Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-06-05

OF silver now in the vault weighs over
5000 tons, and You could put these $780,
100000 on one side of the scale and 49,
600 men weighing each 1870 pounds on
the other side and the silver would
outweigh them, 1t would take l75
freight cars to carry this silver to the
seacoast if America should be con-
quered by England and this treasury
vault looted.
The silver dollars in this vault would
carpet an area of more than 80 acres,
and If they were piled one upon an
other, they would make solid column
of silver more than 100 miles high
million dollars of silver is no small
quantity, and when you have $9O,OOo,.
600, your vault has to be as strong as
stone and iron can make it. And still
this is only small part of the coin in
this treasury, and there is another vault
which contains $59,OOO,O more of sill
yer and 500, 900, 900 in gold.
In addition to this there are millions
in greenbacks, in silver certificates and
in bonds, and the men who could rob
the treasury would indeed possess
wealth beyond the dreams of avarice.
The question as to whether the treas
ury could be robbed has often been dis
cussed. There is no doubt but that
many of the vaults are far behind the
times in their safety appliances, and
there are hundreds of cracksmen in the
country who could open them.
1t would, however, be very brave
man who would attempt to rob the
treasury. A tunnel might be dug from
somewhere near the Potomac river I'M
der the treasury building, but the rob-
bers would have to drill through floor
of cement and chilled steel, and they
would have to have a railroad to carry
away the silver in order to make it pay
| After they had taken a few thousand
dollars the bags and boxes containing
the remainder would turn about with
such noise as to apprise the treasury
guards of their action, and as these
guards are on hand day and night it
would be almost impossible to get any
thing to speak of without discovery
There might be combination with the
guards and fortune in greenbacks or
silver certificates taken, but these are
all numbered and the thieves would be
sure to be identified.
There are 60 guards in the treasury
department, and these are divided into
different watches, They have to salute
each other from time to time, and a
whistle would bring an army of guards
to any part of the treasury at any mo-
ment.
Not long ago the treasurer attempted
to 60 down into the vaults to see
whether the men were on duty He sud.
denly found barrel of cold steel at his
head, and the guard who held the other
end of the revolver made him stand
still and hold up his hands He said
that he was the treasurer of the United
States, but the very polite watchmar
with the revolver said that might all be
but he did not know the treasurer, ant
he would have to wait until he called
one of the other guards to identify him
He then gave whistle. The Other
guards rushed up, and the treasurer
was released 1t is by no means safe
thing for even the treasurer to e
around about the vaults at midnight
1t would seem to be an easy thing tx
get away with some of the green backs
of the treasury Still, with millions
on hand and with no apparent guards
to speak of, Uucle Sam seldom has
loss 1t is almost incredible that yea
after year these one and two Thousand
dollar clerks go on handling millions
and still there is no leaking and h,
stealing. ! visited the cash vault o
the treasury the other day, and saw
pile upon pile of greenbacks all practic
ally in charge of one man, and Their
were millions of dollars represented b,
them | was shown half dozen small
packages of bills which could have beel
crowded into cigar box and whicl
were worth S500,000 AS | held then
in my HAND the amount was so grea
and the pile so small that could no
realize its immensely was show
single notes that represented $4,000
and stopped in the cash room an
talked with the thin-faced young ma
who acts as the receiving teller, Ii
told me he took in millions of dollars
day in checks and cash, and that all tn
money in the country, in one shape O
, another, came to him.
spent some time in the cash vaul,
and took look at the reserve vaul;
! which has something over 81 200, 900 i
greenbacks, and then went on into tn
vault where the national bank secur
, ties were kept and watched a youn
tourist caressingly handle $1,000, 900 i
| bonds, which the keeper of this vaul
| showed me. This young man kept tn
, sheets of securities in his hand Just a
/ long as he could, and he attempted t
, make conversation with his keeper i
/ order that he might hold them til
, longer. He will tell when he get
home how he had million and a hal
, eyes of his fellow-citizens will bulg
out in envy.
In the story of Aladdin is told how
: wicked old man made a fortune
changing old lamps for new, The pee
. Pile are doing this with Uncle Sam a
! the time. You can get new greenback
| for old ones at the treasury any day
, and there are hundreds of clerks VIII
do nothing but count old bills, do thel
q up into packages, have them punche
! with holes showing they are not to b
used again, and then cut in two with
, sort of meat-aX cleaver to rende
, them perfectly worthless
! Before leaving the treasury depar
/, ment took look at kettle of mus
. worth $500, 600 The mush was mad
, of ground greenbaclls, and it containe
the mashed and pulpy remains of tn
days work of the redemption division
: 1t had been ground for five hours, an
whom II Is finished IL will bn Sbipnnd n