The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1898-04-21

v States will soon b;
strongly fortified
with Calling guns
Tor enforcing law and preserving peace
IN the event of lawless uprisings. IL
the plans for the new mint at Sixteenth
and Spring Garden streets, provision il
made for the mounting of guns at the
four corners of the building and the
same idea will be introduced in the
new federal building in Chicago.
General Miles would increase the size
OF the permanent guard within the fed
eral buildings wherever it be judged
necessary and would see to it that all
such buildings are constructed with
reference to adaptability to defense
from assaults from the exterior, as well
as to the safe preservation of the con-
tents of tho treasure vaults from the
d~epredations of persons who may have
gained access to the buildings either
singly or in bands.
In every great city a sudden upris-
ing of the vicious or misguided is al
'oy ~ ~ iotSiI poppibliilS hSIS u y
been occasions which are likely to oc-
cur again in this country, in times of
national peace, when the police estab-
lishment has been inadequate to quell
a mob, and the arrival of the regular
armed troops has been necessarily too
tardy to prevent destruction of public
property. To guard against such con
| tin oa1ntos Cororo1 Mi1oc ctron,1o,1c1u
advocates the equipment of the Treas
ury building in Washington, the sub
treasures in the various cities and
other similar buildings with a few
pieces of effective ordnance to be dl-
rected against an advancing mob.
Some of these buildings, the Mint, for
instance, have for some years contain
ed Calling guns that the captains of the
watch would not hesitate to order to
be fired into a street mob upon occas-
ion. All the sub-treasuries and the
treasury in Washington contain a small
arsenal of revolvers, rifles, carbines and
ammunition that is regularly inspected,
and a part of which is daily and night
ly in the hands of the watchmen in
charge of the buildings.
General Miles and many others in
high places at the seat of the national
government are firm believers in the
efficacy of the permanent visible pres
ence of the instruments for the en-
forcement of law and the preservation
Of peace. In their opinion, therefore, a
few Calling guns permanently mounted
outside the federal buildings, COM
handing the approaches thither, would
prove quite as effective in preventing
lawless uprisings as their shots would
be in quelling actual outbreaks. Should
the ~counsels of these men prevail the
brassy mouthpiece of the majesty of
military force, always ready to belch
forth its death-dealing missiles against
a sinister host, may become a common
sight in the spots where Uncle Sam
boards his gold and silver and bonds.
There is a carefully devised system
of guarding the treasury in Washing
ton. A force of siXty-eight watchmen
all honorably discharged from the
army and navy-is divided into three
reliefs. They patrol the building night
and day, and during the day a special
force is on hand at the main entrance
always prepared for an emergency.
Electric bells are turned in every half
hour of the day and night to the Of
flee of the captain of the watch.
There is now being installed in the
building a new protective alarm sys-
tenn, communicating with the subter-
ranean vaults, where is constantly
stored more than $500, 900, 900 of public
treasure. So sensitive is the mechanism
that the light tap of a hammer on the
walls of the vaults or the slight pry-
ing of a Jimmy" if such an instru-
ment could be carried to the vicinity
of the vaults without detection, would
start an electric gong ringing at the
stations of all the Watchmen in the
building, in the residences of the secre-
tary of the treasury and the treasurer
of the United States and in the head
quarters Of the Washington detective !
bureau. On a dial at the main entrance
to the building would simultaneously
be indicated the number of the vault
that is being tempered with.
By pressing an electric button the
captain of the watch can instantly
summon the fire department and com
municate with the police Headquarters.
and by telephone he can summon four
troops of cavalry stationed at Fort
Meyer and four companies of artillery
from Washington barracks, each with
in two miles of the treasury. The ma
rines at the navy yard would also be
available in an emergency.
Each of the watchmen when he goes
duty is armed with the latest i'm
proved revolver, and a supply of re-
y~olvers, rifles and carbines is stored in
many of the rooms. With these the cap
tain of the watch could on the instant
arm several hundred men. Outside
are stationed in the watch
which are so situated as to
command the entire building. The
reasury day closes at 4 o'clock, at
which hour work in the building
eases. At 5 o'clock all doors are clos
ID, except the main one, and the keys
re delivered to the captain of the
watch. By 6 o'clock every one except
he watchmen must have left the build
ng. After that hour no one is ever ad-
nitted except the secretary of the
reasury, the treasurer and the assist
mt treasurer.
Irirst StandI,r A--