Democratic Sentinel, Volume 20, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 March 1896 — Vault Built For Endless Ages. [ARTICLE]

Vault Built For Endless Ages.

When the Bank of the United States was established in Wa sbington nearly 100 years ago, steel vaults were unknown, bo the vault was built of brick. The old building is now occupied by Riggs & Co., as a bank. Recently it was decided to put in a steel vault, and last week a force of men were set at work on the old vault with crowbars and blasting powder. After five days’ work and the removal of many tons of brick, the vault is apparently as impregnable as ever. It was built in two parts. The inner shell was.-square with an arched ceiling. Outside of this brick were laid in cement to a thickness of nearly four feet, making the interior in the shape of a cube. At the comers of the arch the brick wall was allowed almost double its thickness elsewhere. The brick were as hard as stone, and the cement by long standing had become practically indestructible. The old vault has protected Almost countless millions of wealth in its time, and even now, after the present work, it Is still in a condition to furnish absolute security.—Chicago Times-Herald. The Greenland whale is said to some times reach the age of 400 years.