Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-06-29
GUARDING THE MINT.
Not Much Show for Bur5larizing
That Institution.
Ali Kinds of Precautions to Protect
the Millions Upon Millions Piled
u LA Uncle Sans
Vaults.


enclose so much money, and no ono
can either stay in or get in without 2
special permit from the superinten
dent. Needless to say, this is difficult
to obtain.
Smultaneo usly with the closing Of
the doors at four o'clock the tirstshift
of the night guard goes on duty The
shift is composed Of The captain Of the
guard and II stalwart men. As til.
men file cut to begin their round cacl
one is handed big Colts revolver O.
the most approved rattern and loader
with big cartridges.
From then on till n,idnight seven Of
the II guards patrol without cessation
every floor Of the inside CT the mint
from the corridors CT the gloom:
vaults where. away Gown in tie tartl
are slowed eiylny oGl million dc!!a-:
in silver anG almost IS Eluch gold,
the top floor. where there is ,o:hin
more valua Bic han machinery. Place
at frequent int crv:is throughout t.,
corridors are cicc: rical devices for en-.
aiding the captain Of ,hc guard to Eee:
tabs on lis nler. Each CT these littl
machines communicates wi; III the X
tunda opposite the Chestnut street G.
trance TO the Elii!1. Icrc i. is thatt
captain is static all through IL.
long hours O. his shift. Every two nj:
utes and a half the central machine i
the rotunda denotes the presence c
some one Of the guard at some pa:
ticular station il the building. If
doesn't, then the captain knows IL"
something is wrong. and lie immed,
atcly proceeds to discover what it is.
But it has been 4 long tine since I'll
little machine failed to sc.;d forth !.
announcement at the proper tim,
For the mint guards arc ratrol;;ng |!
and down outside the big buildiu,
carefully watching that TO suspicion:
characters approach too near the vas
treasure left in their care.
Promptly at midnight the seccnc
shift Of the night guard puts in an At
rearancc to relieve the early shift. |
is also composed Of q captain and
men, and they are split UP, rs the othc
squad, into inside and outside details
From midnight on until seven o'c!ocl
in the morning hey follow in the foot
steps of the first SHIFT. with every
faculty alert to catch an intruder.
The Lig revolvers are not the only
weapons upon which the guards have
to reign On each side OF he main cor
r;dor leaking from the Chestnut stree.
entrance stands a walnut case
Through the polished glass front O!
one frown 20 Winchester rifles. The
other contains as mary ugly-looEicG
carbineS. TO grab these dispensers CT
dealt, would be hut the work OF al in
slant for the guards. and then woe be
unto any man or men upon whom i t
might be found necessary to turn them.
For the revolvers there is kept con
Stantly on hand in the mint 500 ounGs
Of ammunition, and for the rifles ami
carbincs 2,5co rounds. Each of the
guards is an expert in the use of boil
the pistol and the gun and each is e:,-
dowed with plentiful stock CT cour
age. Hence Il combination capable G.:
successfully resisting almost anything
less than Il regiment.
Superintendent Boyer and Assistan,
Custodian Ramsay both talked to the
Inquirer reporter about the methods
in use to protect the mint and its CON
tents. Goth smiled significantly whcr
the possibility of one getting away
with portion of the vast treasure was
suggested.
1T would be folly for anyone to try
it" was the superint endent's only com
ment. To it Mr.. Ramsay nodded EN-
phatic assent.
II have been here for a COOL many
years. the latter said, land 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 j. 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 a habit
of dropping in at the mint at odd hours
Of he night to see that everything is
going on al right.
The mint is connected with the CEN
trail telephone station. ard should
there be trouble the captain Of the
guard could communicate with police
headquarters in a brief space Of time.
When the trouble with Spain reached
a crisis, however, it occurred to Mr.
Boyer that it mig,.t be well to IL Goa.
nectcd directly with the central polic'
station in the city hall. Ie comiGuni.
Gated his ideas to Director Of the Mi"-
Preston, ami was told to go ahead.
Consequently it Will not be many days
before i hurry cal can be sent from
the mint to the police department
without the delay incidental to con-
nection through 'hello" Headquarters
eff you come across anybody who
thinks he can get rich quickly by help
ing himself to our coin," remarked
Superintendent Boyer in parting.
"just advise him to think it over care
fully first
In compliance with the superin-
tendent's suggestion the advice is here
by given.
And it is pretty good advice TO fol
low, too.-Philadelphia Inquirer.
'.-E?,
+ Experiment with a Sleeper. -
Prof. Mosso, the Italian psychologist.
constructed couch so arranged that