The New York herald., 1871-09-15
The Torpedo ExpIosion-what L. to Be the
Next H0rrors


The Torpedo Explosien-wLat L. to Be the
Next Horrors
The latest explosion horror has the bold
merit Of conducting somewhat to break the
monotony of that kind of calamity. We have
had explosions Of late in great number, but
they have been exclusively steam boiler sx-
plosions 1t was naturally becoming monoto-
nous, and so to make the best of this latest
affair 1t wsuld be Christian duty to feel
thankful that it was torpedo demonstration,
just as Mark Twain was thankful that the tele-
graph poles at which his horse SHE'D were
placed on both sides of the road, so that he
didn't fall off on the same side every time.
The new addition to the series of disasters
which have become so wofully frequent that
we can even venture upon ghastly sarcasm
respecting them, just as the people of London
during the great plague used to burlesque its
ravages, took place on Beekman street early
yesterday afternoon, by the careless handling
Of case Of Union torpedoes, the loudest and
most dangerous explosive with which boys
usually dare to celebrate the Fourth of July.
One of them, about the size of an ordinary
toy marble, has been known to injure full
grown boy by the violence of its explosion,
and the effect may be conceived when case
of them, containing at the least several thou
sand of these vicious playthings, is ex-
ploded in a mass, in thoroughfare so
narrow and so crowded as Beekman street.
Three persons were killed outright, another
has since died, several others were dreadfully
injured, two horses were blown almost to
pieces and the front of the store where they
were being deposited was demolished.
The moral of this disaster is something more
than the moral, repeated over and over again.
Of the boiler explosions. We seemed to know
made with the expectation that they would ex-
plode at some time, and every one venturing
upon our steamers took the risk. All the
Westfeld verdicts and Revere Railroad ver-
diets in the world will not prevent passen-
gers taking their chances knowingly against
steam explosions, even where it is well UNDER
stood that the special volcanoes over which
they trust themselves have already given
signs of an eruption, or the special railroad
upon which they dare to travel is now without
any safeguards whatever against collision.
But this explosion of cargo which is sup
posed by everybody, except the three or four
in the secret, to contain only harmless articles
of commerce. puts new and more terrifying
face upon the matter of explosions. 1t opens
up dozen mines under our feet when we
thought we were venturing on fair and plea
SAINT field 1t suggests the question how many
wagons numbering and jolting along our
stony streets contain concrete death in this
shape, how much nitro-glycerine is carted about
us or complacently towed along our rivers,
how many steam engines are running at too
high pressure under our sidewalks, and above
all, in what unthought of way will the next
explosive horror open upon us?
In regard to the transportation or storage of
such combustible and explosive materials
as union torpedoes, fire crackers, nitro-glyce-
rine and gunpowder, there is an explicit law
which appears to cover this case. 1t states
that these articles shall not be manufactured,
stored or kept for sale in the city, except
upon a permit granted by the Fire Commits
sioners, under penalty of fine, and it appears
further that this firm had no such permit.
Indeed, since the 18th of June last this firm
has persisted in the sale and storage of these
not only without the 'permit" of
the Fire Commissioners, but even in face of
the fact that such ''permit" had been frequent
ly refused them, and that suits had bsen in
stituted against them for persisting in the
business. They are now certainly amenable to
the law, and as the law subjects them in case
of death or injury of persons by reason of the
explosion of one of these articles sold or held
by them to fine of from one to FIVE thousand
dollars, or Imprisonment of from one to five
years; it is to be hoped that the severest
penalty will be meted out to them, although it
is by far great deal too Insignificant for
their crime.