The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1910-12-26
SHARPSHOOTERS
IN ASSAY OFFICE
THEIR LIVES ARE IN DANGER
FROM COLLAPSE or THE
OLD BUILDING.
ON DUTY DAY AND NIGHT
Otherwise lettering Structure Would
BE Easy Marx For Burglars
Ss7,oo0,0oo in Gold and
Silver There.

New York, Dec. 25.--While squads
OF sharpshooters are drawn around
the crumbllng vaults In the United
States assay office In Wall street,
where s37 100000 in gold and siler is
stored, Secretary of the Treasur
Macveagh yesterday announced the
b Quest for congressional appropria-
lion of $270,00O to be used in remod-
cling the old building.
The foundations, walls and vaul.
supports have been so weakened in
the last four years that the guards
are In peril of their lives,
Although the building was con.
( emned in 1906, no repairs We're made
and only the timber shortihg, which
was placed along the walls. had so
far prevented the structure from
crumbling to the ground
In the last few months the danger
has become so acute that government
Officials have ordered the strictest
precaution in guarding the millions
of dollars worth of gold and silver
bullion, which in itself is heavy
enough to carry the vaults to de
struction in case of an unusual dis.
turbance of the ground.
Daniel Kingsford, superintendent
Of the building, admitted last night
hat his men are taking perilous
chances every time they patrol ne
narrow corridors between the vaults
which were built in 1927, when the
assay office was opened.
Government regulations prevented
the superintendent from making pub
lic the exact condition of the building
but he said that unusual precautions
ere being taken to prevent a possible
robbery
After the first cracks appeared In
TIE walls and foundation 81 the build.
ing, gas explosion openetf the gaps
"a wide that the frail Sanctions
which support the floors threatened
- give way Timbers were placed
iasidc the building and heavy logs
wee used to hold up the bullion
Chambers on the second floor.
The shifting of sand from under
Inc foundations on the Nassau street
SIDE has caused the wall extending
from Wall street to Pine street to
Buckle in several places.
The fear that the building may not
Stand the strain OF another winter
|caused the unusual methods to be
adopted for the safety of the bullion
filed in the old vaults. The guards
were chosen from the ranks Of the
regular army, and only those expert
In the use of the rife were selected
There are seven men to a squad and
the captain has orders to call upon
the authorities at Governors Island IT,
use of emergency.
A secret survey OF the money
chambers and the building was male
several months ago by special agents
from the treasury department. On
heir report the guard was increased
and temporary safety appliances were
installed.
1t was said last night that the
guard is the only protection rom rob
berry, as the foundations are so weak
that burglars could bore through
hem it'll little difficulty from some
'olnt nearby.
Ia1While the building was inadequate
when it was first used as an assay
office, the process of handling bul-
lion has changed to such an extent
ttaat it was necessary to place .
sreater weight on the floors Then
the beams began to give way, as they
were too slender to bear the strain
The most dangerous spot Is on the
Wall street side.