The Washington herald., 1907-10-08


group of gentlemen engaged in heated
argument He listened in silence for a
space, then pushed his hickory stick into
the soft earth and said: Build it here.
And thus was selected the site for the
United States Treasury building, which
has had the honor 10 hold a greater sum
of money than was ever gathered to-
gether in any other house. or in any other
nation. since the first worker in brass in
vented coined money.
This great building, added to since the
days Of Old Hickory, is one OF the most
beautiful of the public edifices of the capt.
tai It's noble porticOs at the north and
south, with their immense monohthic
columns. its grand colonnade on the east.
and its imposing facade looking toward
the White House on the west, are worthy
of their trust as the four sides Of the
treasure box OF the richest Of peoples.
Within these walls there is always at
least $4,000 600 in gold to sustain the
credit Of the United States. For so the
law DEGREES. This is usually only a frac-
tiOnal part Of the amount really kept
there. for one fall day two years ago
there lay in the vaults the greatest sum
OF money every accumulated at one time.
Each morning a heavy van, drawn by
three horses and guarded by several keen
eyed men with rifles, swings up 10 the
east door and delivers 20 the Treasury
an average Of Sl,OJo,00O in currency that
was printed the day before at the Bureau
OF Printing and Engraving. Every day
at / o'clock three Treasury officers and
one man representing the people, destroy
in great macerator. the old bills sent in
for redemption, the amount destroyed tai
lying always with the amount Of new
bills sent out-a million dollars or more
every day.
In this building 1900 people are en-
ployed. but they are only a small part
Of the force enrolled on the books Of the
Treasury Department In all, 1t employees
5000 men and women, who with the
families they support, would fiji a city
larger than Columbus, Ohio.
This great treasure-box Is we'll guarded,
though representing this vigilance TO the
casual observer there are only a few
quiet men in uniform. who stand at this
door or that. who cOurteously give any
information desired. Yet there is a body
Of watchmen. old soldiers or men OF the
Navy. divided into three watches, which
patrols the building day and night, re-
porting TO the captain of the watch every
half hour in the day time, and communi-
eating with him every fifteen minutes
during the night by an elaborate system
Of electric bells over the doorway of
the captains Office is an immense gong.
~bF g IL
thing indeed has happened. The captain
is supposed to rush. fully armed into
the presence Of the treasurer prepared
TO deal summary justice 70 robbers, bomb
thrOwers. or wouId-be assassins. The
gong had been rung but twice in the
past few years. Once the captain re-
ported pOsJ-haste to find two timId WOO
men tourists ringing for a messenger, in
ignorance Of the great Importance Of the
button they pressed. The other time the
captain declares he knew It was a test
ring, and so wandered calmly IN I'm
armed. except for a cigar, 10 find that
the Secretary Of the Treasury, the treas
urer, and the comptroller were trying
his signaling apparatus.
IN the captains Office and in others
throughout the building are stored most
capable looking Kragg- Jorgensens and
TevolveTs. enough 10 equip for battle
thousand men. From his Office the cap
tain may summon help from the police
station, or from the garTisOns at Fort
Meyer, on short notice. In all its his
tory however, the building has never
been attacked IN any way. Only once
was the guard increased in apprehension
Of difficulty. and that was when Dennis
KeaTney and his followers came across
the continent from the sand lots Of San
Francisco to enlist the sympathy OF the
East John Sherman was then Secretary
OF the Treasury.
The building has been the scene OF
many historic incidents. President John
son made his headquarters for the first
Few weeks after his inauguration IN the
Offices OF the Director Of the Mint Mrs
Lincoln having brought about an en-
barrassing situation by declining 10 leave
the White House. On the first floor
near the treasurer's Office, is a sealed
door in the wall, showing where Sec
rotary OF State Seward arranged for. ad-
ditional privacy when he had a room
fitted up In the Treasury, and often
slipped over from his own office TO finish
up great affairs OF state and work out
problems undistUrbed. President Grants
first inaugural ball was held in this
building and in the various bureaus men
Of note have had their day and contrib
iuted 20 the nations greatness.
It is interesting 70 compare one Of
the Oldest annual reports Of the Treas
uTy Department with present conditions
IN 1S2l, for instance, when James Mon
roe was President, Daniel Tompkins
Vice President and William II. Craw-
FORD Secretary OF the Treasury, there
were only three branches Of the service
the Treasury proper. the Customs and
Internal Revenue, and the General Land
Ofice. The expenditures for salary
ranged from S106 allowed a revenue col
iectOr in New Jersey, to the Secretarv's
salary OF 5000. and the entire force en-
ployed was less than loco. To-day the
Treasury Department includes a super
vision or all government buildings erect
ed IN the United States, a bureau OF
navigation, a lighthouse board. life-sav-
ing service the public health and Marine
Hospital service, steamboat fnspectfon
and customs and internal revenue in ad-
dition 10 ali the minutia surrounding
the coming, printing. and preservation OF
moneys.
Only forty-two pages Of the report were
needed IN 1871 10 set forth the entire
workings Of the department Now 2
book as ponderous as an unabridged die
tionary is required 10 present q resume
Of the work and expenditures. Between
that early date and now a bureau OF
commerce and labor grew up in the de-
paTtment, and became so important that
IL was made into separate department
The Director of the Mint is al the head
OF the greatest auditing Office in the
world. and heads a force Of 5000. The
Treasurer. through the Comptroller is
the indirect custodian OF SS00O00. coo In
gold and silver stored in the vaults Tho