The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1892-01-16

they have really got burglar, mob and
lre-proof safes and vaults. The safes
each weigh eighteen tons, and are made
OF chilled steel, or of some material
known only to the manufacturer and in
yentor. It is so hard, however, that no
impression can be made upon it. The
gratings of the vaults are made Of the
same material A short time ago some
iron men were called in to put shelf on
the partition gratings, but though they
had the most approved tools and worked
half day they failed to make an impress
sion on the bars and were compelled to
give up the attempt and set the brackets
on clamps. 1t may be that burglar
would know about it; but unmolested
and perfectly equipped these men failed
to make even mark, except on the
paint.
As stated, this latest of all late safes is a
globe within a globe. 1t is, however,
peculiar arrangement. When locked it
looks like a screw door continuance. 1t
IS anything but that, however. First,
there are two combinations. Then a
little lever is turned, which acts with it,
pressing a spring into the portions of the
lock operated by the combinations, just
as you would place the ends Of three
ringers together and press them apart
by inserting finger OF the other hand be-
tween them. Then there is large crank
which must be turned to make all these
parts work together. Any one of these
operations may be gone through with
separately and to the letter, but they will
not bulge the door. Fully unlocked, the
inside globe is swung on pivot, turning
10 dlfferent compartments, including one
IN which the lock works are placed. In
this is clearly seen the mechanism which
might have been thought Of in the days
when the watch dog was safer than the
hl0h
dreamed of Then the globe is turned
around to the different compartments,
showing most surprising amount of
space. In one compartment, when seen
by the writer, there was about 81 $50, 900
IN currency, largely s. and $40 bills, and
there was room for twenty times as much.
And yet that was but one COMPARTMENT
Turning again, the inside globe is broken,
so II can not be turned, and turning it in
position to lock and throwing Ii off the
pivot, it is fitted SO tightly that piece OF
tissue paper could lot be pushed between
the globes
Fire-proof and burgIar-proof, as re-
marked, are two different things. Ex-
aiming vaults III which these safes are
placed, one would jump very naturally at
the conclusion that they are burglar
proof 1t would be mistake, however.
They are fre-proof. and would give q
burglar an awful lot of work before he
would get through, but no one ever at
tempts to make a burglar-proof vault.
They are tire-proof, however, and an i'm
mense improvement over Old ideas. In
fact, the improvement in vaults is as
marked as in safes. There are few now
OF the old brick ones. These have double
doors, which are provided with tianges,
worked by the combination, the ilange Of
one pressing into a corresponding space
in the other. The trouble is that fire
causes the doors to swell, and this danger
is averted by this arrangement. The
vaults are also an Improvement in the
provisions made for handling books.
There are no more Of the old wooden
shelves, to wear out books IN pulling
them out and showing them in, and to
tire man out with their weight There
are now iron frames, with the books set
on rollers, working so easily that child
could pull a siXty-pound book out with
one hand.-Globe-De