The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-03-24
Raschka's Invention Makes Steel
Protection Of Little Use,
Cuts Through the Toughest Metal 10 an To-
crsdIhy Short Tine Even Armur Plate
Is Not Proof Against II.

washington March 24-When the
statement was made public that the
treasury department had decided there
was no such thing as a burglar proof
safe II was received with increduity by
Eastern bankers and officials of safe de-
posit companies. Yet such is the fact
The treasury department will buy no
more of the expensive safes that for years
have been supposed to be OF sunicient
strength 10 resist the scientific burglar. IL
will in the future adopt a system OF auto
matte electric bells. and redouble the
safeguards that can be provided by pri-
vate watchmen, one keeping check on the
other.
All OF this is because there Is no longer
a burglar proof safe. An invention by Ju-
Illus f. Haschke a Chicago electrician,
will enable the man applying 1t to cut
through the hardest steel plate as boy
with a knife would cut st. Lawrence
county cheese.
Armor plate. such as is used on the
United States battleships. can be perfora-
ted as an augur would bite its way
through plank OF northern pine.
Mr.. Haschke calls his invention a car
bon point. He did not produce IL for the
purpose OF aiding the dark lantern fra
ternity to open bank safes. His object
was TO supply a means of cutting steel
and iron bars In the construction OF
the burglar who gets into a bank with
this apparatus, II he be an expert in its
use, can get access TO the strongest safe,
between the hours OF dusk and midnight,
and possess himself OF its contents.
Similarly, if the burglar should be cap
tured, his confederates. using this inven-
tion. could cut asunder the bars across
his cell window and place him at liberty.
FIRST PUBLIC TEST A SUCCESS.
The first public exhibition of this inven-
tion was made not long ago I'm Milwau-
kee. An enormous boiler foundation was
10 be removed from the basement OF "A
building. IL was impossible 10 get this
great mass OF metal out OF the building
as IL lay without tearing down a por-
tion OF the walls And IL was seemingly
impossible to cut the plate into pieces.
Some one mentioned the new process of
cutting steel like soft butter. and the i'm
ventor was invited TO go TO Milwaukee
and make test. The inventor ensconsed
himself in little steel house. placed two
pairs of blue spectacles on his eyes, and
after connecting his carbon point with an
electrical current. touched the steel plate.
Spectators saw brilliant flame shoot
up. IL was a white light. producing ex-
treme heat and nearly blinded the on
lockers. The operator was well protected
and did the work with apparently little
discomfort. At the rate OF foot In five
minutes, cutting or burning wide space
in the plate, the carbon point with its
wonderful power worked along, and I'm
short time the enormous mass of steel
had been reduced TO fragments that could
te easily handled.
The matter was reported TO bankers OF
Chicago and Milwaukee. and they inves-
tigated the matter carefully. They at first
found some comfort i'm the belief that
the value of the carbon point rs "A crimi-
nc
fact that considerable voltage was re-
quired and that "A bright light Is caused
by the carbon point when IL is in opera
tion.
This comfort. however. has since been
removed by experiments which have been
conducted by the inventor himself and by
an investigstio which has been made by
treasury department experts.
CONCLUSIONS OF THE EXPERTS.
These experts in their report have
reached the following conclusions. which
are on file in the office OF Assistant Sec
retary Taylor:
First--That the best types OF safes or
vaults are not invulnerable 10 the attack
OF the expert burglar.
Second-That the ordinary or obsolete
types OF safe or vault constructed rela-
lively a few years ago are not invulnera-
BILE to the attacks OF the tyro or amateur
burglar.
Third-That should, by any combination
of circumstances, sufficient opportunity
be afforded expert cracksmen, any sale
or vault can be opened
Fourth-That a satisfactory form OF
electrical protection is both obtainable
AND desirable for all vaults and safes
wherever applicable, and constitutes
form OF protection superior 10 that af-
forced by the construction OF the vaults
or safes themselves.
On the point made by some bankers
that high voltage is required and that the
bright light would give notification OF any
burglarious attempt, the inventor himself
makes the statement that his apparatus
Is simple and can be operated by a cur
rent OF only fifty volts
Such a voltage can be obtained by tap
ping the wires OF almost any large build
ing. The modern office building Is alive
with electric wires, and a shrewd opera
tor could easily find surface main and
get from II all OF the power needed TO
use his carbon point The inventor, how
ever has obviated the necessity OF tap
ping wires by constructing a little stor-
age battery which he uses in connection
with his work. This battery has twenty
eight cells. and the inventor gets Just as
satisfactory results with this as with a
direct or aftermath current The pouer