The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1895-03-30
SHIPPING THE GOLD.

inSson took the oath OF office as the first
president Of the United States The mon
ey Is usually carried In a handbag by one
trusted employee, while another armed
| messenger trudges along at his heels ready
TO give any assumptions footpad warm
reception. II the amount desired is 81,
700, 600, the messengers In due time re-
ceive 100 sacks Of gold coin each contain
Ing $40, 900. These sacks arc carried to the
bankers office, where they are carefully
weighed. The gold Is never shipped ac-
cording to its face value, as Europe will
only accept the actual weight Of gold re-
quired to make the sum In question Gold
coins that are frequently handled lose
considerable metal by abrasion, and when
a mere trifle is worn from 100, 900 gold
eagles the total amount lost Is by no
means unworthy Of attention.
Ten strong wooden barrels that look
like herring casks are then rolled into tho
ofnce, and into each OF them go ten bags
OF gold containing 800, 600 The bags
exactly NIL the casks, and when the heads
are on the coins are given little opportu.
nifty Tor moving about and wearing away
their precious sides. The casks are then
sealed, insured, loaded into a wagon and
driven to the steamer guarded By three
The insurance policy covers every peril
known to the sea, and In times like these
the rate Is very low, and the sa fe passage
Of 81, i 900, 900 across the tempestuous A.
lantic Is guaranteed for but 81, 900. De-
spite this low figure, however, many bank.
ers save the Insurance money and place 10
In sinking fund Of their own. II there
are no losses, this fund soon grows to i'm.
mense proportions and results In a great
saving. The Rothschilds' sinking fund Is
said to be fully ten times larger than any
sum they have afloat at any time.
At the pier the gold Is received By the
steamers agents and an armed guard,
and careful description Is made Of each
cask delivered. A receipt Is given which
states that five casks said to contain
gold" have been turned over to the steam
ers agents. The casks are placed in q can
vas sling and hoisted aboard with a der
rick. Deep down In the hold Is a hugo
steel box, with q square door at the top
large enough to admit a single man. A
ladder leads to the floor and tho opening
Is closed by door resembling tho door Of
q safe. This door has three different locks.
each OF which Is opened by a special key,
and the three keys are always in the pos
session Of rs many different men, so that
II the treasure room Is to be robbed at least
three men must BIO in collision. Tho
CHIEF officer has one key, the officer Of the
deck has another, and the third Is In the
possession OF the captain alarms
When the gold Is lowered into the hold,
these three officers go down and open the
treasure vault and see that the casks are
placed In the steel cage that Is to be their
stateroom during the voyage. When the
work Is done, the door Is thrice locked,
and tons OF merchandise are slowed away
In the hold covering the door of the treas
ufe vault. The money Is thus not only
protected by three different locks control.
ed by three different men, but tho great
plies OF merchandise are an immovable bar.
rier In the way Of would be burglars, even
though they become possessed OF the KEYS
to the treasure vault door This great
barrier also effectuaIly renders futile any
for making q big haul that
might be entered into by the three ofYicers
of the ship who hold the keys i
II the gold Is consigned to France, the
casks are placed In a special railroad car
1t Havre, tho steamship company gets q 70.
,eipt, and the railroad company then does |
guard duty until tho treasure Is delivered |
70 the American bankers agent in Paris.
Each OF the casks weighs 1870 pounds and |
IS not labeled gold" but bears certain |
'abalistic signs that are Greek to the un.
The gold that Is now being imported at
New York comes In strong rectangular
'oxes, each Of which contains from 345.
100 to $50, 900. The boxes weigh from 1876
o 1875 pounds apiece and arc carried from
he steamer by 1ongshorcmen, none of
whom Is allowed to place box upon his
boulder for fear that II 1t fell 1t would be
'roken open and Its shining coins scat.
cred and lost. 1t Is said that the largest
hipnent Of gold ever brought to America
y single steamer was 81, 500 900.