Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-15
THERE ARE MILLIONS IN GOLD.
FACTS ABOUT THE MONEY WHICH
UNCLE SAM IS BORROWING.
Gigantic Fortunes I'm Bonds Sent
Abroad ny Trusted MessenEers---A
Stack OF Double Eagies and Car
pet of Paper Money.

across the ocean for sale in Europe
From 1871 to 1881 hundreds Of mil
lions OF dollars worth Of such secu-
rifles. both coupon and registered.
were transmitted to London for nego-
tia;ion. They were carried by trusted
messengers, the sums represented be-
ing often in negotiable paper and
amounting to gigantic fortunes. I'm
doubtedly the same method of tran
sportation will be adopted in case any
fresh issue is to be disposed OF in Eu-
rope.
An enterprise Of this description IS
always kept very secret by the gov.
eminent authorities, because 1t IS not
deemed wise to invite attention 10 the
contemplated transportation OF I'M
mense vaiues in small compass over
land and water. The custom has al
ways been to issue private orders to
the men who are to act as messeh-
gers. OF the latter there are usually
three or four, and It goes without say
Ing that they are picked out Tor eN-
ceptional trustw0rthiness. Not the
keeneBt-nosed newspaper man gets
scent Of the affair, At night covered
wagon 10 backed up TO side door OF
the treasury. and upon 1t are loaded
small iron safes containing the bonds.
The messengers get into the wagon
with the safes. Each OF them has big
revolver strapped to his waist. They
are driven to the railway station, where
they get aboard a mall car with the
safes, They sit on the safes all night
while en- route to New York, with piss
tolls ready in case OF an emergency
To hold up the train would be likely to
prove Il serious business for any rob-
bers who might attempt such an enter
prise. on reaching New York the mes
sengers are met by officials from the
treasury. The safes are conveyed
to the sub-treasury and are kept there
until the time arrives for the sailing of
the steamer on which they are to go
The safes are hauled 10 the steamer
in wagon, under tho same guard, and
are put in tho specie vault In the hold
Of the ship. Every great passenger ves-
sci now-a-days has q steel-clad strong
room like a banks for carrying gold
and other valunbles. Hundreds or mill
lions OF dollars IN gold are shipped
across the Atlantic to and fro every
twelvemonth. The bonds being locked
up, the messengers are relieved Of care
for the time helng--that Is to say, until
the steamer reaches Queenstown There
the vault Is opened for the purpose of
getting the mail. which Is kept in the
strong-room. The messengers stand
guard until the mail has been taken out
and the vault Is locked up again. They
have no further duties to perform until
the ship arrives at Liverpool.
From 1871 to 1881 many shipments OF
bonds were made In this fashion, and
never penny was lost. Millions worth
of negotiable securities might have been
stolen, but the theft could only have
been accomplished by three men con-
spring together. Each safe employed
for the purpose has always three locks.
Each OF three messengers knew only
the combination for one lock- All three
combinations were In possession OF the
United states treasury officials at the
agency In London. In 1871 the treas
ury established an agency IN that city
for the purpose OF negotiating bonds.
II was located In the Rothschlld bank
The last business done through 1t, In
1851, was the exchange OF now 1-2
per cent bonds for other bonds which
had already become payable. They
were sent abroad in the manner al
ready described. and. after they had
been disposed or the office was closed.
on reaching Liverpool the treasury
messengers were met by man from
the agency In London. Together they
took the safes by rail to the metropolis,
hiring a compartment Of a passenger
WI AhI AAt HhIDnhts II tue steamer got
In too late for them to accomplish the
Journey to London and get to the Roths-
child bank before that institution closed
they would convey the safes to the
Western hotel In Liverpool, take them
to room, and remain with them all
night, taking turns at keeping watch.
ON arriving In London the safes were
carried to the bank and put into vault
there
1t seems queer that Uncle Sam nj
peace with all the world should have 10
borrow 500, 100000 in a single year TO
help pay running expenses. Such
sum is beyond the power OF the human
mind TO grasp. One hundred millions
OF dollars In gold, Just think OF III
That amount of the yellow metal
weighs about 200 tons
Take 500, 0O0. 900 worth of gold 500
pieces. and stack them up in one pile
Ike poker chips. Truly, they would
make q pretty tall column. How tall,
do you suppose7 As tall as the Wash
ington monument? That giant obelisk
Is $50 feet high. The stack Of gold
pieces would be taller than that. The
Eiuel tower In Paris IL the hIghest
structure in the world-l000 feet. Yet
this imaginary pile of yellow coins
would considerably surpass 1t.
For comparison. then, one must
look around for some natural elevation
Ia mountains say. OF small size. We
suvlus, the volcano of Naples, Is three
quarters OF a mile high. Yet the stack
of gold pieces is higher. But WHY not
talSc big mountaln--for example.
Mount St. Elias. which until recently
has been supposed to be the tallest
peak IN North America? Though tow
ering to height OF three aud a quarter
miles, Il Is not so lofty as the nile OF
coins representing $l00. 900 900.
The highest mountain OF South Amer
ioa Is the active volcano OF Aconcarua
in Chile, 1t reaches an elevation OF
four and a quarter miles, but IL NOT Va
tall as the pile of coins. Look, then 10
Asia. where Ia found the Hottest s,,m-
nit in the world--the slSy-klsslnr peak
OF Mount Everest, In the Hlmalayas.
five and half miles above the sen
II Is surpassed by the stack of gold
pieces. In fact the column OF double
eagles would be six miles high ana
something over.
One hundred million dollars worth
of gold ont-dollar pieces, stacked nm In
the same way, would reach n heivn.
OF twcnty-eight and half miles n
ono owned the stock and spent +he
coins at the rate OF 81 a minute. he
would not SO broke until the end or
100 years. For the storage OF 500 900
600 In bags OF $4,000 gold, seventeen
hundred cubic feet would be REQUIRED
The same sum in one-dollar bills sewn
together would carpet $50 acres or
more than hall Of square mile Of
land. AS a matter OF fact. t'ncie san,
Will receive for his sl00 Oon ana ,.e..A