Sixteenth and
Market streets. These $4,000 Install
ments are conveyed to the depot until
the million dollars are stored at the
depot. Each detective carries two
loaded pistols ready for instant action.
Two pairs of the finest automatic hand.
cuffs and u blackjack complete his de-
fensive outfit. Any attempt to modest
the precious load would invite volley
of pistol balls from every 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 disap
pear as completely as if the earth had
opened and swallowed them up. The
money is never seen again until its al
rival in Washington. Each bag O
silver is placed in a heavy oaken kee
bound with iron and sealed with the
Government and express company
seals. These kegs are loaded upon al
eXpress-car built expressly for thi.
service and lined with wrOught-irOn
Each car will carry 81 900, 600 in silvel
or $4,000, 900 in gold specie. Abou
the movement of the car the closes
secrecy is observed. But one perso,
knows when it will start on it's jOurne,
or to what train it will be attached
Awaiting his orders is q corps o
armed detectives.
A few moments before the starting O
the train selected to bear the none,
the car is attached. The detective.
are informed, and one detachment il
placed in the car. Other detectives
distributed through the train closely
watch the movements of the passen
gers. This system of surveillance il
continued until the train reaches
Washington, when the same method o
transfer is employed as occurs at tn,
sub-treasury vaults in this city.-Phila
delphia Record.