The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-11-28
TO FOIL W|.RECKERS|
Bankers Puzzle Their Brains Because
t4' of Many Recent Rob
berries. XIII. r. =.
Burglar Proof Safes the Hope Of the
Safe Men Alarms Please -
Others. 81. 81, /.

The number of robberies of country
banks reported in the past few days has
reached alarming proportions and bankers
throughout the country are crying out for.
some means. of protecting their funds
from the safe blower with his can Of
n1troglycerln. The losses sustained from
wrecked safes and vaults during the past
three months mounts up to the hundreds
OF thousands Of dollars, and as this loss
must be borne by the banks with small
capital, the need ofsa remedy is apparent
The inventive genius Of the Yankee has
for years been trying to solve the problem
OF protecting riches from thieves, and
many devices have been made. None of
these have proved a complete success, or
at least have not come into such general
use as to protect the funds of the small
country banks, which during the past
few weeks. have proved such a fertile
field for thee professional - safe blower
These inventions arezeither too expensive,
or the efficacy is doubted to such an
extent that country bankers and n1er-
chants have mot seem at to- Introduce
them. f., -. FSASe. - 80
Z For several years merchants and bank
ers have been asking for an absolutely
burglar-proof safe and It has only been
recently that such a thing has been made.
Even now there are some that doubt the
statement that the safe is reallyl burglar
proof Experiments prove that such is
the case and that banks furnished with
such safes are sure to not be bothered
by safe-blowers. - -&.-; = !
The latest safe Of this Kind is one that
Is manufactured by a New York drm and
1t is sold with a guarantee that it cannot
be burglarized. The body Of the safe is
made of one piece Of manganese steel,
while the door, which is made of the same
substance, fits the body so tightly that 1t
is absolutely impossible to get nitro
ftA
cannot be drilled, it is absolutely burglar
proof. ~ g. y~& r.
r But many banks findsit impracticable,
for various reasons, to install <one Of these
safes, and they still need some kind of
protection. They cannot afford to keep a
Waterman on duty at the bank through
out the night and are trying to find some
way or receiving warning when their
vaults are being tempered with
Nearly all of the large city banks have
automatic burglar alarms which rings like
are pells when anyone tries to tamper with
the vaults. This style of alarm, which is
usually placed on the outside of the bank
building, rings SO loudly that it can be
heard for block and officers can hurry to
the bank and catch the safe blowers at
their work. This style of an alarm has
proved a complete success wherever it has
been used.
1t has been suggested that such an alarm
be connected with country banks It
would not be difficult to arrange a. small
trip near the vault where the burglar
would be sure to come in contact with 1t
and connect this with the bell on the town
hall and thus give a general alarm This
1t Is thought, would protect the funds Of
the banks. ~
Many small banks throughout the coun-
try have small electric bells connected
with the safety deposit vaults which will
ring In the room Of the cashier or some
o1ncer OF the bank, If Burglars attempt to
work there. This has not proved a suc-
cess as the safe blowers have learned that
such things have been Installed and a
watch is usually placed over the residence
OF the cashier and if he attempts to in
ter1ere with them he is shot in his tracks.
inns was done in Warren, Mich; this
week when Clint e. Osborne was shot and
Killed as he was starting toward the bank
to frighten away the robbers.