The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-21

counting this Spanish coin, and the indi-
cations are that they will be kept busy for
In moving money two great objects are
soUght-to prevent theft and minimize fric-
ton. Probably no other business is heigei
process is full of interest.
Strangely enough, and altogether con-
trary to the idea which most people have.
lcity and simplicity.
Specie of gold or silver In quantity Is SO
n hea az a that theft ne ri Is not w likely ,s so a atpsm ai
10 carry it away would be observed; The
great weight. however. makes friction a
With greenbacks or checks there Is no
DANCE from this cause, but the portability
OF the precious paper makes greater pre-
cautions essential. Thus we have the para
dox that il is necessary to guard the money
which is worth the least intrinsically with
the greatest care.
The silver is packed In money sacks.
which are inclosed in boxes. each contain
ing LOCO silver dollars. Sixty of these boxes.
or 10000. make a load. and it Is expected
that an average of ten loads a day will be
moved. II VIII he seen from this that sew
eral months will be required to move the
basis of the silver certificates. to its new
location.
Only lately has this double precaution of
bag and box been used as a covering for
mint moneys. Some trouble caused in one
Of the mints by the breaking Of canvas
and the escape of money In a vault sug-
e1SNCA tafaN VI was IN
bic. These millions OF silver dollars must
be protected from moth and rust all the
more carefully because they are to lie for
years in their vault.
TIL boxes. as well as the bags, are put to-
gether by the employees OF the mint. They
are sturdy little wooden affairs, whose
shucks are furnished to the Government by
contract for about 6 cents apiece.
The enormous amount of money to be
moved Is the reserve fund which is required
b. the Sherman silver law. 1t must be on
hand to redeem all the silver notes which
are in circulation
For a long time men have been working
to get the money in shape for its Journey.
1t must be counted and weighed and put In
canvas bags and sealed and marked with
the name of the workman. and then placed
In a wooden box. nailed down and stenciled
and carried away to a storeyoom, where IL
men at. their best can only handle about
two and a half million a week. They are
busily at it down in a dlney little corner
In the basement of the old mint, where the
chlef instrument Is a pair OF beautifully
adjusted scales.
When a thousand shining, glittering silver
dollars are brought into the dark plaza
and put on the scales the needle Is quick to
tell IL a single dollar Is lacking. Once
weighed and not found wanting. the heavy
A thousand-dollar bag goes into the hanls
of the sealing-wax man, who sits ready
with a triangular alcohol lamp and a stick
of red sealing wax as large as the leg of a
big table When the bag leaves him it Is
tagged and sealed. then 1t must be entered
into a book and placed in the wooden box.
1t Is then ready for the eXpressman.
The company which has charge of the
moving of the silver has all the Govern
inent contracts for the shipment Of coin be-
tween the United States Mint and the Sub
treasures and Is under heavy bond for Its
safe conduct.
Six of the mint employees bring the boxes
Of coin to the door of the old mint and de-
liver them into the hands of the express
company's men. 4 receipt for the rightful
amount is given to the gatekeeper of the
mint. and from the time when the money
leaves the door until II is delivered at Sew
enteenth and Spring Garden streets the en-
tire responsibility for II lies with the COM
pany. Therefore the company sees best to
transport small sums at a time and guard
well what 1t takes.