The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-05-06
THE POISONED SALT.

| TIKI TAHLEBALTCc EsUzIERs or THE COUNTRY.
ENJoY a MARROW EsCAPE-THE 8EsULr OF
CRIMINALCA RELak,SSNES5 AND = TEMPEST
UOUs YOYA3E.
The New York SGn has the following par
ticulsrz OF the salt shipment which was ae-
cidently impFagnated with arsenic: q warm
discussiea bet custom house officials
and interested Importers yesterday, brought
TO light tbs alarming fact taat 0ec sacks Of
English tabls salt imp-egnated 10 en uu.
known extent with arEsnic had very ma
rowly escaped widespread distribution
The salt was a cargo which arrived April 4r
in tho British snip Niagara formerly
q Cunardez.) MacFAriane, master
TIE freight of this Niagara Wa.
chiefly salt consigned 70 s.. John & Avery
This was slowed in tbs lower hold. Tne be-
tween decks freight room was partly slowed
With barrels of soda ash, and aDout mic way
OF the hold 100 barrels OF arsenic were piled
in iiers. completely separated from the other
freight and secured against shifting by stow
age that would have been amply safe in an
ordinarily calm voyage. IL happened, how
ever, that the Niagara experienced very tem-
pestuors weather and very rough Eens. Il
week out she encountered gale that
PILED Ut SEAS MOUNTAIN HIGB,
trying every timber Of the ship. Ones she
Iif ed so high and sank into the trough so
suddenly that large extra spar lashed 70
the deck was torn from its fRstenings and
hurled against the bulWarks with terrific
foycs. At the same time the noise OF the
shifting freight, the most dreaded accident
that mariners encounter, made the ships
crew aware that tho barrels between decks
had slipped their l@shiDgs, and were beating
the ships ribs at every luFch. The rough
seas lasted for many days, and when
they had subsided sufficiently TO make
it safe for the crew TO go between decks
i5 was found that nearly all the barrels OF
arsenic, and noS few or thosS containing
soda ASH, had been broken up, aHa that
their contents had been distributed through
out the hold. Those still whole wer5 SO
cured as well a. possible, and the ship ar
rived In New York in safety, although the
tempsstuous weather continued 10 the epd
OF the voyage, The arseniQ aud soda ash
were discharged immsdia ely after arrival.
/ The sai5 was slowed in the after hold, and
| the area over which the arsenic was dis
| trlbutsd cid rot cover more than few tiers
OF thu salt bags. As lt happened, the dis
charging was bsgun at the furthess poiat aft.
\ As tina men worked forward, Capt. McFar-
| lane detected particles OF arsenic upon some
| OF the bags, and Gnen noticed tlat the iOiu.s
/ in the deck door were 80 far open that great
deal more arsenic than ho could desect must
iIave been sIfted over the salt bags. He at
once informed the cOnsignee5. Ali but
| Ten hundred bags had been delivered and
| receipted for as III good condition, and tins
| greater part OF the salt had already been
sold and delivered by the importers. What
was lett was stored in WoodrufFs stores,
ana the importers took immediate steps TO
recall all that they mad already shipped.
Several samples were submitted to DR..
DOremus Tor analysis, and he reported that
b had discovered
UNMIsTAKEABLE TRACES OF POISON.
This started a triangular fight between the
owners of the ship, the owners OF the salt,
and the collector of the port. The latter is
indisposed 10 allow any drawback on the
duties, and the importers are unwilling to
pay customs on what is likely TO prove dead
stock. The public owe their knowledge of
the fact TO this Misunderstanding. Some OF
those who are most interested in the cargo
are much dissatisfied with DR.. DoremDs's
analysis, and have submitted many samples
10 another chemist, whose name they are
unwilling to disclose. They are h0psfuI
that at least 10 per cent. of the salt may yet
be pronounced szlable. They say that This
chemist differs from DR.. Doremus ia the
radical point OF the difusibilty OF the
arsenic The latter holds, in common
with most standard authorities, that the
volatile characteristic of arsenic makes IL
may have psrmeated tne salt can be deter
mined only by analysis of each bag. AS
salt is not very expensive, and even the
poisoned salt can b5 safely used in various
chemical proc ssses, there seems no good
reason why this damaged lot should not be !
diverted 10 that use. 1t is certain that very