The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-12-01
MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
!" GOLD and Bullion Sent Through the
Mails Every Year

Vast quantities of gold mace +,,,o.-,-
the New York Postoffice. The most.
once authorities are naturally reticant
ABOUT 1t, for publicity adds TO tho risI,
put the fact is that millions of dollars
IN gold coin and bullion are Skinned
through the mails by hanks and -
olVlduals every year. In two DAYS tbis
year S3,175,OOO in gold coin came
through the New York Postoffice for
local banks. Most of the gold to New
York was from the west
Gold is sent through the mail n
strong canvas bags. such as used in
the treasury and bank vaults. secure
~ fastened and sealed. The hays CON.
tam from $1,000 to $4,000 each in 81
Slo and $40 pieces. The bags are ROC
istered' and the amount of gold con.
talhed IN each package is marked on
tne registry receipt Unless the bags
nave been broken open in transit mr.
tneir contents appear to have been
ldihpered with, they are checked off
wien tney are received at the most.
once without being counted Rut once
IN while mail bag comes into the
postoffice with loose coins rattlino in
1t that have ESCAPED from ono nf tho
money bags. In that case the gold is
Soulteu 10 make sure that none of il
is missing. -
Inc treasure comes in with the or.
olhary mail matter, and is dnmped nm.
tremendously into the mail wagons at
the railroad stations. No outsider
would suspect anything extraordinary
IN .the character of the mail. But.
even If he did know the contents of
the bags, he would have a hard time
IN getting away with any of them. for
the wagons have armed guards in
plain clothes inside.
When the mail containing the gold
Dags arrive at the postoffice the mail
poucheS containing the registered mat
Ter are carried directly to the registry
department. The bank to which the
gold is assigned each has confiden.
tlal clerk at the postoffice ready to re-
ceive it and carry it to their vaults
These clerks are also accomnanied Inv
armed guards. The bank clerks are
usually personally known to the sinner.
lntendent of the registry department
yet they must present their creden.
tials on each visit. with duplicates of
invoice. The mail is piled on a long
table around which the postoffice and
bank clerks gather. The bags contain,
ing the gold are separated from the
rest, and the names Of the banks To
which the gold bags are addressed are
called off. The respective bank clerks
respond and each bag is checked off
as 1t is handed over to them. Here the
responsibility of the postoffice ends
and that of the bank begins The bags
are carried to the mail street end of
of the postoffice building If the con.
slgnment to any one bank is large II
has a wagon in waiting there, into
which the gold is loaded and carried
to the bank. Sometimes it is carried
in cabs and sometimes in boxes by
bank messengers.
Almost every bank in New York re.
ceives gold in this way. Most of it
comes from the west; some of il
comes from South America and some
from Europe. The amount of mail
shipments of gold is constantly in
creasing In 1897 &16,0OO,OOO in gold
came through the New York postoffice
Last year the amount was $42. 900 900.
and this year the figures will be much
larger The reason for shipping gold
through the mails Is the same as for
transferring diamonds in this man.
ner, namely, cheapness and safety
N. Y. Post.