The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-10-05
Guarding the Mint.


hundred who pass by the Philadelphia
mint, that grim-looking edifice at Chest
nut and Juniper streets, after uightfall
realizes what is going on inside. There
is nothing mean about Uncle Sam, but
he is determined that any one who gets
his money shall get it honestly and by
process duly laid down. Therefore he
has taken all kinds of precautions to
properly protect, especially at night,
the millions upon millions piled up in
the vaults.
The doors of the mint are closed
every weekday promptly at four O'Clock
in the afternoon. After that hour no
one but mint employees have any bust
ness within the walls which inclose 80
much money, and no one can either
stay in or get in without special per-
nit from the superintendent. Need
less to say, this is difficult to obtain.
simultaneously with the cl)sing OF
the doors at four o'clock the first shift
of the night guard goes on duty. The
stiff is composed of the captain of the
guard and eleven stall wart men. AS
the men file out to begin their round
each one is handed q big Colts revolver
of the most approved pattern and
loaded with big cartridges.
From then till midnight seven of the
eleven 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 odd million dollars in sill
yer and almost as much gold, to the top
floor, where there is nothing more valu-
able than machinery. Placed at fire.
quent intervals throughout the corrri-
doris are electrical devices for enabling
the captain of the guard to keep tabs on
his men. Each of these little machines
communicates with the rotunda oppo-
site the Chestnut street entrance TO the
mint. Here it is that the captain is
stationed all through the long hours of
his shift Every two minutes and a
half the central machine in the rotunda
denotes the presence of some one OF
the guard at some particular station in
the building. If it doesn't, then the
captain knows that something is
wrong, and he Immediately proceeds to
discover what it is.
But it has been long time since the
little machine failed to send forth its
announcement at the proper time, for
the mint guards are patrolling up and
down outside the big building, care
fully watching that no suspicious char.
acter approach too near the vast treas
ure left in their care.
Promptly at midnight the second
shift of the night guard puts in an APP
pearance to relieve the early shift. 1t
is also composed of captain and
eleven men, and they are split up, as
the other squad, into and outside de-
tails. From midnight on until seven
O'Clock in the morning they follow in
the footsteps 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 twenty Winchester rifles. The
other contains as many ugly 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 revolvers 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 regiment.
The superintendent and assistant
| hot Ill - H.
about the methods in use TO protect
the mint and it's contents. Both smil-
ed significantly when the possibility of
one getting away with portion of the
vast treasure was suggested.
at would be folly for any one to try
it," was the superintendent's only COM
ment. To it the assistant custodian
nodded emphatic assent.
81 have been here for a good many
years" the latter said, "and no such at.
tempt has ever been made. 1t is practi-
cally impossible for any one to break in
to 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 discovery.
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 walls was
found he would regret the day he was
born"
In addition to the two shifts of night
guards, the superintendent and assist
ant custodian 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 head
quarters in brief space of time.
eff you come across anybody who
thinks he can get rich quickly by help
ing himself to our coin," remarked the
superintendent in parting, "just advise
him to think it over carefully first"
In compliance with the superintend-
ent's suggestion the advice is hereby
| given