The Florence tribune., 1898-12-03
GUARDING THE MINT.
Not Much Show for Burslarizing
 That Institution.
All Kinds of Precautions to Protect the MiIIipns Upon Millions Piled UA in Uncle sam's
 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 , special permit from the superinten- deat. 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 guaId goes on duty The shift is composed of the captain ef 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 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-odl million dollars in silver and almost as much gold, ta 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 TO- 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 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 il doesn't, then the captain knows that something is wrong, and he immedi- atcly proceeds to discover what it is.
 But it has been a long time since the little machine failed to send forth it's announcement at the proper time. For the mint guards are patrolling ur and down outside the big building. carefully watching that no suspicious characters aTproach too near the vast treasure left ia their care.
 Promptly at midnight the second shift of the night guard puts in an ap- pearance to relieve the early shift. It is also composed of captain and II Haer and they are splitnp, as tle other squad into inside and outside details. From midnight ca 94tll seFen 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 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 but the work of an in- stant for the guards. and then woe be unto any man or men upon whom it might be found necessary to turn them. For the revolvers there is kept con stantly on hand in the mint 800 rounds 1 of ammunition, and for the rifles and 1 carbines 2,500 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 eeur- age. Hence a combination capable O. successfully resisting almost anything less than regiment.
 Superintendent Boyer and Assistant Custodian Ramsay both talked to the 1 Inquirer reporter about the methods in use to protect the mint and its con tents. Both smiled significantly when the possibility of one getting away with a 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 Mir. Ramsay nodded em- phatic assent.
 T have been here for good many years" the latter said, land no such attempt has ever been made. It is practically impossible for anyone to