The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1921-08-26
LINERS BRING
COLD BY TON
Millions OF Precious Metal Being
Shipped to This Country
From Europe.
IS HANDLED LIKE old JUNK
New York loneshoremen Find Han
ding of Millions Is All in Days
Work-U. S. Holds Fifth Of
Worlds Supply.

New York.-Gold. tons of 1t. coming
here on every large passenger liner
that plies the Atlantic. is handled by
seamen and longShoremen as nOncha-
lantly as If il 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 galleon 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 POmeranlan.
Ii was recently announced that the
United States subtreasury vaults here
already held $1,5OO,OOO.OOO in gold,
One-fifth of the worlds entire supply.
Gold as Freight.
Gold is clasSed as freight and q GER
tain rate per ton is paid for transport
ing ii, although, due to its value, spe-
cial consideration is given TO its safe
ty. In each of these big ships is
vault-knOwn in ship language as the
strongroOm. 1t is a big box or cham
Der, heavily lined with armor-pate
steel and located in one of the lower
holds In such a position that Ii can be
approached from but one direction, by
passage opening from but one door
or hatch.
There is no space around the strong
room for a wOuld-be thief 10 work with
a drill and indeed, If he should get in,
he would probably find himself pris-
Oner.
Delivered to the ship in European
port, the purser carefully checks the
number Of boxes of gold, notes the
stated value of the contents, sees to il
that proper customs permits for ship
ment have been issued and in the name
OF the ship signs the bills of lading.
snder his personal eye 1t is slowed In
the strOngrOOm, where il is again
checked. The room is locked and the
keys and combination of the door are
retained I'm the purser's own care. On
several of the ships electric alarm de-
vices add to It's protection.
TrundIed to Vans.
On arrival In New York the gold
shipments receive first attention after
the passengers have been discharged.
A special force of longshOremen under
the eye Of a trusted boss is led TO the
strongroom In company with n repre-
sentative 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.
The lOngShOremen who handle the
treasure make no fuss about tit is
all In q work day of eight hOurs-and,
gold or pigirOn. It Is the same to them.
Once In the vans, when the ship is re-
leased of responsibility. however, there
is show of guards.
What would happen TO the gold If
the ship would meet with an accident
and go down?
1T would have to lie with the ship
unless conditions were such that Il
could be removed after the lives of all
on board had been saved" was the an
swer of the lines.
Like other freight. il is insured. but
not even treasure must be taken into
consideration when lives are at stake
Gold shipments which have gone
down are occupying the attention of
scores of marine experts today. MI
merous devices have been patented
and many lives have been lost in at
tempts TO salvage sunken treasure.
Among hundreds Of others a rich re.
ward awaits the man who can salvage
the treasure lost with the LuSitania,