The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1895-09-10
HANDLED MILLIONS.
MAN WHO PACKS ALL THE
GOLD FOR EXPORT.
lie Has an Unpretentious Shop
where the Casks and Boxes
Are Made - How the
Work Is Done.

blocks long and which runs
Z. from Water street towards the
East River, an old man, who has
handled more gold perhaps than anv
other individual in this country, tolls
from early morning until late in the
evening. His name is James f. SHAY.
and he has had cooper shop for the
last forty years. In that cooper shop
Mr.. Shay mskes the kegs and boxes in
which the gold is shipped to Europe.
and as he has practical MONOPOLY of
that sort OF work, it is not difficult to
comprehend that during the decades
while he has been in the business he
has casked and boxed enough gold TO
pay the National debt.
On the upper floor in the store room
are many of the stout little kegs and
boxes, which are destined to hold
enough gold and silver Mt some future
time to pay kings ransom. Not ONLY
does MIR. Shay put the boxes and casks
together, but he even makes the
hoops aud the white oak straps which
blnd them securely. At times when
there is rush OF gold to the other
side, he employs as many as fifteen
men, and even in dull times he can
always find enough work to keep five
busy.
Every banker downtown, or for that
matter in the city, knows Mr.. Shay.
either personally or by reputation.
dc has been doing work for them so
long that he has become very much of
privileged character. The secret of
Shay's success in packing gold is that
his boxes and casks are exactly of the
right dimensions, and he know how to
put the bags in in such way that
they cannot slip. Thus friction is
prevented, and there is no loss, such
as there would be if the pieces of gold
rubbed together. When one thinks
OF the amount of gold shipped every
year, it is easy to see that no small
saving is thus wrought.
Having been notified that n banker
wants to make n shipment of gold,
and told the amount, Mr.. Shay loads
the requisite number of boxes or casks
on dray, and accompanied by his
worker goes to the place where the
gold is kept. The work of packing
the geld is usually done in the offices
OF bankers offices where the floors
are covele with the most expensive
carpets. But for the time being the
coopers, In their overalls and with
their tools and boxes and casks. are
given possession.
When comparatively small amount
of gold is to be shipped, it is gener
ally packed in boxes, but where the
amount runs up into the millions,
casks are substituted. Boxwood or
Eastwood is used for the construction
of these boxes. They are eight inches
wide and six inches deep and foot
long. In order to make them MS
strong as possible, the sides. bottom
and top are dove tailed together. Two
holes are bored in each end Of the box
at opposite corners. The box IS will hold
five packages, containing $1,000 each.
and, as stated above, there is knacll
III fitting the packages so that there
will he no friction. A seal is attached
over the two holes mentioned above.
and any attempt to tamper with the
box would result in the destruction of
the seals. Boxes are made in various
sizes, some of them being large enough
to hold SO, 900. The same is true of
casks.
A key large enough to mold $50, COO
would weigh about ten pounds when
empty, and when full nearly 900
pounds. Perhaps that is WHY we
never hear of n thief grabbing one of
the precious casks and making off
with it. Even q box with S25, 600
would provo considerable of n handi-
cap to thief who was trying to es-
cape in hurry.
The kegs generally used for money
are about eighteen inches in height
and foot in diameter. They are
made of white oak slaves, held in
Tlacc by sheet iron bands. As IN
extra precautiOn n white oak band is
put around the "chime," "a the groove
at the top and bottom of the slaves is
called. After Mr.. Shay has packed
the gold into the cask securely the
head is put in and fastened securely
with nails. Then pieces OF tape are
stretched over each cud, the bankers
seal IS affixed securely with sealing
wax, and the cask Of riches is ready
for shipment. Should any one Mt.
tempt to break open the key it would
be detected at once by the appearance
of tho seal
In the old days n great deal Of cold
was shipped in bars, each of which
was worth $1,000. Not near so many
bars arc shipped now. When the bars
are put in casks it is necessary TO pacl,
them securely with what is known as
jewelers. sawdust. That is tue finest
sawdust known After the gold was
put in the cask IL was flied with the
snwdust, which was pounded down SO
hard that when tho gold reached the
other side n chisel had to be used to
loosen the sawdust
There are also casks for shippino
silver, bnt that part Of the precious
metal exporting business amounts to
but little rs compared with tho ex.
portation OF gold. There is hut one
size silver keg made, and that is de.
signed TO hold 5000 silver dollars. A
cnsk large enough to hold $50. 600 in
gold eJ1n could be put nit and almos.
lost, so much difference is there in the
sizes of the casks. With the excep-
ton of Mexican dollars, most of the
silver sent abroad goes in the original
packages in which it is shipped TO this
SIty from other parts Of the country.
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