Daily camera., 1898-09-05
GUARDING THE MINT.
Net Much Show for Burglarizing
That Institution.
All Kfnds Of Precautions to Protect
the Millions Upon Millions Piled
- in Uncle Sans
Vaults.


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 say, 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 Of the
guard and IL stalwart men. AS the
men file out to begin their round each
one is handed big Colts revolver Of
the most approved pattern and loaded
with big cartridges.
From then on till midnight seven of
the II guards patrol without cessa ton
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 as much gold, 70
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 ro
tunda opposite the Chestnut street en-
trance TO the mint. Here it is thai the
captain is stationed all through the
long hours of his shift. Every two min
utes and half the central machine il
the rotunda denotes the presence OF
some one Of the guard at some par
ticular station in the building. If it
doesn't. then the captain knows that
something is wrong, and he immedi-
atcly proceeds to discover what it is.
But it has been long time since the
little machine failed TO send forth it's
announcement at the proper time.
For 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 i
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
ridor leading from the Chestnut street
entrance stands walnut case
Through the polished glass front of
one frown 20 Winchester rifles. The
other contains as many ug1y-looking
carbines. To grab these dispensers of
death would be but the work of an in
slant for the guards, and then woe be
unto any man or men upon whom it
might be found necessary to turn them.
For the revolyers there is kept con-
stantly 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 combination capable OF
successfully resisting almost anything
less than a regiment.
Superintendent Boyer and Assistant
Custodian Ramsay both talked to the
Inquirer reporter about the methods
in use to protect the mint and its con-
tents. smiled significantly when
the possibility of one getting away
with portion of the vast treasure was
suggested.
"It would be folly for anyone to try
it," was the superintendent's only com
ment. To it Mr.. Ramsay nodded en-
| phatic assent.
"I have been here for a good many
years. the latter said, "and no such
attempt has ever been made. 1t 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 to visitors 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 il any
one who had no business within these
walls 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 GEN.
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
a 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. he communi-
Gated his ideas, to Director Of the Mint
Preston, and was told to 60 ahead
Consequently it will not be many days