Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-12
GONG CAUSES STIR
Treasury's Big Bell Goes Off
MysteriousIy.
CLERKS RUSH TO HALLS
No Reason for Sudden Ringing Has
Yet Been Found.
ID MANY THEORIES ADVANCED
Test e Given Of What Would Hap
pen Should Burglar Get Into
Building.

There was real commotion and thrill at
the Treasury Department at $40 o'clock
this morning. The fact that there were
no burglars at work in the building had
no effect on the giant burglar gong of
the department. for 1t set up the awfullest
Changing the thousands Of clerks ever had
heard.
Men and women poured into the hall
ways and looked inquiringly at each
other. They asked everybody passing
and everybody was passing-what the
trouble was about, but nobody could
answer, at least for long time. Chief
Clerk Wilmeth hurried to the office Of the
captain Of the watch: Private Secretary
Taylor hustled in the same direction as
he had never hustled before; Supt. jamie
son took his 200 pounds down the steps
and Railways at = gallop. breaking all
previous records: watchmen hustled in
the same direction. and there was some
doings, sure enough.
"Ah. I see the trouble said Capt
Cobaugh Of the watch force. This
little lever should be set this way; and
that button should be turned. I am
sure It's all right now
Whereupon the captain, surrounded
by all the painting officials who had
chased themselves to his ONCE, shut
the small door that communicates with
a spring and sets the alarm for
future occasion. Whereupon the gong
set up another fierce alarm, sounding
through every room and hallway in the
building and once more bringing the
clerks out into the Railways
open the door and stop it," Chief
Clerk Wilmeth. who had never before
encountered so much noise. shouted.
Cant do It," called the captain. as
everybody laughed And he couldn't,
because the door 10 30 fixed that 1t will
not open until the gong has done it's
worst.
Cause Not Ascertained.
Nobody knows yet. until expert electri-
clans are called in, what started the
gong on the warpath Presumably 1t
was due to the opening Of one Of the
vault doors in the treasurer's office. The
delicate electric machinery that signals
touches upon the vault doors is supposed
lily adjusted so that the burglar alarm
will not begin business when the vault
doors are opened and shut during the
regular business hours. But somehow 1t
became connected UP this morning ana
there was the mischief to pay.
The gong afforded Capt. Cobaugh and
his watchmen q genuine test of what
would happen should burglar get into
the building and begin tampering with
any of the vaults or locks. The noise
1t would make in the dead of night would
scare any burglar half to death.
In Capt. Cobaughs Office the delicate
machinery registers the particular spot
| where the trouble Is going on, and all
that II necessary Is to collect a squad OF
| watchmen and their big pistols and rifles
and make for the place.
1T Is our Idea that one OF the electric
protection combination boxes became
lshortcircuited and started the gong to
ringing" said one of the watcnmen. q on
see, every vault and safe in the building
has a combination box attached. This
box Is attached to our board here. The
| first thing an official does is to open this
combination. He then opens the vault
door. and when he does this the system
rings In the captains watch and gives
the, number Of the vault that is being
opened. We know just what vault is
being opened or shut. because the same
thing happens each afternoon at closing
and we are enabled to keep a careful
record
Board Shows Vault Location.
The watchman pointer to the big board
that contains the numbers and precise
location Of each vault and safe. Besides
| the small gongs that ring in the cap
Il - A. ~ IA