Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-19
STORE BILLION IN BULLION
IN GREAT ASSAY VAULTS
Every Ounce OF Gold in World Could
BE Cared For i'll Massive
Structure.
FIVE STORIES UNDERGROUND
Treasury Department Is Building to
Meet Future Needs OF Govern
mcnt's Expanding Space Require
mcnts-RcCords Trace War Needs.
tRS Universal Sery:ca

handsome trio OF buildings tor th!S
ounce OF gold in all The world could
be stored in the new assay office in
WALL stree, when next March sees rs
completion. and the massive marble
and stone structure Viii fulfill the
dreams. now nearly a century o.G. or
the directors OF the arst 0ca"Gh OF the
Clear b.s,k in 1923 these car-sce,ng
posicory in Wall street into witch and
OF gold that forms ;he life blood OF
Americas commercial veins
seventy Feet Below Ground.
We shall have rooms in our vaults
Garth" said Verne NJ. Bowie. superin,
tendent OF the local assay office. All
viii be five, stories of them. running
street level. Architecturally. the new
office Will harmonize with the sub
treasury Building, which it will adjoin
on Wall street, and with the banking
section OF the city.
and in the workrooms the largest de-
post OF gold ever. gathered together
world. In the last five years We. have
had deposited with us 1880. 600, 600 in
gold alone, not TO mention the silver.
platinum. the palladium and the
More Valuable Than Gold.
Palladium and iridium the super
intendent explained, arc alloys Of
platinum, and are more valuable than
for sos an ounce. while palladium
brings at present sl35 and iridium sl75
an ounce Both these metals are
with II when 1t is made into jewclry
10 give ii durability OF form.
we received here in this Office the
The shipment consisted OF $1,000
Russian grains and nuggets Of plati-
mum. Struggled out of Russia just af-
ter the overthrow of the monarchy.
We were At that time in great need
OF platinum for manufacturing high
mandeered this smugglcd stuff. and it
was deposited with us TO be assaycd
In order TO handle 1t. a new depart
ment had to be created almost over
night.
Gnve Jewels to Uncle Snm
The needs OF our government dur
ing the war proved to the assay office
II al! other evidence had been lacking.
the patriotism of our women Even
engagement rings were sacrificed that
the War department nigh, make use
OF the platinum. We received $500
separate deposits OF platinum, running
weight TO a pound. The deposits came
in the form OF rings. lockcts brace
lets and false teeth. We also received
and and, as sa;is, many tons Of ne trinkct
Nearly All of our small deposits,
and many OF our larger ones. in peace
as we'll as war times. bring with them
their own story OF life's tragedies and
comedies, OF loved ones gone and
should-b be loved ones forgotten d.
Norccd women included thair cast-oT
wedding rings with their deposits
Much Married Wumnn.
"a much married woman sen, in
three wedding rings. with two engage
ment rings and a miscellaneous aSsort-
mcnt Of faddish table and boudoir sill
Yer, the style and workmanship OF
which fairly dated her several mar
riages. We get silver and gold plate
in beautifully wrought designs the
work alone being worth more than the
intrinsic value Of the metals, hut il
all has 10 DC melted down and reduced
20 its component parts. for the govern
lnent recognizes but the metal Itself.
Loving cups come in by The score. and
many package has in i = little silver
cup hammered b" hard usage and
dented all over with the tiny marks
o; bah" reeth
and there was less awe and pride in
his tone -nan there .s in that D. the
vegetable man when ne TALKS ot the
potatoes h@ sells from mis- wagon. ~
= man wants 70 bIy gold in amounts
is EuppIiAd E. 81 ryt.tIjo3s q. col.
lars wo.th ~ tol," ANNUALLY. -nos- o:
:; - manufacturers 81 arts ana Jew
80.
building f"r Future.
AsEst @hy. s. much vz-l: roo-n had
been planned for n. neT building
L,-. Ecv:e SAID that The United states
Treasury Depa.,:oe.. %as building tor
th= ,gtU-c.
''Sooaer o. la,e- we SHALL have need
Of 4. an" re SAID "-.rrn -. ya., IN.
Ne2 To-x once was o,cn@d. In 1884.
ia. deposits have grown from :..GGb-
600 annually 10 :sOGg0G0D rrortn!v
or $500 900 : year We mus, have
,a@ right sort u facilities Cgr SAFE
guarding this gr.a, cuar,l,v n ,ree-
,ous meta and II is In. ,.Syerrr,'..,.,.g
rn,rnoge 10 r,r1t.ide M v,'fn ,f.yn H.
cili.iee Iyh.a our nv, n,,tIcjry !.
.risaaa y. mn .,n IA. al. ,-.
y-e.ire. ya,5its li,, nc e-.e. .,s
safest storage house IN tue "or.d.
tNeryiaiME mat comes q a+fr 'as
70 20 trF"Gg" ii" 'n".'.tS 20 ''f nc
government wants rpin-rE W.. b-i-
non During the y"af ne;Hr@ "" cent
into the var y" u.ei'ed asyn gus
100000 Of French money ln franc p.ss-.
and NOR" than s1v1.Hhg.ogn .a !.ngHaa
sovcre!gus. which. lopked - 'sgfr go
standpoint OF ift"ruaii1ua. .canarflss
would seem rathcr 2. wastccs! I-.r.a-.