Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-09-16
GUARDING THE MINT.
Not Much Show for Burslarizing
M That Institution.

III, Kinds Of Precautions to Protect
the Millions Upon Millions Piled
- II Uncle SANS
Vaults.
The doors, Of the mint are closed
every week day promptly at four
O'Clock in the afternoon. After that
hour no one but mint employees have
any business within the walls which
enclose SO much money, and no one
can either stay in or get in without a
special permit from the superinten-
dent. Needless to says. this is difficult
to obtain.
simultaneously with the closing Of
the doors at four O'clock the first shift
Of the. night guard goes on duty. The
shift is composed of the captain sfthe
guard and II stalwart men. AS the
men file out to begin their round each
one is handed a big Colts revolver OF
The most approved pattern and loaded
with big cartridges.
From then on till midnight seven of
the II guards patrolwithoutce cessation
every floor of the inside of the mint,
from the corridors. of THE gloomy
vaults where, away down in the earth,
are slowed; eighty-odd million dollars
in silver and almost asfmuch gold, to
the top floor where, there is nothing
more valuable than machinery. Placed
at frequent intervals throughout the
corridors are electrical devices for en-
abling the captain of the guard to keep
tabs on his men. Each of these little
machines communicates with the re-.
tunda opposite the Chestnut street en-
trance to the mint. Here it is that the
captain is stationed all through the
long hours of his shift. Every two min
utes and a half the central machine in
the rotunda denotes the presence OF
some one {of the guard at some par
ticular station in the building. If i,
doesn't, t's,n the captain knows that
something is wrong, and he immedi-
3atcly proceeds to discover what It's.
But it has been long time since the
little machine failed to send forth its
announcement at the proper time.
Tor the mint guards are patrolling up
and down outside the big building,
carefully watching that no suspicious
characters approach too near the vast
treasure left in their care.
Promptly at midnight the second
SHIFT of the night guard PUTS in an ap-
pearance to relieve the early shift. 1t
is also composed of captain and II
men, and they are split up, as the other
squad, into inside and outside details.
From midnight on until seven o'clock
in the morning they follow in the foot
steps of the first shift, with every
faculty alert to catch an intruder.
The big revolvers are not the only
weapons upon which the guards have
to rely On each side of the main cor
rider leading from the Chestnut street
entrance stands. a. walnut case.
Through the polished glass front of
one frown 20 Winchester rifles. The
other contains as many ugly-looking
carbines. TO grab these dispensers of
death would be, hut the:work Of an in
slant for the guards and then woe be
unto any man. or men upon whom it
mightb foundnecessary to turn them.
For the revolvers there is kept con-
Etantly on hand in the'mint 500 rounds
Of ammunition, .and'for the rifles and
carbines $500 rounds. Each of the
guards is an expert in the use of both
the pistol and the. gun; and each is en-
dowed with plentiful stock of cour.
age. Hence a combination capable OF
successfully resisting almost anything
less than a regiment.
Superintendent Boyer and Assistant
Custodian Ramsay Both talked to the
Inquirer rcporter,about the methods
in use to protect the mint and its con-
tents, Both smiled significantly when
the possibility of one getting away
with portion of thevast treasure was
suggested.
1T would be folly for anyone to try
it," was the superintendent only COM
ment. To it Mr.. Ramsay nodded en-
phatic assent.
II have been here for a: good many
years." the latter said, land no such
attempt has ever BEEN made It is
practically impossible for anyone to
break into the mint from the outside,
and no one could secrete himself in the
building during the hours when it is
open tolvisitors and hope to avoid dis
covery. We, search,every nook and
corner Of the. structure carefully as
soon as the doors are closed for the
day, and you may rest assured if any
one who had no business within these
wells was found he would regret the
day he was born"
In addition to the two shifts Of night
guards Superintendent Boyer and AS
sistant Custodian Ramsay have habit
Of dropping in at the mint at odd hours
Of the night to see that everything is
going on all right.
The mint is connected with the CEN
trail telephone station, and should
there be trouble the captain Of the
guard could communicate with police
headquarters in brief space of time.
When the trouble with Spain reached
q crisis, however, it occurred to Mr.
Boyer that it might be well to be con-
nected directly with the central police
station in the city hall. BE communi-
Gated his ideas to Director of the Mint
Preston, and was told to go ahead.
Consequently it will not be many days
before hurry call can be sent from
the mint to the police department
without the delay incidental to con-
nection through "hello" headquarters
If you come across anybody who
thinks he can get rich quickly by help