The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-04-15
PERIL OF THE TREASURY.
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITHIN
REACH OF CRACKSMEN.


An Expert Bcres Hole Through the
Wall of One OF the Old Vaults in
Seventeen Seconds-In Seventeen
Minutes it Was Large Enough for a
Man to Crawl Through.
WASHINGTON, April 1.-THE treasurer
of the United States has asked the House
committee on appropriations to put
through the House Immediately special
appropriation to enable him to strengthen
the old treasury vaults, in which are de-
posits aggregating 5000, 900. He had
experiments made recently, mis- suspicious
having been aroused as to the security of
the vaults, which are of a style twenty five
years old. His expert bored hole through
the vault wall in seventeen seconds, and
made the hole large enough to crawl
through in seventeen minutes. Practically
the contents of the vaults were at his dis
posal, including $3.50, 900 in greenbacks in a
corner six feet square.
TO BE STRENGTHENED AT ONCE.
The committee, on receiving this startling
information, told Treasurer Huston to go
ahead and prepare estimates, promising to
put through the House Immediately any
appropriation deemed necessary. The
treasury is now preparing estimates. which
Will probably be ready 50 that the bill can
can be presented tomorrow. Meanwhile
the treasury guards have been doubled.
The total amount of the funds for which
treasurer Huston is responsible is about
$4,000, 900. OF this amount about $i70,-
600, 900, chiefly in silver, is in the new steel
silver vault, the remainder being in the old
treasury vault, which it is now proposed to
repair and strengthen.
A HEAVY LOAD TO CARRY.
Treasurer Huston does not think much of
the steel silver vault, but as it is rather diff
cult to carry off the cartwheel dollars it does
not make much difference about this vault,
but IN the old treasury vault are miscella-
neous moneys, gold, silver, greenbacks, etc.,
which could be carried off, and Treasurer
huston is unwilling to carry this risk longer
without trying to strengthen the vault
walls.
A CONSTANT DANGER.
The treasury watchmen have always been
noted for their integrity and fidelity but if
by political influence, their positions, not
being protected by the civil service, two
or three expert cracksmen could be gotten
on the force, or if the cracksmen
could get into the treasury at night, or as
employees pass, or in any other way, less
Ouhu udlL an DOurS Work on U0e OlQ treasury
vault would give them the biggest fortune
in the world if they got away with nothing
but the greenbacks. The treasurer's exam
ination of the vault and his recommendation
to the committee on appropriations have
been kept profoundly secret, even from all
but the five members of the committee who
would have especial charge of the matter
under the committees division of labor.
HUSTON STARTLED.
Treasurer Huston almost jumped out of
his chair when he was asked about it this
afternoon. Directing his messenger, who
was blotting his mail as the treasurer
signed it. to leave the room and close the
door he proceeded TO interview the inter-
viewer, as to how he got the news
which he thought he had kept
profoundly secret. OF course, he
did not learn anything, but seeing that the
interviewer had facts, he admitted that it
was all true, but begged that III should not
be published lest it create an unnecessary
sensation, but the interviewer had to tell
him that he could not keep an open secret,
and SO the story goes.