The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1890-04-24
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JUST BORE IN AND STEAL.

Uncle SANS Millions Invite n Visit From
fh'eVeS-Fho Treasury Vaults Not Safe.
WASHINGTON, April 17-The treas
nrer of the United States has asked
the House committee on appropria-
ton TO put through the House I'M
medlatelya u special appropriation to
enable him to strengthen the old
treasury vault, i'll which are deposits
aggregating $600,OOO,OOO. He had
experiments made recently, his sus-
plclons 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 i'll seventeen seconds, and
he made the hole large enough to
crawl through i'll seventeen minutes
Practically the contents of the vaults
were at his disposal, including $780,
0oo III greenbacks i'll corner six feet
square. The COMMITTEES, on receiv-
ing this startling information, told
Treasurer Huston to go ahead and
prepare estimates. promising to put
through the House immediately any
appropriation deemed necessary. The
treasurer is now preparing estimates
which will probably be ready so that
the bill can be presented ut once.
MeanWmle the treasury guards have
been doubled.
The total amount of the funds for
which Treasurer Huston is RESPONSE
bile is about $77O,OOO,OOO. OF this
amount about $17O,OOO, chiefly in
silver, are in the new steel silver
vault, the remainder being in the old
treasury vault, which it is now pro-
posed to repair and strengthen.
Treasurer Huston does not think
much of the steel silver vault, but as
1t IS rather difficult to calTy off the
cart wheel dollars, it does not make
SO much difference about this vault.
But in the old treasury vault ore
miscellaneous moneys, gold, silver,
greenbacks, etc, which could be car
rled off, and Treasurer Huston is
unwilling to carry this risk longer
without trying TO strengthen the
vault walls. The treasury watchmon
have always been noted for their
integrity land fidelity, but if, by
political influence, their positions not
being protected by the civil service
N"', wv VI IuI &c SAl)cIG CIuChSulcn
could be got on the force or if the
cracksmen could get into the treas
ury at night on an employees pass or
IN any other way, less than half an
hours work on the old treasury
vault would give them the biggest
fortune in the world if they got away
with nothing but the greenbacks.
The treasrer's examination of the
vault and his recommendation to the
committee Oil appropriations have
been kept profoundly secret from all
but five members of the committee
who woulct have especial charge of
the matter under the committees
division of labor. Treasurer Huston
almost jumped out of his chair when
he was asked about it this evening.
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 interviewer as to how he got the
nows which he thought he had kept
profoundly secret. OF course he did
not learn anything, but seeing that
the interviewer had the facts, admit
ted that it was all true, but said that
1T should not be published lest it
create nn unnecessary sensation. The
interviewer had to tell him that he
could not keep an open secret, and
so the story goes.