Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1910-08-18
ously day and night, until the job was


inches long, nineteen feet, eight inches
wide, and sixteen feet, six inches high.
Thirty-four large sheet steel double
cases are placed in two rows on both
floors with ends against the two side
walls, leaving an aisle on each floor
about three and one-half feet wide, the
full length of the vault, and short ones
running crosswise between the cases.
There are two single cases extending
all the way across the ends of the vault.
These cases are divided into Is, 267
pigeonholes just large enough to hold
1000 sheets of money. The second floor
onto which the main door opens, is made
of open CRATE iron. This aids very
materially in properly lighting and ven
tilating the vault. At the western end
near the top is an opening about fifteen
inches square. Running from this open
ing the full length of the vault down
the center of the roof is a galvanized
iron shaft about Sx20 inches; then run
ming from this to various parts of both
floors are small shafts open at the ends.
Just outside of this fifteen-inch opening
Tor port hole) is large fan run by a
three horsepower electric motor, which
forces air into the large shaft, and it is
thereby distributed through the small
ones to all parts of the vault. At the
eastern end is another fifteen-inch port
hole which serves as an outlet for the
air as it is forced through by the fan.
With this ventilating system the air in
the vault can be completely changed in
about two minutes time. The two port
holes are closed at night with heavy
steel doors, which are swung into place
and frightened up by means of a hand
wheel and cogs, each one as it is closed
forming part of the electric protective
system. The vault is lighted by fifty
tungsten lights of 80 candle-power each.
The lights and ventilation are ideal and
would be very hard to improve upon. 1t
is said to be the best lighted and VEN
tilated vault in the United States.
There is nothing to equal it in Wash
ington, D. C.
Seventeen miles of wire were used in
constructing the electric protective sys-
tenn, which, when completed, cost
SO, 600. 1t is operated by a private COM
pany outside of the treasury building.
They test the system every fifteen min
utes day and night, by means of tele-
graph saunders which are placed inside
of the vault. The operator in the COM
pany's office can tell by operating the
keys if the saunders in the vault are
working, and upon seeing that they are
his mind is relieved by knowing that
everything is intact. AS have already
stated, closing the two ventilating port
holes forms part of the electric con-
nections. On the inner side of the
large door is large glass door which
has been nodded over layer of small
wires placed about three-fourths of an
inch apart. This door, when closed,
forms another electric connection and
also makes it impossible to blow hole
through it without disturbing the burg
lar alarm. Having closed the big door,
then the vestibule door, which is out
side of the big door, is closed, thereby
forming the fourth and last electric
connection and completing the circuit.
If these openings are properly closed
the report from the saunders inside of
the vault is Immediately transmitted by
wires and delivered to us through tel
phone receiver which is placed outside.
Then we know that all the openings are
properly closed. The burglar alarm
service makes an extra test as soon as
their indicator shows that the vault has
been closed. Should we fail to get their
report, they, upon being notified of the
fact take extra precautions to guard the
vault through the night by sending a
man to inspect it every hour. The gov
eminent also has watchmen guarding
it all the time. There is an agreement
between the chief of the issue division
and the burglar alarm service that the
reserve vault will not be opened prior
to $50 a. m. and will be closed by p.
m. Several times recently it has been
impossible to close by p. M, and in
about five minutes time thereafter a
man arrived from their office for a
written statement as to why the vault
was not closed. This is done every
time the agreement as to opening and
closing is not strictly complied with.
The office of the comptroller OF the
currency is located on the second floor
of the treasury building, and the vault
is reached by means of a private eleva-
tor running down from the issue divi-
ton to the vault entrance. A private
telephone line connects it with the divi-
sion. The vault was completed and
turned over to the comptroller's Office
on May 18th, 1900. By this time the
millions of dollars which had beenipour-
ing into the basement of the bank build
ing every day had reached the vast
amount of S3l8, 600, 900. Now, the one
yrzkl,x~o L. onynn