Evening star., 1902-03-18
VAULTS AND SAFES
TREASURY DEPARTMENT LOOK
ING TO THEIR PROTECTION.
Recommendations Made by Messrs.
Powell and Bergin After an In
vestigation Of the Subject.

The Treasury Department has long been
of the opinion that some better protection
should be given the government funds kept
in the various public buildings throughout
the country than can be afforded by safes
and vaults. 1t is well known that by the
use of electricity and certain secret COM
pounds known to expert burglars any vault
or safe can be opened in short time. As
sistant Secretary Taylor, who has direction
of the Office of supervising architect, which
office constructs and provides all vaults
and safes, has given the matter special at
tention within the past few months, and,
after consultation with the supervising
architect and the experts in his bureau,
and with ex-Secretary Gage and Secretary
Shaw. has decided to take some active steps
toward providing better security for the
public funds. The expense Of constructing
heavy vaults and of purchasing the most
improved safes is enormous.
The vaults In the new mint at Philadel-
phia and those now being constructed for
the subtreasury in New York are very ex-
pensive and it is not believed that the ad-
ditioGal security which they afford war;
rants their extra cost
The solution Of this question it is said at
the treasury, seems to be in installing elec-
trical alarm systems, whereby 1t will be i'm
possible for burglars to enter or even make
alarm being given that will instantly call
police or other protection. Devices have
already been invented and put in use which
demonstrate the entire practicability Of
electrical protection. Not only do they give
instantaneous alarm whenever the safes or
vaults are tampered with. but they report
automatically every minute or two that
everything Is all right. Even If communi-
could not be given the fact that the regular
automatic report Is not received would
cause the sending Of men instantly to as
certain II there were any trouble.
Recommendations Made.
A few days ago, after consultion with
Secretary Shaw, Assistant Secretary Tay-
lor appointed two treasury employees, ]. E.
Powell, the chief mechanical and electrical
engineer of the Treasury Department, and
John P. Bergin vault, safe and lock ex-
pert, to go to Chicago and examine the va
rious devices that are being employed for
furnishing electrical protection These men
not only visited Chicago but several other
cities where these burglar alarm systems
are in operation and examined thoroughly
into their working. Wherever used they
are highly commended. Messrs. Powell and
Bergin. after exhaustively reporting the re-
suits OF their examinations submitted the
following conclusions and recommends
tions:
T. That the best types Of safes or vaults
are not invulnerable to the attack Of the
expert burglar.
safe or vaults constructed relatively a few
years ago are not invulnerable to the at
tacks Of the tyro amateur burglar.
. That should by any combination of
circumstances sufficient opportunity be af-
forded expert cracksmen, any safe or vault
can be opened.
=. That satisfactory form Of electrical
protection is both obtainable and desirable
Tor all vaults and safes wherever applica-
Bile, and constitutes a form Of protection
superior to that afforded by the construc-
tion OF the vaults or safes themselves
o. Ihat that system-all other things be-
security by the operation of it's devices,
some form Of police or patrol protection is
superior to others.
g That where both electrical and patrol
or police protection can be secured it is
unWise and unnecessary to construct vaults
more expensive than Is required to protect
their contents from fire. and that said pro-
tecuon Is superior to that Of the isolated
alarm system.
.. That suitable electrical protection OF
the isolated type is valuable and desirable
as additional security in all instances where
eehtrai station service supplemented by po-
ice or patrol service cannot be obtained
.. The selection of the appropriate nro-
tective system for each particular point
must be the result Of special study Of the
best service available at the locality where
protection is desired
The following recommendations are made
by the commissions:
~ Ihat vault construction In public
buildings under the control Of this office
~ citles where satisfactory electric burglar
alarm protection can be secured be con-
hhed 10 "hat 1s known as 'freproof con-
structlon, supplemented by an electric
burglar alarm system Of standard char
ronrt to8i
"C) That it is desirable to protect all
existing vaults and safes containing money
or negotiable stamps the property Of the
government by electric burglar alarm pro-
lection.
90 That in view Of the large number OF
said vaults and safes, for which such pro-
lection is desired, and the fact that the
current appropriation Vaults safes and
locks for public buildings from which the
cost of electric protection may be payable.
would be inadequate to permit of the ex-
penditure of any considerable amount for
this purpose, it Is deemed advisable that
consideration be first given to the electric
protection of the vaults and safes where
the deposits Of public moneys or stamps
are the largest; those In the smaller cities
to receive subsequent attention as the ia
clht1es at the disposal Of the department
may permit.
90 That a careful inquiry be instituted
70 determine the number and location OF
the vaults and safes 1t is desired to nro
tect, that estimates be prepared Of the cost
or the same. and that Congress be request
ed to increase the annual appropriation for
vaults, safes and locks by an amount suff1-
cient to provide the protection desired. as
may be determined by the estimates re-
ferred to-"
Appropriation to Be Asked For.
The department Is taking steps to as
certain the places where the most money,
stamps etc, are usually deposited. and is
negotiating for the protection Of the same
When the whole matter is completely in
hand 1t will be called to the attention of
Congress and an appropriation asked for.
In addition to the large saving made in the
construction OF vaults and safes in many
places saving can be made by dispensing
with extra watchmen that have heretofore
been employed. 1t is believed that such
electrical protection as can be provided will
not only result in the detection and capture
of the burglars if they attempt to enter
the vaults but that the adoption of such