Evening journal., 1904-10-20
MASSIVE BANK SAFES
VAULTS THAT ARE BURGLAR, FIRE
AND WATER PROOF.

MtitudulS aIt IOnneu Inc safes OF
country banks that carry surplus Of
perhaps $4,000 or $4,000 are often
riddlod 10y burglars How is it that
the millions quietly reposing within
the doors OF scores of banks I'm the lar
ger cities are never attempted 1t is
fact that during the last quarter Of a
century or more no attack, successful
or otherwise, has been made on any
bank vault in the United States In
cities of over $4,000 inhabitants. Most
Of the bank robberies occurring today
take place in towns Of $500 to 1900
inhabitants In the larger cities, where
the treasure really is. no one even at
tempts TO rob bank.
Why is this?
Money can protect money. That Is
the whole secret. The country banks
depend on safes costing perhaps a few
hundred dollars; great city bank
spends perhaps S150,0O0 for its burglar
and fireproof vaults And these vaults
nre proof They are absolutely unas-
sailable. The guarding OF banks
money has been reduced to such
science that a banker, having once
taken the proper precautions, never
gives the matter a further thought,
though he has a million dollars within
its doors. The fireproofng for n large
vault can be constructed for from S1O,-
600 to $4,000 1t is the burglar proof
steel lining that brings the cost OF
vault construction up to the six figure
mark. ttNff
Think Of a steel door weighing
twelve tons or of a hinge alone weigh
ing one tom When that door con-
sists Of ten inches Of drill proof steel,
plate Tapped on plate, do you wonder
that even the most daring burglar has
never attempted it2 Such a great
door usually has some four and twenty
two or three inch steel bolts which
shoot out automatically IN four direc-
tions as soon as the door Is closed
The entire closing Of the door is absO-
lutely water tight. The closing has ac-
tually been tested one whole night un-
der water. This closing is Of the
tongue and groove variety and the
groove is packed with packing.
This formidable door is furnished
with time lock that can be set for
any number Of hours and that cannot
be opened until the hour for which 1t
is set arrives. The door is furnished
with perhaps three duplicate timbers,
/ so that If two should fail TO work there
would still be one TO open the door.
Inside the great door a massive graf
ing called the day CRATE gives access to
the vault
To this chamber, which, with its four
inch walls Of drill proof Steel Is
4 worthy OF Vulcan himself, only the
} active officials Of the bank have en-
trance. Here are the tellers' safes
where they keep the money for th'
'e days business. Here are bags Of gold
Il $1,000 in each. piled up Ike so manl
~ bags OF buttons. each bag most secure
'e ly tied and sealed. Here are packages
q OF bills stacked mp like bricks-th'
ones and twos in 81 900 packages, thi
o fives in $1,000 packages, and the tens
and twenties in $4,000 packages. The
r. bills in each Of these packages have
', been counted, tied up and sealed by
y two persons in the presence of eaci
other. so that the bank can guarantee
the amounts as given on the labels
without recounting.
Here. besides the tellers' safes, are
= compartments where the collateral re
n ceived for loans to depositors is kept
But this is only the outer division Of
If the vault chamber. Beyond is anoth
N er massive grating dividing the vaul
'e into two rooms. No single official car
penetrate to the inner shrine, and on'
le Of the two officials necessarily presen
'r must be director Of the bank. Herr
y are where repose the reserve funds OF
4 the bank-millions Of gold and pape
IN money. The reserve funds are kept il
m safes on which the locks are timed &
n. omen every morning. so that If neces
II sary the bank tellers could have III
money at moments notice. The tw'
m divisions of the vault form really on
en- chamber with walls Of drill proof stee
"a The walls are drill proof. yet as a mat
~ ter Of fact the up to date burglar doe
"a not work with drills. A few sticks o
a dynamite. some nitroglycerin in a bot
" tie, with alcohol. putty, candles, wire
sn wire nippers and an exhaust pumI
s. are the principal items In his outhi
n With these tools he often 'makes a
Impression" on a small safe.
But single charge Of dynamite heav
3 enough to open the joints of big vaul
lg would wreck the whole building. UI
~ limited time, therefore, I'm which
a., work would be necessary TO the sue
- cessful wrecking of a drill proof vau
IN by explosives. for it would be nece'
m sary to use long succession of sma
as charges, to work patiently at plate af
ms er plate. and the conditions make tn
a absolutely impossible. The reason sue
en- great pains are taken TO make all joint
ay water tight is TO guard against tn
-. Introduction OF nitroglycerin. whic
10 has about the consistency Of honey ,
10 common glycerin. Nitroglycerin is NJ
effective unless II is inside the safe ,
nd vault.
n The entire great steel room is mad
lot fireproof by being inclosed I'm brio
IS or tile or cement walls, between while
rs and the steel walls is an air space FOL
=. a- or Eve inches thick. Air is a nonco
on ductor OF heat and, being interpose
nd between the brick and the steel wall
im prevents the latter from becomiI
overheated SO perfect is the prote
ton that even when a building HI
ArsI 81