Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-03-15
A TOMB OF RICHES,
The Gloomy Structure in Which Sec
retary Foster Sits the Master
of Many Millions.
BIGGEST RECEIPT In TIE WORLD.
Tbs Vaults Are Insecure, but in Spite Of
That q Robbery of Uncle Sam Is
Next to impossible.
HOW NINETY MILLIONS ARE STORED.
Redemption Of Eighteen Thousand Dollars IN sresnbscks
That Had Rotted.


rcoRRHsPoNpENcK OF THE DIsPATcH.l
WASHINGTON, March Il - Secretary
Foster is now as much at home in the great
Treasury Department as though he had
been born there. His big Office over
looking the Potomac is as quiet as a church
and the business goes on as smoothly as the
oiled locks of the massive vaults which hold
the millions upon millions of gold and silver
coin in the vaults below. Secretary Foster
room is the cheeriest one in this grand and
gloomy building
The Treasury Department itself is like a
tomb. 1t would be fine home for the Sui.
eide Club, and there is no prison in the
tiary-like as it is. Long and sauatty, with
q massive roof, its walls are of gray granite
many feet thick, and into these at the base
ment, doors have been cut out, which seem to
lead into the cave-like structure, and over
which seem to be painted the words OF
Dante, "All hope abandon, ye who enter
here!" Such windows as there are,
Rheumy Eyes of Dying Giants.
and they are veiled with massive bars, which
aid in shutting out the sunlight and in
making the gloomy exterior more prison
like than ever. The second story of this
massive tomb is lined with columns of dirty
sandstone, ann back of these other windows
look out more gray and more gloomy than
those below.
The interior of the building is as depres-
sive as its exterior. You walk through
miles of corridors which have to be lighted
by electricity in order that you may find
your way. These corridors are narrow and
hundreds of doors open from them on either
side. They make you feel as though you
were il a vault, and as a door opens you.un-
shudder at the thought of seeing
the coffins which you feel must be piled one
on top of another on the shelves within. 1t
is the same IRON basement to attic and it is
only the south rooms that have anything
like a CHEEKY look. 1t is on the second
floor of these, that the Secretary's Office is
located, and here in a room about 20 feet
square, Mr.. Foster manages Uncle Sans
cash. Have YOU ever thought what
mighty job it is?
Has Killed Its Men.
When Secretary Folger died in the at
tenn pit to keep track of it, did it strike you
that the care of millions preyed upon his
mind until death came to his release? When
Manning figured the interest OF
our big Government debt and watched the
outgoing and incoming of million every
day, the responsibility of this mighty Treas
ury machine ate the life out of him, and
when Secretary Window grappled with it
in his strength, it overthrew him. The fight
seems to, be different with Secretary Foster.
Business men are born. not made, and Fos-
ter inherited the knack of managing men
and mouey.
How much money do you think the Gov
ernment has on hand? Well, when Treasurer
Huston came in to his Office as United States
Treasurer, he gave a receipt for just what
he found here. and this receipt was the
largest ever given in the world. A fac
smile of it is framed and hung up in the
Treasurer's Office and English visitors put
heir hands to their heads in amazement
and feel to see if their ewes are really open
when they look at it. 1t is receipt for
s771, ,432 529 452s.
Uncle Sam Deals in Big Figures.
This is about the amount which is on
hand in this massive building to-day. 1t is
The balance which Secretary Foster has
under him and which remains Just about so
much, notwithstanding the millions upon
millions which come and go. looked at a
check yesterday for S67, ,000. 900 which was
signed by the Treasurer and there are some
thing like $500, 900, 600 of gold and silver in
the vaults of this mighty department.
Can you realize how much S67, 200, 900
means? l can't, but know tnat General
Washington was almost wild about the debt
Of this country when he took the Presi-
iencv and found that the Government owed
S75, 600, 600. Still we give a check for
S67. 100000 and the amount does not sur
prise us.
Leaving Secretary Fosters Office, went
with one of the guards out into the court
which lies in the center of this massive
Treasury Department, just over the great
vaults. The Treasury is built in the form
Of two hollow squares and around this court
rose three-story walls on all sides.
Biggest Silver Mine in the World.
1t was rooted only by the skies and it was
Jagged with great blocks of stone as big as a
center table. 1t covered. judge, quarter
Of an acre, and as l walked over it. had
beneath me the biggest silver mine in the
world. In the vault below there were $780,
boo, 900 of silver in boxes and bags, and
under my feet. separated only by foot or
Dr two of stone, was gold by the millions.
Guarding it were the great fort-like walls
On every side and within tine Treasury police
men who walk continuously to and fro and
watch the great doors which lead down to
the entrances of these vaults -
Leaving the court went down into these
big vaults. They are already packed to
bursting. The vast vault which was built a
few years ago mas its chambers all filled, and
The aisles are being packed with silver bags.
Each of these bags contains 60 pounds of
silver dollars, and they are stacked one on
Top of another, for all the world like the bags
Of -four mill and like SO much wheat. 1t
was the intention to store the whole 500. .000,-
300 in bags, but it was found that the roof
eaked and 45 600 small boxes were made.
Each contains s., 900 in silver, and they are
piled one on top of the other.
A Shifting of the Millions.
Where bags are used there is a continual
movement going on in the silver, and the
of a single bag would cause a
movement of millions I saw this big vault
ouilt. 1t has thick walls of brick and
cement, and its foundation is of cement. It
covers more than a quarter of an acre and it
S IL feet deep. In its interior there is a
.age OF iron lattice work, the bars OF which
ire made of wrought iron. and which were
-iveted together with red-hot rivets after the
attice-work was put up. 1t took 100, 600
-Ivets to fasten the iron work of this vault
ogether, and the lattice had to be very
strong, as the silver is very heavy.
The amount of silver now in the vault
weighs over 5000 tons, and you could put
.hese $50, 600, 900 on one side of the scales
md 81, 900 men. weighing each 1S0 pounds,
IN the other, and the silver would outweigh
hem. 1t would take 175 freight cars to
larry this silver to the sea coast if America
Ihould be conquered by England and this
Treasury vault looted. The silver dollars
n this vault would carpet an area of more