The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-06-20

Down In tho Money vaults Amid Almost
Countless Wczlth.

Countless Wealth.
The automatic bodyguard now shows
some animation. Producing a hand
lantern from another mysterious recess
he turzs and bids us follow. We walk
in narrow alleys formed OF pllci OF
boxes. where not a ray OF light pcne-
trates, and find ourselves making a
rapid descent with the lantern ahead.
like some guardian angel We de-
sccnd n sleeper incline than the others.
with the defunct bank notes In their
sarcophagi all around US, when a chill
air striking up proves that we are well
underground.
Then the figure In front turns aud
announces TO us In "A tone. calculated
20 strike terror into nervous persons,
I'VE are now In the labyrinth" | be-
gin TO feel like another GuysFawkcs
going 20 blow up the whole place. But
the sudden twists and turns we taks
always In that be~wildering maze OF
piled-up cases are becoming most try
customed TO lodging n will-o-thc-wisp
in a catacomb.
i begin 10 entertain fears hat he Ia
leading us 10 some dungeon f~astness
when he turns again and solemnly re-
marks. with a wave OF his hand. ''All
bank notes" Some idea can be gained
OF the quantity when IL is said that
they are ~. TAO. 600 in number. and
that they fill IS. 400 boxes. which. IL
vlanaI af1. As .tIA mould s...e tnt.
and n half miles. II the notes were
placed In n pile they would reach "A
height OF FIVE and a half miles. or. IL
joined end 10 end would form a ribbon
IL, 455 miles long. Their superficial
extent Is a little less than that of HYDE
Park; their original value was over
!, $50. 600, 900 pounds sterling. and
their weight over 90i tons.
Along another passage we enter n
large room-really n vault-which Is
surrounded from floor 10 ceiling by
iron doors OF safes which az their open
ing might be five feet high by five feet
wide. One OF these is opened and
shows rows upon rows OF god coin in
bags OF two thousand pounds sterling
each.
One is handed 90 me 20 hold. and
after doing SO for a moment I decide |
will not carry IL home. The dead
weight Is enormous, Yet those officials
handle the slipping sliding mass as
though IL were a book Another door
Is opened and we observe n stack Of
bank notes. | remark that | hnvo
seen n lot already. For answer tho
manager takes out n parcel OF one
thousand one thousand pound sterling
notes and says:
Take hold" do so, alG am told
! am holding n million pounds sterl-
ing. should have wished % hold IL
longer. but they want IL so | tut il
back.
This small safe contains eight mill
lion pounds sterling continues tho
polite manager. and you are IN the
richest vanlt OF the Bark az England
and OF the world. This small room nj
present holds eighty million pounds
sterling"
BY this time my appetite FOR wealth
is nearly gone. am nauscated with
the atmosphere OF bank rotes. NV
senses are dulled with the depressing
spectacle and | hail with delight tho
merry FLASHING fountain In the court
yard. Here are the quarters 81 tho
thirty-four guardsmen who nightly
patrol the establishment A double
sentry is posted at each gate, and as
they load with ball cartridges Il "a not
a safe place for an enterprising burg
lar 20 tackle. The officer OF the guard
has a bed room in the bank. and Is
provided with n dinner and a bottle OF
the finest old port and | understand
that the guards are also literally
treated.