Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1904-01-13
MILLIONS IN SIGHT.
Curious People Allowed to Gaze Upon
Uncle Sans Treasures.

Uncle Sans Treasures.
Handling Uncle Sans cash is in
itself no easy task, but handling the
vast number OF people who desire to
view that portion of II stored in the
treasury vaults in Washington Is not
by any means the least of the trOu,
bles of the treasurer" said Ellis II.
Roberts, treasurer OF the United
States, a day or so ago.
No n can visit the underground
storage vaults without a permit from
that every citizen has an interest in
the money, and II he gets any salts
faction in looking at It or examining
the vaults in which II Is kept, he is
entitled to that satisfaction. Conse-
quently none Is turned from his office
without the necessary permit, unless
there is some special reason for with
holding 1t.
The welcome given visitors, togeth-
er with the sordid delight Americans
take In seeing asst stores OF money,
makes the treasury one of the best
show houses in Washington. Were
an admission charged 10 the silver
vaults the evenues of the government
would be appreciably increased.
Sightseers come from all over the
world. One day when IL was partic.
ularly gloomy and disagreeable out.
side, SC that there was not much do
ing in the tourist line, Treasurer Rob-
erts took the trouble to keep track
of his callers. Exactly 700 persons
entered his office. They represented
thirty-fiye states, foreign coun-
tries and nearly forty different ma
~tionalities. The foreigners came from
Great Britain, France, China, India,
Germany, Africa and Australia.
Matters are SO arranged that the
visit will impress itself upon the
minds of the strangers. There Is a
corps OF well-drilled guides, who, af-
ter Mr.. Roberts has passed on the
permit, sees that the stranger regis.
tiers his name In a little book kept
for the purpose. This is for the pur-
pose OF assisting the government a
little later on In cas- a silver or gold
certificate Is missed, They first go to
| tlc vault III WHICH llt llBllt1 10 hNDl
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 charge hands around a small frame
which incloses two wellworn $4,000
bills and n $1,000.
There" he says triumphantly, you
have had $4,000 In your hand"
Bigger things come later on In the
trip, when they are permitted to han.
die millions in gold bonds in the ma.
%tionnal bank division, or to look at
the doors behind which are stored
tons of precious gold and silver which
have been stamped into coin. Because
Of the electrical appliances they can
not see the bags OF coin. Any at
tempt to move the m~agnetized doors,
the guide impressively relates. would
result in calling heavily armed guards,
who are constantly kept at the treas
ury to protect the money.
IF we were as money mad as some
foreigners would make us out" oh.
served Treasurer Roberts. visitors al
the department would not conduct
themselves as well as they do, Many
thousand persons have gone through
the vault during my term OF office.
but, so far as ! know not one has
made an attempt to get hold OF any
of the money. Or course, we keep
close watch on them, but If the Amer
lean people were insane on the ques
ton OF money this would be a good
place to note interesting symptoms
We like money. but we are not SC
crazy about II as our foreign friends
profess TO believe. Al least, the pres
ence OF the cause OF alleged madness
does o seer to aggrayate the dis
ase."-Washington star, .