The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-24
UNCLE SANS GOLD TRAIN.
San Francisco Ships Twenty
Millions to New York.
Guarded by Armed Men During
the Transcontinental Trip.

The undertaking Of the railway postal
service to transport safely 10000, 900 In
gold from the United States Sub Treasury
in San Francisco to the Sub-Treasury in
New York City has been successfully &C.
complished. the vast treasure now being
locked up in the massive vaults in Wall
street.
The shipment was the largest of the kind
ever attempted for anything like the
distance involved, and the precau-
tions taken for its safe transport
were Of an extraordinary character,
making robbery practically out Of the ques-
tion: The treasure cars themselves were of
steel and supposed to be bomb proof. Half
a hundred and more trusty guards were
aboard the train, each armed to the teeth, and
arrangements had been made whereby the
authorities Of the postal service were in
formed by telegraph Of the location OF tho
train every quarter or half hour Of the total
time consumed in the journey.
The train made the fastest run that hns
yet been made between San Francisco and
New York, covering the distance in 107
hours. The train followed the schedule
time, but everything else had to give way
to it. From San Francisco to Ogden the
trip was made over the Central Pacific track.
used. It was on this route delay of four
hours was caused by broken eccsu-
trio strap. The trip to Chicago
was made over the Burlington route.
Buffalo was reached with the train two
hours behind time, but under Vice-President
Webb's instruction was brought into New
York CITY almost on time. From Buffalo
the run was made at speed of nearly q
mile minute. No accident occurred and
if there was any plan to rob the train 1t did
not come to fruition.
It devolved upon the Postotfice Depart
ment to furnish safe transport for the gold,
and its custody was entrusted to some o. tho
most faithful employees at Washington. The
train was in charge Of Captain James z.
White of the railway servic', with fifty
seven assistants.
The train consisted Of five cars, ono prf-
yate car directly behind the engine, where,
through tho observation end a guard was
kept day and night over the engineer and
fireman: one mail and three express cars.
In each car was an officer Of the railway
mail service and ten guards, each OF whom
carried Colt revolver and carbine.
boxes sealed and registered and equally di-
vided among the four cars The guards
slept upon these boxes, and hot for single
moment were they left unguarded.
At the Grand Central Depot New York
City. the train was met by Assistant POST
master General j. Lowrie Bell, and soon the
boxes were being transferred to the sixteen
express wagons in waiting. These wagons
were loaded five at time. and as each de-
tachment was completed it started OF toward
Wall street. On each Wagon were three OF
the armed guards and each driver was
sworn member of the Postal service.
Down Broadway the procession started.
The spectacle Of a procession of what ap-
peared to be unloaded express wagons, each
wagon guarded by three men with openly
displayed weapons, naturally aroused much
astonishment and inquiry.
As the first wagon drove up to the Pine
street entrance to the Sub-Treasury Gordon
of police was ready to help in its safe de-
livery. and bacE of them small crowd had
gathered. AS the news spread, however, the
crowd increased, until at times the police were
bothered in keeping them back Every one
wanted to see what $50 009, 600 looked like,
and. although the plain wooden boxes gave
no indication Of their precious contents, tho
mere fact that the gold was there vas
potent enough to hold the observers SPELL
bound.
The poxes were made Of inch pine, strong
ly fastened, and in slzs were about twelve
by eight inches. They bore four seals OF the
Railway Postal Service, and these will re-
main unkroken until there is demand for
the contents.
The money in each box amounted to S40,-
600. and it took all the strength OF one man
to raise one box from the ground. In each
express wagon was a million and quarter
of gold. It made no remarkable appearance
in bulk, but its great weight caused the
wagons, large as they we're, to bend ano
sa-.
Assistant United States Treasurer Ellis r..
Roberts handed over receipts for the vari
ously numbered boxes, and with these IN
their possession the work Of the Postottice
officials was completed.