The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-14
A BURGLAR PROOF EXPERT.
Ben Williams Tells What He Knows
About Vault Work in Salt Lake.


Mr.. Ben S. Williams, 1.-The lit
tie human electric drill" as he
is called by the safe and lock
trade, who, If he we're not a safe
expert, would probably be the
best burglar in the United
States, has been at work super
intending the construction of the
vault work of the Utah Savings
q Trust COmpany'S new building
during the past six weeks. He
will depart for his home in
Nashville, Tenn, tomorrow,
having completed the superin-
tendence of said work.
Mr.. Williams enjoys wide
reputation for being a vault ex-
pert of the highest standing,
having taken the government
examination at the hands of Mr..
John 8. Proctor, then the pres
ident Of the civil service COM
mission, which advertised for
vault, safe and lock experts,
and awarded Mr.. Williams the
highest average Of any one ex-
amined. the total number COM
peting being about five thou
sand.
Mr.. Williams, when seen yes
terday at the new bank building
of the Utah Savings & Trust
Company, said: Il want to say
a word for the work 1 have put
in for this bank. All the de-
signs used in it's construction
are of the very highest pattern.
I have devoted a great deal Of
time to the designing of this
work, which is as good as any
bank in the United States. In
addition to unusually strong
vault construction, il is further
safeguarded by electrical pro-
lection, which makes it absO-
lutely burglar proof. By means
Of the electrical protection the
slightest effort to tamper with
the vault or doors would imme-
mediately be manifested, sound
ing an alarm on the front of the
building to be heard for half
mile in every direction and no
tifying police headquarters as
we'll We invite the public to in
spect this work and compare it
with any they have ever seen.
The materials used in these
vaults are the very best Brook
Ign chrome steel, which is abso-
lutely drill proof. 1t is also made
up of Bessemer steel, the layers
being alternately one of chrome
and one Of BeSSemer. The doors
are seven and one-half inches
thick and weigh close on to
eleven thousand pounds, or five
and one-half tons each They
are so accurately balanced on
ball-bearings that you may
swing the door with your little
finger. These doors are also fit
ted with the very latest time
locks and automatics. The au-
tomatoes are used for throwing
the bolts to lock the door. The
time lock is for the purpose of
unlocking this automatic, which
also unlOcks the bolt work and
allows the door to open. The
doors have no combination
locks on them whatever. Each
plate which goes to build up
the seven and one-half-inch
thickness in the doors is a solid
plate, and there is absolutely
not a hole through any of these
plates; all of the mechanism
being controlled by the time
locks and automatics, so that
there is no interstice wherein
dynamite or nitroglycerine can
be inserted. It is q singular fact
that wherever the electrical
burglar protection has been used
no burglar has ever even at
tempted to burglariZe the vault.
The electrical protection is so
arranged that a hole through any
part of the lining as big as pin
would start the alarm. The doors
of the vault are arranged in
such a manner that in case they
were opened by any means be-
fore the time lock, which con-
trolls this electrical system, runs
down the alarm would go in,
which makes it absolutely i'm
possible for anyone, bank Off
Gals included, to enter these
vaults without giving the alarm
TO the police station and banks
surroundings during the time
they are intended to be closed"
Mr.. Williams further stated:
IT have enjoyed myself i'm
mensely while in Salt Lake and
think il a very beautiful city,
with a brilliant prospect ahead
for increased population and
prestige"