which conveyed their gold and valuables to America. The iron chest or
strong box, in which the money of the colonists was brought over from
the Netherlands, is still preserved in the Pella National Bank. It
was handmade by Dutch blacksmiths in the old country, and is an
ingenious piece of work.

In the front of the box is a keyhole, into which the great iron key fits
perfectly, but upon turning the key the box fails to unlock. That
keyhole is a "blind," the real one being in the center of the lid,
concealed by what appears to be the head of one of the large rivets. A
smart tap on the side of this rivet head caused it to turn on a pivot,
revealing the true keyhole. One turn of the key moves eight bolts--
three on each side and one at each end--that fit in sockets in the wall
of the chest. This old box is one of the highly prized relics of Marion
County.