The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-21
CLOCK AND LOCK KEPT COMPANY.
why the Bank and Trust Company's
Vault Didn't Open.

OBEhs
This is a story of clock and lock. They
are in the employ OF the Savannah Bank
and Trust Company, and 1t Is their duty
to guard the strong steel safe deposit
vault. Between them they keep the off,
Gals OF the institution strictly to time.
When the clock says business hours have
arrived, the lock clicks, the doors of the
vault are upon the latch and the contents
are at the disposal Of persons of proper
authority. But there is no getting into
the vault without the permission Of the
clock and the acquiescence OF the lock-
They work In perfect harmony with each
other. and require the people in the bank
to conform to their regulations.
Up to Saturday morning these two guar
dams OF the vault had performed their
functions like good and faithful servants.
But at that time something happened. The
CLOCK concluded that II was too hot to
work, and wanted to go on strike. The
lock, being more conservative, objected.
They were too good friends to quarrel,
so they compromised by playing a joke on
the bank people and at the same time Sc
curing to themselves little holiday. They
locked the bankers out.
When the bankers arrived at the usual
hour, donned their office coats and got
ready to go into the vault, they found it
sealed. That was a little surprising, and
they concluded their watches must have
been little fast. After comparing
watches, and giving the guardians Of the
vault a little leo way Of time, the bank
ers took In the situation. They were in a
quandary. The clock and the lock had
the laugh on them, but 1t was not a bit
funny. Capt. Joseph 2. White, the expert
was sent for. He put his ear to the steel
door, and in an instant determined upon
the proper mode of procedure to stir up
the recalcitrants within. Wen have to
sledge the door, he said.
The bank people hesitated about taking
such heroic measures, and telegraphed the
makers of the vault mechanism asking
what to do. "Sledge the door," they wired
back, 1T is the only thing to be done I'M
der the circumstance" So Capt. White
got his big hammer and began pounding
upon the door. After a few strokes he
put his ear to the panel and heard the
little clock ticking away as If nothing
had happened. The clock. however could
not be frightened or buIldozed 1t posi-
lively refused to hurry one particle, and
the lock declined to let go until the clock
told 1t to do so. Thus 1t transpired that
the bank people had to possess themselves
IN patience until the clock had licked off
the number of hours it had rested When
that had been done the lock clicked and
the doors came OPEN But it was too late
for business.
That, however, does not end the story.
The clock and the lock religiously keep
one day in seven. They will not open
their doors on the seventh day. Having
lost one day, they were thrown out of
gear with the orderly routine in the bank.
Their day of rest was carried one day for
ward, and would come on Monday instead
of Sunday. If the vault doors had been
closed and turned over to the care of the
clock and the lock, 1t would have been i'm
possible to get into the vault again until
Tuesday. And that is why the Savannah
Bank and Trust Company has temporarily
suspended the clock and the lock and put
on special guard until the lost hours
can be picked up again for the clock and
the lock.