The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1903-06-12
SEE MILLIONS IN COIN
Visitors to the United States Treas
ury View Impressive Sight.
Silver Vaults One of the Best Shows
in WasIlim g-tOn-ThrOngs from
All Over the World Go
There Every Day.

Ellis H. Roberts, treasurer of the
United States, says that one of the
least of his official troubles is the
$1,056, S37, ,761.55 2-3 which is stored in
the electrically guarded vaults of the
treasury building. The money is not
half 80 hard to handle as are the peo-
pie who daily throng the treasury and
almost overwhet4n Mr.. Roberts for
permits to see the outside wrappings
of this almost inconceivable wealth.
The treasurer holds that every citizen
has an interest in the money and con-
sequently if he gets any satisfaction in
looking at it and in examining the
vaults in which it is kept, he is entitled
to that satisfaction. Consequently,
none is turned from his Office without
the necessary permit unless there is
some special reason for Withholding it,
says the Chicago Daily News.
The hospitable welcome given visit
ors together with the sordid delight
Americans take in seeing vast stores of
money makes the treasury one of the
best showhouses in Washington. We're
an admission fee charged to the silver
vaults the revenues of the government
would be appreciably increased, for
there is rarely a day that from 1000 to
1000 persons do not feast their eyes
on the crisp new bills tiled up in pack
ages containing from $4,000 to $2,O0O,-
voice their approval of the apparently
wanton destruction of the precious
bills in the division of redemption.
Sightseers come from all over the
world. One day when it was partic-
ularly gloomy and disagreeable out
side, so that there was not much doing
in the tourist line, Treasurer Roberts
took the trouble to keep track of his
callers. Exactly 700 persons entered
his office that day on other than de-
partmental business. They repre-
sented 35 states, seven foreign coun-
tries and nearly 40 different nationali-
ties. The foreigners came from Great
Britain, France, China, India, Germany,
Africa and Australia.
Matters are arranged so that the visit
will impress itself upon the minds of
the strangers. There is corps of we'll
drilled guides maintained, who, after
Mr.. Roberts has passed upon the per.
nit, see that the stranger registers his
name in little book kept for the pur-
pose. This is for the purpose of assist
ing the government later on in case
silver certificate or a gold bond is
missed during the day. They first go
to the vault where the money is kept,
which is used in the current business
of the treasury. After the necessary
signing and countersigning of the per-
nit they are admitted. The cashier in
which incloses two well-worn $4,000
bills, and one of $4,000.
"There!" he says, triumphantly.
"You've had $4,000 in your hand"
Bigger things come later on in the
trip when they are permitted to fondle
millions of gold bonds in the national
bank division or to look at the doors
behind which are stored tons of pre-
cious gold and silver which has been
stamped into coin. Because of the
electrical appliances they cannot see
the bags of coin. Any attempt to move
the magnetized doors, the guide i'm.
pressively relates, would result in call
ing the 73 heavily armed guards who
are constantly kept at the treasury to
protect the money.
eff we We're as money mad as some
foreigners would make us out" OBJ.
served Treasurer Roberts, visitors at
the department would not conduct
themselves as they do. presume that
100000 persons have gone through
the vaults during my tenure of office,
but as far as know not one has made
an attempt to get hold of any of the
money. Of course we keep close watch
on them, but if the American people
were insane on the question of money
this would be good place to note
interesting symptoms. We like mon
ey, but we are not so crazy about 1t as
our foreign friends profess to believe
At least the presence of the cause of
our alleged madness does not seem to
aggravate the disease"