The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-21
WHERE JEWELS ARE KEPT.
Secret Vaults in which MflIionaires Store
| Their Valuable Property.

Secret Vaults In which MilIionaires Store
Their Valuable Property.
From the New York World.
If the thieves who got away with the
Burden Jewels have any sense of hu-
NOR. and most thieves have. they must
chuckle to hear that Mr.. Burden has
given orders for the construction OF a
big steel safe. in which hereafter what
is left of the family Jewels will be care
fully locked up. In Mr.. Burdens case
IL is not only locking the stable door
after the horse has been stolen, but
actually building a stable. If he had
taken the precaution to get his safe be-
fore the thieves made their rich haul
much interesting matter would have
been lost to the newspaper reading pub
lie.
Mr.. Burdens safe is to be of the
latest house pattern" as il is known
to the trade. II will not be burglar
proof by any manner of means. An
ounce of two of nitro-glycerine will
still furnish a passage to the treasures
that are left, but hereafter no sneak
thief will find the precious trinkets
lying ready at his hand. with nothing
but fiat key lock to keep them in Sc
curity.
This new safe will have a steel door,
drill proof, a couple of combination
locks and other machinery that will
dHyOnI Dul an experienced ana
desperate burglar But this class OF
burglars are not much feared in private
houses-that is, safe-brealking burg
lars.
The Astors. Vanderbilts, Flaglers,
Rockefellers and nearly all our famous
millionaires, have long had their val
uables slowed away in thief-proof re-
ceptacles. Not many years ago no one
dreamed when building a private house
ri Of in
safe. Now, no architect who plans a
great city residence fails to provide
room for a plate vault and jewelry
safe.
Commodore Elbridge T. Gerry, when
he put up the handsome apartment
house at Fifty-eighth street and Fifth
avenue. next door to the Savoy, intro
duced a most elaborate system of what
is known as wall safes These safes are
built with special reference to giving
security by secrecy. They are built in
such way as not to be observable
when the door is closed. They are made
part OF the wall paper pattern, and the
fit is so snug that there is no crack
perceptible to reveal their presence.
They consist of a drill-proof steel box
set in the wall with the door having
lock of the most approved pattern.
Necessarily there can be no combina-
ton locks on these wall-safes, as the
protruding knob would reveal the
whole secret. But the most elaborate
key-lock is put on, and additional safe
ty is furnished by a concealed spring.
To make them still more secure from
prying eyes, these safes are set in such
a position in the apartment-housc that
a picture may be hung over them.
The greatest house safe or vault ever
constructed is being built for George
w. Vanderbilt. Ii is to go in his ia
nous house at Biltmore. n. c., and will
be as burglar proof as the safe manu-
facturers art can devise. This vault is
huge steel room, larger than the ordi-
nary parlor in a fiat house. Its walls
are of solid steel 1t is about 20 feet
square and 10 or II feet high. 1t will
be set i'm solid walls of masonry, and
entrance will be had through a door
way about seven feet high.
The door will be fitted with the best
system of combination locks, bolts and
levers. and the material used in its
construction will be drill-proof steel
Any burglar or burglars who tackle
this strong box will have a pretty
piece of work curt out for them
When William II. Vanderbilt built
the Fifth Avenue palace he introduced
the system OF house safes. or plare
vaults. which since that time has been
generally followed by other wealthy
from the buffers pantry he had a
great, massive. steel safe, or. more
properly. vault. built, and I'm this all
the family plate was stored. The IA
nous gold plate is kept in a special
safe of burglar-proOf pattern that
stands in one corner of the vault. Only
the members of the household and the
butler have the combinations of these
safes.
John Jacob Astor's house. on Fifth
avenue, and his mothers house, ad-
joining. both have number of strong
plate and jewelry safes. Young Mrs.
Astor has three in her own residence.
one leading from the buffers pantry.
is n large plate vault with all modern
devices. The combination for this
vault is known TO Mr.. Aston and his
butler. 1t is never opened except when
the service is required. and the butler
himself replaces Il in the vault
This plate vault was very carefully
planned, so that each piece OF plate i'm
the service has Its particular place,
velvet lined. A glance will. therefore,
reveal the absence or loss OF the most
insignificant article, as the vacant
place would indicate that IL was miss
ing.
In his bedroom Mr.. Astor has what
is known as a bank safe. that is, il is
built of chilled steel. and has all the
patent devices for making an entrance
as difficult as possible. The safe is
built in the wall. opposite Mr.. Astor's |
bed. and its levers and knobs are hid |
den behind the curtain. Here the |
young millionaire keeps his personal /
and other valuables
Mr.. Astor's wife has her own safe in /
her bedroom. concealed in a closet /
where il is fairly safe from prylng
eyes All her jewels are Kept there. /
and her maid alone have The combina- /
ton. Every trinket worn by Mrs. As
tor has special nest in which it fits,