The evening times., 1899-06-20
GUARDING THE MINT
IN PHILADELPHIA
NoChance for Thieves to Break
Through and Steal.
Transferring Silver From Old to
New Vaults.
q Seconds Notice to Repel
an Attack.


did. almost simultaneously with the be-
ginning of the removal Of 100000 OF
Uncle Sans silver dollars, yesterday, from
the old Mint to the vaults OF the new
structure at Seventeenth and Spring Gar
den Streets, the Fairmount Park masked
robbery caused many financiers and busi-
ness men to question II there was not dan
ger to the Government money in the pres
ent transfer. So much interest was devel-
oped in this respect that 1t was not long
until the vivid Imagination Of someone
gave birth to the story that suspicious
looking persons had been seen along the
route travelled by the wagons which are
carrying the vast store vi Federal .oin to
its future home, a story for which there
was no foundation In any shape.
Superintendent Of the Mint Boyer laugh
ed heartily when asked If they were
abundant precautions against any attempt
OF the Jesse James order, and then he said:'
Amy gang Of thieves who would tackle
such job would be rIddled with bullets
before they knew what had happened TO
them. 1t would be utterly impossible for
a break Of this kline either within the Mint
or on the road over which tine money is
hauled. But there need be no fear of any
such daring raid, because l guess bank
robbers and others OF their kind are fully
informed OF the safeguards adopted against
it,"
That all the precautions that are neces-
sary have been taken was evidenced when
the wagons of the United States Express
Company, under special contract with the
Treasury Department. started to remove
the silver yesterday morning. With each
vehicle were two agents OF the company
and two Of the watchmen Of the mint. All
Of these men appeared to be possessed OF
more than ordinary strength. fearless of
any assailant who might run up against
them, and each one was armed with
brace of heavy calibre revolvers that rest
ed where they could be reached at any
instant.
At the new mint there were other SEN
tinels similarly equipped to receive the
dollars. There. in and about the big
vault that is the first to be used, are
constantly stationed five men, while dur
ing the hours of the transfer there are also
present an agent OF the Government and
special representative of the superinten-
dent. These two latter men have plans Of
all of the various departments in the big
iron-bound room, and have a record OF
every box of coin taken into il, with the
weight and count of the same. Yesterday
seventeen loads were hauled away from
Juniper and Chestnut Streets. Each wagon
contained sixty boxes and each box held
81 ,0C0, making total of 81 ,020. 900 handled
during the day. Beginning this morning
there will be eighteen loads carried. in
creasing the amount daily TO s1,0S0, 900.
The work starts at a. m. and stops at
p. N.
When former Speaker Henry X. Boyer
became superintendent he introduced a
new and very important system as an ad-
ditional protection to the moneys of the
Government. 1t is what is known as the
Police Patrol and Signal Company's alarm
box. During the hours after the close of
business the building is in the care OF
squad OF watchmen. some marching up
and down inside the rails or the outside,
the larger number within the building. and
all carrying reyolvers.
These men through the night have to
make frequent rounds, and every hour they
must report through the box to the Nine
teenth district police station, Lombard
Street, below Eighth, that they are on du-
ty. The same system is in use at the new
Mint, the only difference being that, the
guards report to the Ninth district substa-
tion at Seventeenth and Wood Streets.
The alarm box is SO constructed that by
a slight movement of a small lever the
watchmen can signal, among other things
for police patrol, that thieves are about
or that fire has broken out in the struct-
ure. In the event of failure on the part
of the guards to report at any hour a pa
troll wagon with a force of patrolmen on
board would come 1ashing up to the Mint.
Aside from all this, there are, both by
day and night, stack of loaded rifles
where the employees can grasp them at any
minute. With these precautions it would
seem certain that there is no danger to
Uncle Sans millions.