The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-08-22
N A MAZE OF MONEY.
oorD AND SILVER COIN IN TOW
ERING HEAPS.

E-1Ul the NetC / O3H <AuSfCtSeTs
Tar naopls of the many thousands who
80 ,sss and repass the gray stone build
o. ,ba foot Of Nassau street, from the
Of which the father OF his country
-. perpetual eye OF the bankers and
49, 49, and everybody else about she money
s.Lot of the metropolis, ever think of the
.l,,irors wealth in actual cash almost
z,.5i, their reach, but SO strictly and
.,.,rslv guarded that it is practically miles
and miles away.
ranorter visited this veritable Tom It'd
,,..,s ground this week when the 500, 600, 900
1Irod coin was brought into the building
s-,, california, and, under the wings OK
T-,i.ad States Sub-Treasurer Ellis II.
p,bsrts and several Of his staff, obtained a
.r,bt insight into the workings of the insti-
+ntion where millions of money are daily
ko,Ilat without the loss of single cent,
md where a light or plugged coin cannot
escane the eagle eyes and delicate sense Of
inch of the expert money counters or q
counterfeit bill pass into, the vaults.
Snb- Treasurer Roberts told the reporter,
with a really remarkable indifference in his
tore and manner, that he has now under
HE charge about S144 900, coo of money, for
he said, about S65 100000 Ia IN gold coin,
and there is room In the gold vaults for
nearly 10000, 900 more of the yellow metal.
HOW THE MONEY IS GUARDED.
Mr.. Roberts said he was not at liberty to
rive in detail all the arrangements of the
system bv which this vast treasure was
guarded, but he added, with quiet smile
Its quite safe, as upstairs we keep small
arsenal Of gaJllng guns. reVoIyers, hand
crenades, Winchester rifles aud ammu-
niuol"
These weapons could be used with great
effect by thu treasury employees on an at
lacking force, as after closing the massive,
heavy iron doors aud gates and securing
the steel plate shutters which protect the
iron-barred windows, they could keep up a
hot fire Oh a crowd in the streets several
DAYS through the dark little holes in the
masonry above the cornice which runs
round the building, the supply of smmunI-
ton in the building being ample to with
stand long siege.
At night, after business is over for the
day, the building is alive with armed guards
Who patrol the building until the next
morning when the days business commences
and the big gates are thrown open.
These men are required to report on their
rounds every hour through the night, and
time clocks which register their calls are in
every part of the building. In addition to
this force there are guards outside the build
ing to whom those on the inside have to re-
port at stated intervals. as they are also
required to do to the police on duty
further precautl0n for the safety Of
the peoples wealth is the connection by
private wires Of the treasury with police
headquarters and two precinct station
houses downtown, from all OF which assist
snce could be instantly summoned to
7VagIIe ks,a ],
burglar having designs on the treasury
surplus.
THE GOLD VAULT.
After Mr.. Roberts had given the reporter
all the interesting details of the safeguards
employed, he introduced him TO Deputy
Assistant Treasurer Edward w. Hale and
Assistant Cashier Mailer, two of the most
courteous and jovial gentlemen to be met In
days walk, under whose especial charge
the vaults are placed, and who showed the
scribe through the vaults, where millions of
money is stacked up in canvas bags, looking
for all the world lIke sample bags Of wheat
or -four.
The gold vaulb proper is on the ground
floor, two sides being formed by the outer
granite walls Of the building at the Nassau
and Pine street corner, inside Of which is a
solid brick wall, covered within by thick
steel plates, which also cover the floor and
ceiling
The vault is entered through two massive
iron doors, secured by bolts and combipa-
tl1n time locks, each with a separate com-
Dlnauon, the outer one known only to Mr..
bale and the inner one to Mr.. Mailer.
Between these doors is a heavy iron-barred
gate, also securely locked.
around the vault are number of what
appear to be cupboards or lockers, num-
bered from to l45, which are really steel
square boxes, each containing gold in bags
70 Tue amount of 100000. The moueY
having been counted into the bags, they are
sealed and tag is attached bearing the
name OF the counter. The bags are then
WelRhed and stored in these boxes In the
vaults IN the presence of the treasury Of
hcers having charge Of the vault. the sur
'sg9r OF the port and the naval officer.
me Dox door is then sealed with COM
Insuon seal, one part of which is kept by
'as naval officer, another by the treasury
oLuoals and the third blythe surveyor of
s sus port SO that it is impossible for box
t Is closed without the presence Of oil
The law requires the naval officer and the
surveyor OF the port to pay a visit of in
specuon to the sub-treasury not less than
~ every three months, but it is usually
anals monthly, when the money is practi-
IIaly recounted in all the boxes which have
al AL opened since the last inspection for the
10y VI ROlQ.
.o AlVer the box doors have been sealed a
t tbs Ut card IS placed on the door bearing
t w. oo& number, the amount of the con-
uS, the denomination Of the coin, the
iosa oer OF bags, and this Is initiated by not
i Ns,H Suan three witnesses to the sealing,
tboi. Tue surveyor and naval officer, or
ofF Sn representatives., and the treasury
''1 TS IN charge Of the vault.
tuere Is another vault on the other side
IN t 5o building fashioned fitted and secured
gol a.. same manner as that described, where
IN 5a . stored and paper money is deposited
- Dgtuuies IN the boxes.
or. t.er having Toasted his eyes on the gold
rer aosuer It's repository, Mr.. Hale took the
vera ~ through two iron gates which
scend.S 9cAed behind the visitors, and de-
sort ~ spiral iron staircase which led into
an ~ corridor, on one side of which was
aIay ,u-lleose iron door facing a hydraulic
Aoo,so ouiIt Of iron throughout The
sve Ss, ceilings and walls of this corridor
1''o covered with steel plate.
r WHERE SILVER REPosEs.
two ool iron doors were again opened by the
sesor senuemen in whose possession the open
usbcro7- 10 secret, and the reporter was
parfro.. mo a vault, divided into COM
iron -, ,sI by steel lattice work reaching
tnent t tue uoor 70 the ceiling, each compart-
who 'glnR entered by separate iron gate,
seale5' "hen the compartment is filled. is
ner a. iL'CHeu and tagged IN the same man
"qg; ,ue ooxes in the gold vault
wsraas' SAID Mr.. Haze with q nonchaIant