Democratic Sentinel, Volume 18, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 May 1894 — BURIED UNDER MILLIONS. [ARTICLE]

BURIED UNDER MILLIONS.

Treasury Clerks H ive a Narrow Escape from Being Crushed by Coin. A portion of the $50,00',030 that is stored away in vault C at the Philadelphia mint came very near being a cause of disaster to several clerks who were counting the coin, Wednesday afternoon. The cum was piled up in bags to a be ght of twelve feet and a wiuth of eight fee-. The vault is damp, and the bags had become moldy and frai. As Wellington Morris, an employe, was standing < n top of the pile raking in some loose silver dollars, he stepped int ■ a bag, and the silver dollars at once bega ito slide out. .Like a snowball on a mountain s.de the mars of silver do lars grew in size; There was an ominous i umble, and the clerks at the oot of the pile l< oke.l up in surprise. Seeing the impending dan.er a wild break was made for the door. Dr. Caleb White nead, who represents the Mint Bu ea i, jumped over the scales at the moment when the dollars poured down with a-roar. F. A. Sartori and W. A. Bosbyshell. who are assistants in the < ounting. scrambled out in the nick o time. Serious injury to Morris was feared, but he sue eeded in escaping unhurt. The impact of the dollars shook the mint building as if by an earthquake and interne excitement pr \ ailed among the employes, it is estima cd tint the amount which fell was valued at fully $2,C0J,000 and weighed 11J,UUO pov.n s.