The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-16
NO ROBBlNG THE TREASURY.
WARNINGS OF BURGLARIOUS CON-
SPILACIAs CAUSE NO ALARM

- . SuAcient Froteesion-Cenent Floors,
Stool Wallis. saA Tine Locks-How the
Trsassry Was Robbed II Iss5-why
Oss Treasurer Failed for Al Hosr 90
Meet 0slisatioss-The Time Locks.
WARRINGTON. Aug. l5-Ths warning re-
eeivsd By Treasurer Eebeker a few days ago
from Drank who claimed to know OF plan to
rob the Treasury vaults was only ono OF tho
many such communications which the Treas
urer receives periodically. Mr.. Nobeker's
predecessors received great many OF them
and a great many will como into his hands be-
fore no goes out OF office. The proposition Is
utterly ridiculous. but TO many thousands Of
PEOPLE throughout the country. who are not
familiar with the safeguards which surround
the coin In the Treasury vaults. the impossi-
bility OF the project 10 not so evident.
Tho principal protection upon which tho
Treasury Department could rely 10 the enor-
nous weight Of the coin. which would effect
Unliy prevent its transportation In any con-
siderable quantity unless an army Of mon
should got possession OF II. There arc more
than 5000 tons OF silver In the vaults OF the
Treasury Department. In ono vault alone
there arc nearly 100, 900. 900 silver dollars. 1t
tas been estimated that It would take noary
900 freight cars TO carry this silver coin
away from Washington. When this fact 10
lAken INTO CONGREGATION tho utter 1nlpoSSlpll.
ity Of removing enough Of the coin to Justify
serious discussion OF the subject Is evident.
There Is q lnrce quantity OF gold coin which
might reward thief who could gain acces. to
the Treasury. The weight OF $4,000 in god Is
loss than 100 pounds. and even ono burglar OF
muscular development would have but little
difficulty in carving that weight. But what
attracts the cupility OF tho dishonest always Is
the enormous amount Of silver coin which is
stacked up In tho big steel vaults. The largest
o! these vaults extends un ler the terrace at
the south ON, of the Treasury building 1t was
completed about three years and half ago 1t
~aS pIs IN mon'ns o. cost 81
steel latice-work into several compartmen.s,
shs Sa
OF cane ss al sS'ia oT sses.
srea. heaps in the la,tcsd cells. As some dii.
n,ul.y was experienced in stacking these bags
properly. and as it was found that dumpneas
vaults and ro,ted tho bags II they were loft uu-
protected. a now system was devised aud now
two bags to each box aud these boxes arc
,,iIei in reoular order Each NJ tbesa boraa
p.su ~ 90 ,os sa,o o'u'' n - "''e ooAeS
weighs lZo pounus.
basement Of the Treasury building mona q,
th.n, 49, !, ~. NC ths grao, s;,ws. ror,. a.t,oh
was completed three and a half yenrs ago
In th.s. rauI,a 70 .torad both yo,a ond oilv.r
coin. tn. amour, Of money is Changing con- con-.
SANITY. for new dollars arc received almost
every day from the minis. and. "a demands
are made from banks and Sub Treasures. the
dollars are shipped to oil parts OF the country.
stored in the sub-Tr..surIes.
Tho silver dollars as they arc taken into the
rrao.nrv v.uNa .,a MT oo,,,.d MI. 49,.
a.s sas sau .s sle nos counted Iney are
Weiehed: ana their number and condition can
great scales which stand In glass case at ile
and sSsy MosS Exactly Ehs Vs' axe
DrHuent ~ on 2 truck, ana ouriy iaborer
sst at the exact figure which represents
lars OF tue reauired hneness. and should
d afES os e, s 1i coin one
its presence with unfailipg accuracy. II a
.a1iy con " found: me lGt y iaid aside to b.
vsa. donr and
charged to the mint from which It came. Il Tho
Which Is sewed up and carried into the vaults.
there to be stored until called for Strange US
I. may s see GoXernmelt has never missed
@nHnua Ny, to RI, the hands Q. these labosers.
4, All possiol 10 safeguards are thrown around
the coin val,s Thore are sixty guards GU
outy around these vaults overy day. nnu their
Ti6llanoe 10 such that Il Is said that Treasurer
Huston came very near being sno, by Que OF
them when he yentured down stairs one dov
for the purpose Of learning snomething about
NV que. and !. wns not until one Of the older
man c2nsenteL to take the pistol barrel
cond nrr,ed tss nu,ts ea hss so
ne narrow corridors u tic Treasury. Inc
'sion ngains, an at!acs through any other than
The regular channel o. ad mission to the vaults.
Tine doors OF the vaults are rot BY any m ,nns
burglar proof. Less than q year ago an expert
came ovor from New YORK 1T the relHest Of
Treasurer Huston and with tho ordinary tools
OF u safe iepatrer cracked /" one at tho big
vaults IN very shor, time. The last Congress
sua;ds around these vaults urged upon it and
made the hecessary appropriation for q COM
mitiee Of experts to Investigate tire matter.
United States irs, sary was q ptrsags l Of 500
r"tes COM aiming s47.0oO. which WAS taken in
d. hA