Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-07-01
SAFES AND THEIR HISTORY.

made In heavy oak or other hardwood
boxes or chests, says the New York
Saturday Globe. They were bound on
the corners and across the top and
front with iron bands studded with
nails. Iron plates were eventually
made to cover the outside Of the chest
and nailed to the wood The 1ounda-
ton Of the plan upon which hreproof
/ safes arc still constructed was laid by q
Richard Scott In 1901. The improve
/ mont previous to 1925 was to make tho
chest of soft wood, In thicker body,
soaked in brine; after thoroughly soak
| ing both the inside and outside shells
sheets of iron were fastened inside and
outside with large nails or spikes.
The idea and principle was that the
moisture In the wood upon the applica-
ton Of heat would produce steam and
prevent the interior and its contents
reaching = temperature of two hundred
and twelve degrees. Below that point
paper Of every description viii be pre-
served from damage either to the fiber
Of tho material or to the writing which
may be upon It's surface. These
principles Of the steam-producing
quality and thu reliance upon this
quality IL the principal element in the
manufacture of all safes of the present
day, though different materials may be
used to produce the same result
James Connor, type-founder Of this
city, about 163o-82 invented an iron
strong box with double shell, having
- filing plaster Of Paris mixed with
wHter. Later the shells were lined
with sheets Of mica pasted on paper
and filled with burnt clay or sawdust
and charcoal Plaster retained the
moisture successfully, but was SO de-
structive to the thin iron shells that its
use was abandoned. Connor allowed
his invention to lapse and a man named
Fitzgerald in 1S43 obtained new letters
patent on the same kind Of a safe.
William Mari, of London, in 1884, was
the first to patent q method Of construc-
ton for safes. In 1888 Charles Chubb,
OF the same city, used concentric Innings
OF iron plates filed In between with
wood ashes or other slow-conductinp
materials Of a nature to retard the
transmission of heat In 1s4S letters
patent were granted to the Messrs.
Tam for the use OF pounded alum and
gypsum, previously heated and cooled,
e. hre-resisting medium. In 1910
Thomas Miner had patented a plan to
Ill tho jacket, formed by the double
plates, with sawdust, in which were
packed q number of small tubes filed
with an alkaline solution and hermeti-
caAly sealed, or crystals Of alum or soda
combining from forty to sixty per cent
water capitalization.
In cases of fire and the safe heating
thu tubes would burst or the crystals
would melt and saturate with water the
sawdust. Steam thus produced by the
heat would pass into the inner safe and
protect Its contents, If infammable, for
. long time. George Price, Of Wolver-
hampton, Eng, In 1855, tried the plan
OF coating metal surfaces exposed to the
nl1inG with composition to prevent
oorTosion, and then used powdered alum
and sswdust as a filler. Previous to
this, In 1S4e, dry plaster and common
grade OF alum or potash alum was
found to be of value as a non-conductor
| Of heat. Plaster was used for its non
conductor quality and alum for the
large proportion of water it contains In
capitalization. The same heat which
| produced steam also fused or disinte-
grated alum, releasing the moisture and
producing the requisite steam qualities.
Most of the hreproot safes of the
present day arc made Of wrought-iron
plates and angles on the outer and
inner frames. The usual thickness of
the walls Is from Eve and half to six
inches. Combination locks are used al
most universally; key locks are the ex-
| ceptton. The number Of safes produced
by the manufacturers has largely in
creased in later years Factories arc to
be found in every part of the country,
from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
The Increase began with the Chicago
hre OF 1871, and steadily advanced with
the opening of the great northwest.
Tho railroads and express companies
use large numbers Of safes for terminal
o4aco facilities; also for the transmission
Of valuable packages by rail-
jewelers. safes of late years have
been improved by the addition OF an
inside lining OF drill-proof material
Extra strength and security is given to
the doors by heavy bolt-work on the
interior.
Burglar-proof safes are distinct from
hreproof safes In material, construc-
ton and the object for which they are
built. The walls are composed of high
and loW grades of steel, which when
tempered will resist the most powerful
| drill But it is an error to suppose that
. safe which provides security from the
burglars drill is for that reason sufi-
GENTLY protected from burglars who
are properly fitted for an attack upon a
bank safe or vault
Recent experience has demonstrated
that other methods are more expedi-
tious, involving less risk for the oper-
ators, and are frequently more certain
OF success. Wedges inserted across one
edge Of door and driven home by re-
peated blows of hammer retain on
each wedge the Somb.ned strength of
each blow struck. The inclined plane
OF the wedge, being the foundation
principle Of all mechanical power, has
has proved In numerous successful bank
burglaries to be most potent factor in
the art of safe breaking.
Wedges are frequently used also in
breaking and removing the spindle
which connects the combination knob
and the lock. ThEs is left an opening
for an explosion of powder, which
makes short workoin demolishing the
door. Sometimes the body of the safe
or the door may be torn apart by other
methods, such as stripping the plate and
lifting tho door from its socket By screw
jacks.
s~
A eEAR-1ACK RIDE.