The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1921-08-23
GOLD IS HANDLED BY
SEAMEN LIKE OLD JUNK
SHIPPED AS FREIGHT AND
MEN WHO MOVE TREASURE
MAKE NO FUSS ABOUT 1T.
STEAMERS BRINGING MILLIONS

Boxes of Yellow Metal Are kept in
Strong Rooms and Carefully Check
ed in and Out Under the Eyes of
The Purser of Ship.
NEW YORK, N. Y.-Gold, tons OF
it, coming here on every large passen-
ger liner that plies the Atlantic, is
handled by seamen and longshoremen
as nonchalantly if it were scrap iron.
On such ships as the Olympic arrive
millions of dollars worth OF the pre-
cious metal, shipments such as would
have swamped an old galeon sailing
the Spanish main, But the heavy steel
bound boxes of ingots or coin stored
away in the holds of the giant liners
arouse among passengers and crew far
less interest than the presence OF an
internationally known actress or prize
winning Pomeranian.
II was recently announced that the
United States treasury vaults here
already hold $1,500,G00,000 in gold
one-hfth of the worlds entire supply.
Gold is classified as freight and a
certain rate per ton is paid for trans
porting it, although due to its value
special consideration is given its safe
ty. On each of these big ships is a
vault, known in ship language as the
strong room. 1t is big box or cham
Der, heavily lined with armor plate
steel, located in one of the lower holds
i'll such a position that it can be APP
preached but from one direction, by a
passage opening from but one door or
hatch.
Is Well Guarded.
There is no space around the strong
room for a would-be thief TO work
with a drill, and indeed if he should
get in he would probably find himself
prisoner.
Delivered to the ship in European
port the purser carefully checks the
number of boxes, notes the stated val
tie of the contents, sees to it that prop
er customs permits for shipments have
been issued and in the name of the
ship signs the bills. OF lading. Under
his personal eye it is slowed in the
strong room, where it is again check
ed. The room is locked and the keys
and combination of the door are re-
tanned in the purser's own care. On
several of the ships electric alarm de-
vices add to the protection.
On arrival in New York the gold
shipments receive first attention after
the passengers have been discharged.
A special force of longshofeihefl under
the eye of a trusted boss is led to the
strong room in company with a rep
Preventative of the bank or banks to
which the gold is assigned. The boxes
are checked out loaded on trucks, a
certain weight to each man, and trun-
died away to waiting vans near the
ship sides.
All in Days Work.
The longshoremen who handle the
treasure make no fuss about tit is
all in a work day of eight hours-and
gold or pig. iron it is the same to them.
However, once in the vans, when the
ship is released of responsibility, there
is a show OF guards.
What would happen to the gold II
the ship should meet with an accident
and go down? 1T would have to go
with the ship unless conditions were
such that it could be removed after
the lives OF all on board had been saw
ed" is the answer of the lines. Like
other freight it is insured, and not
even treasure must be taken into con-
sideration when lives are at stake.
Gold shipments which have gone
down are occupying the attention OF
scores of marine experts today. Num-
erous devices have been patented and
many lives have been lost in attempts
to salvage sunken treasure. Among
hundreds of others a rich reward
awaits the man who can salvage the
treasure lost with the Lusitania,