The morning call., 1891-06-11
PHILIP KENNEDY & CO,
Southwest Corner Of Market and Fifth Streets.
GUARDING TREASURES.
The National Museum Connected
With Burglar Alarms.

Few people who gaze upon the treasures
inclosed within the fragile glass cases near
the main entrance OF the National Museum
dream that any material protection guards
them from burglarious and predatory paws
save that a watch is kept, as a matter Of
course, by persons in charge. Gold and sill
yer by the hundredweight are there eX-
posed to view, while the intrinsic and his
torical value Of the exhibits mounts up into
the millions. Yet all is open, with only thin
sheets Of crystal between the avaricious Wis
itor and this precious property OF the Amer
lean people.
Let the would-be robber try 1t then; let
him wait and, when he is perfectly certain
the guard is not looking, lay hands on so
much as one small copper penny Of historic
date exposed behind the glass. Lol an
alarm rings through thu building, and from
all sides the attendants flock 70 the rescue.
The thief learns, too late for prOtita bic in
formation, that each "copper" silver or gold
piece IN every case has separate attach
ment 10 the burglar alarm in the building.
The accessibility Of the costly objects is
ONLY apparent; the entire police Of W aShing-
ton IS guarding them day and night.
1t is the same way with the major as well
as with the minor treasures in the Smith
sOnian's museum. Gold and silver articles
and ornaments, jewels and vases, every
thing Of value IN fact, are guarded in the
same way. It is practically an impOssibillty
for anybody TO get away with them. A few
OF them we're stolen from the Patent Office
when they were there, but they are beyond
the reach of robbers now.
The United States cannot afford TO have
these things stolen. Among the treasures
the museum contains OF great Intrinsic
value are the presents made to General
Grant while he was abroad. Among
-1-ats IF nlf
gold, each as big as an ordinary four
pound confectionery box and very massive,
which were given by London, Ayr and GlaS-
Cow, containing the freedom Of those cities.
Besides these there are other boxes OF solid
silver. very massive One of the most val
liable Of these gifts was a set Of jade Orna-
ments-a material much priced in China
which. being carved from such large pieces,
are worth many thousands OF dollars. They
were presented by Prince Kung, Gold cigar
cases and knives are merely incidental. but
a most interesting and precious relic is
gold card OF invitation sent to General
Grant by friends in San Francisco in a sill
yer envelope, with his address on the out
side, an ordinary twO-cent stamp affixed and
a request engraved upon the envelope that
the miSSive should be returned 10 the sender
if not delivered in ten days. The invitation
was TO the most superb ball ever given on
the Pacific Coast, and General Grant at
tended.
But in addition to the Grant presents these
glass cases at the museum hold ever so many
other treasures of value. There are great
number of gOld-hilted swords, with solid
gold scabbards, Two Of them were given
10 General Shields by the States Of South
Carolina and Illinois respectively. for serv-
ices in the Mexican war. Others are mount
ed with diamonds and studded with rubieS
and other precious stones. Congress bought
the two swords from General Shields fam
lily for $4,000 a golden scimiteT, given by
the Emperor Of Morocco to Thomas Jeffer-
son, is one OF the most precious relics An
other is a gold box set with initials in da-
monds, presented to Francis, the inventor OF
the life-saylng car, by Napoleon Ill One
car, after his model which saved 200 men,
women aud children from a single
wreck, is on exhibition at the museum.
With the box is displayed a gold
medal worth $1,000, presented to
Francis by the Congress of the
United States. Also there is a reproduction
IN fac-simile OF the celebrated plate Of solid
gold, weighing nearly four pounds, which
was dug up in Rome in the year 30 A. D..
with sixteen golden coins set around its
margin Of different EmperOrs. The original
OF this Plate was stolen from the Louvre in
Paris, ana was subsequently hshed out Of
the Seine, into which the thieves had
thrown it. A collection Of japanese gold
coins included In the same assemblage Of
curi0slues has a value Of many thousands
Of dollars There are in addition numerous
gold medals granted to the Smithsonian In
stitution and to the Fish Commission. Be
sides, there are ever so many presents Of
great value given by foreign powers and
potentates TO Presidents Of the United
States and other officials of this country,
which by law they were not permitted to
accept. Among these last were bottle of
diamonds aud a bottle OF pearls, which are
not Displayed in the collection of gems at
the Observation-Disclosures Star.