Evening star., 1944-09-12
By SARAH FLINN,
-'~efrarr 7'-FNF

is said to have guarded more money
than any other person in the world
will take off his blue Treasury De-
partment uniform for the last time
Things have changed since 1t
Wesley Whitney, retiring head of
the departments armored truck
guards, first began wearing that
uniform. Then stable boys were
important members of the depart
ment staff. The Bureau of Engrav-
ing and Printing was housed in
two buildings-one for the money
and one. for the horses. Dollar
bills were almost twice their present
size. And the pile of bills issued
from the bureau every day was
small enough so that two wagon
loads a day carried it, ---
1t. Whitney has been head of
the guards for 80 years. He joined
the department in 1901. Depart
fnent officials refuse even to esti-
mate the number of billions of dol
large he has had as his RESPONSE
bility during his 43 years of service.
Used Large Wagons.
In 1901, 1t. Whitney reminisced,
the armored trucks were two large
black wagons called money wag-
ons" and drawn by three big
dappled-gray horses. Tom, Lee and
Ned. Five guards usually rode on
the back of the wagon, and a sixth
rode beside it on a big black horse
The truck was covered to protect
the money, but when it rained the
horses and the guards just had to
take it, 1t. Whitney said
Sometimes the streets were piled
high with snow. and it was a long
journey from the bureau to the
Treasury, with the horses carefully
picking their way through the slush.
The bureau then was housed in the
red brick building at Fourteenth and
B streets, now the auditors build
ing. The horses were kept in a
stable behind this building and
tended by Government stable boys.
In those days the guards carried no
arms. But we never needed any,"
1t. Whitney said. We've never been
ioSOSo vi dlOdShCo VI llCNCl lldU W
fire our guns at anybody since I've
been here"
In 1910, Tom, Lee and Ned were
retired, and the department went
modern with two electric trucks,
operated by batteries. I'VE had more
trouble with them than we did with
the horses" the lieutenant said.
They'd stall, or break down, and
we'd have to sit there in the street
until mechanic came to fix them"
For a while after they got the elec-
trio trucks 1t Whitney continued
to ride one of the horses, along
side the truck Even with the new
horseless carriages, there was no
room inside, for the guards, who
continued to ride on the back. How
ever. 1t. Whitney recalled, he liked
being motorized, even with machine
trouble.
Use Five Trucks Now.
Since 1924 the trucks have been
really armored and are bulletproof,
steel, modern trucks. Five are
needed to carry the bills now rolling
from the bureau, and they each
make several trips a day.
The busiest year 1t. Whitney can
remember was 1929, when the size
of dollar bills was cut. I'VE had a
truck leaving almost every half hour
then, loaded to the brim with new
money" 1t. Whitney said.
In all his years of service, 1t.
Whitney, who lives at 1923 Eleventh
street NE, never lost a penny and
never had a wreck, except once
when streetcar ran into U.S."
However. none of the money was
spilled out. he says. And, he says,
he has never spent a sleepless night
or had a minutes worry about the
neatly stacked thousands in his
care.
He'll miss his job, he says. "It
was always interesting and excit-
ing" But he won't retire. He's
planning a busman's holiday.
yes SIR" he said, now I'm going
to get me job as watchman at
some bank