The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-08-21
SLEPT ON TOP OF THE SILVER.
An Express Messengers Experience =
Pacific Steamer.

An Express Messengers Experiences on .
Pacific Steamer.
Washington Post
Z. H. Plat, the agent of the United
States Express Company at the Treasury
Department, who has charge of the ship
was at one time the purser on q steamer
running between San Francisco and Hong
Kong. and in conversation about the big
gold shipment yesterday be recalled the
time whom he had charge of 81, 100000 in
silver coin.
I've are constantly shipping silver to
China" said Mr.. Plstt Tho exchange Is
ell against US. We receivela large quantities
back little or nothing. So the shipment of
silver TO the other eide is q regular bust
ness and very profitable one, too. The
steamers have large tanks constructed be-
tween decks fastened with fat locks.
silver. packed in boxes holding s.. 900 each,
is stored away in them. On one trip of the
steamer of which l was purser-the trip
preceding my FIRST experience In that posi-
tion-the Cinnamon in the crew crawled
along between decks and sawed the locks
Z of the tank. They got comparatively
small sum-a thousand dollars or SO. They
could not have carried more. The loss Was
not discovered until the end of the voy age
look into that tank every day to SEQ that
no one had tempered with the boxes
Nv hen we handled the ei,00G.000 ship
mont We found that We could get only
S725, 600 of it into the tank, and the re-
mainder. 5000 we had to put into one of
the state-rooms. The last night out elept
In that state-room on top of the silver with
q revolver handy. OF course. it was known
among the crew that We were carrying
this large quantity of coin. and. although
no one could have earned away very
large sum, thieves could have stored away
a great deal of the money in odd corners of
hA n usrh hn nf fok IN
later. and there are 30 many odd hooks IN
q ship that it would have put US to q great
deal of trouble to hunt it out. The COM
pany got $4,000 for handling that ship
ment. That was the regular rate for
handling coin-1 per cent, and it did not
include insurance against loss by FIRE. col
lislon or wreck. That probably cost the
shipper per cent. more. But the business
pays. have known the time when could
buy $40 gold for Sls silver in China"
Mr.. Platt does not handle so much coin
as he does currency now. The express
company, under it's contract, is the ex-
the territory east of the Missouri river.
But what goes out from Washington is
chiefly currency. The coin comes from the
minis. and as the minis are situated at diff
ferent points In the country. tho silver Is
not shipped to any great distance. If 1t
was necessary to ship silver from the New
Orleans mint to Boston 1t would cost Uncle
Sam more than $3.50 in every 1000 to ham
die il; but the needs of Boston not sup
piled from New Orleans, and it Is not ofton
that the express company receives more
than 81 per 81. 600 for handling money. The
usual rate on currency to the larger cities
of the country 10 Is cents on the s.. ZOO. The
lowest rate in the express company's scale
cents th0usand-ls on Cancelled securi-
ties and registered bonds. Neither of these
10 negotiable. A registered bond can be
replaced If proof Of loss is given. but the
red tape connected with the duplication of
q bond and the necessity for filing heavy
bond of indemnity make the cents in
every 81. 900 cheap insurance against loss.