The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1913-05-17
DENvEKS MASSIVE MINT.
Il Would Take Burglar Fifty Years
to Break Into IT,

to Break Into II.
If man twenty-five years old start
ed to rob the Denver mint he would
be seventy-five before he finished hls
task of tunneling and drilling, II he
ever reached the vault. When he did
reach the massive cage he could never
get at the money without detection.
He would have to bring his diving
suit along, as there is water several
| feet deep under the foundation of the
mint He would first have to go
through a wall four and a half feet
thick of brick and portland cement.
| The boilers and coal bins are far un-
foreground They are on the Evans
street side and more strongly protect
ed than a man-of-war. They are at
least twenty feet below the surface
and surrounded on the top. side and
floor with a concrete wall four feet
thick.
Surprising our young boring friend
, got through that wall when he
: emerged he would find another just as
thick and just as strong. The lower
vided into compartments. They are
separated, each compartment with its
own defense.
The thief or thieves would find a
real problem to get into the storage
vault. He would first have to break
through a steel door weighing seven
tons. He would then face what is
known as the outer vault. The safe In
this is 60 by 20 feet and Is ten feet
high. There are millions of dollars in it.
This safe is girt on every side with
lining of chrome steel. In the corri-
dor within the great vault there are
four doors leading into the subvaults.
The cells where are located these
vaults are barred and Melted with
steel. There are no less than sixty
doors In the storage vault. Each OF
the eleven minor storage vaults is in a
steel grit cage. which has two massive
steel gates. One is above, the other
below.
The Diebold safe Is secured by time
locks. On the inner side of an eight
inch thick door is a clock, which can
be set at night to be opened at any
selected time. Until that time arrives
not even government employees can
get in the ponderous door. Two officials
with keys must aid when the clock
is ready to let them in.
The guards will visit the storage
vaults every few minutes and turn on
a food of lights. Inspectors go about
day and night and visit all of the
treasure rooms of the building, upstairs
and down. Special attention is given
to the vaults, but no portion of the |
building is neglected. Every thirty |
minutes "All's wellr' is heard over the |
private telephone.
All over the building are hidden high |
power magazine rifles. They are oiled |
and inspected regularly. 1t is said that |
there are at least a hundred of these |
guns always ready for use. Three |
years ago 5000 was spess in the con
struction of massive gates leading TO |
the rooms where the money and bullion !
are stored.
The alarm system IS connected With |
police headquarters Ii h, said that the |
Denver mint is the best protected in |
the world. and no big building has any
thing better in the way q defense,
with the exception perhaps of the Ma
tional City bank of New York. This
bank has an elaborate system Of steam
pipes around its vaults for use against
raids. If these valves were released il
would roast every one in the basement
of the bank alive.-Denver Post.