The New York herald., 1877-12-16
EXPLOSIVE FREIGHIS.
Powder and Dynamite Sent
by Express on Trains.
YONKERS AROUSED.
Superintendent Beach Protests Against
the Mode of Transfer.

It seems from testimony hereafter recorded thst
not only the railroad trains constantly met with
on III. different roads the suburbs Of tho me-
trcpolis travelling magazines but the buildings on
some OF the routes as we'll storehouscs for ex-
posives which only need the spark Of passing loco
motive or u crash through their trail wooden ribs
10 send destruction and death far ana wide.
No aiarmist however cold blocded, could anticipate
or picture tho havoc such = catastrophe as the
sudden explosion OF twenty thousand pounds OF dy-
Mantle would make. Probably not soul within long
distance would survive to tell the story. Yet news
came to the HERALD only do tho express CON-
panics carry this dreadful danger trains 0ed with
passengers and freight trains loaded with the on-
cine OF DEATH but that certain points sorehouscs
are erected near tho ana not far from popu
lated places whore the fearful compounds, known by
various namcs but all moro or less composed or
nitro-g ycerins. manufactured and await trans.
portaon various points to which they arc OF.
Z derod.
AT PELHAMvILLE
The first INQUIRY Of tho writer in regard to this mat.
ter was at Pelhamville, tho New Haven Railroad,
about sixteen miles from New York. short distance
from the station and to tho south OF tho railroad
track are grouped four wooden buildings surrounded
by neat picket fence. Three OF them are only one
uory in bcight and one OF them is two stories No.
10 used the office Of the Miners Powder
Company, whose main establishment 10 at
No. 10 Cortlandt street, IN this CITY, No. Is a
orehouse used for tho reception OF tho raw material.
m Incorporating mill and for packing substance
called .'vigorte." which is said to be gunpowder
saturated by peculiar process with ntro-g -gycerine
No 8 is used for treating nitro-glycerno with
acid for purposes OF mixing with the dry composition,
secret manipulation said only 10 be known to expert
workmen in the employ Of the company. Ne.
is similar 10 the others IN construction, but
lathed and plastercd inside ana covered outside with
iron as prccaution against nre from passing cpgnes.
These buildings tho property OF the Miners Pow
der Company they occupy the greater part OF two
acrcs OF land sluggish stream or creek runs near
by ana is dign6ed BY the inhabitants with the name
OF Hutchinson River, ana over this rs the railroad
bridge.
pany one OF tho inhabitants OF the locality met.
who expressed his strong indignation that such
mnc should be permitted 10 inc reehpor.nood espc-
ings railroad liable, but also that the manu-
iaturers should be permitted TO ship their dangerous
compound tho cars, thereby sndangering hundreds
D lives Hc added that the citizens OF Yonkers were
moving IN the matter and that remonstrance would
be sent TO the proper authorities. tetst
rHR DEADLy DYNAMITE
Mr.. George Reynolds is the president OF the
company and he answered all questions asked, ana
seemed desirous TO give thespubc every information
In regard TO the dangerous business IN which hc IS
engaged As one ol tGe trustees t. o. sn1
nntagonistic TO tn0so Of Mr. Reynolds the views OF
the latter are given IN full
sOur business" he said, sis the manufacture OF
vgorlte, blasting powder. and in this our company
have been engaged about two years. Wo send II 70
great of iron in the northern part o tho
state and into CANADA. Our usual method Of ship
ment is by rail Lately there has bcen some commo-
t,on about carrying the matter Yonkers; but be-
licve the opposition has from persons who are
Interested IN works OF tho Same chara cter-mcre
shanties--on the Harlem branch Of the New Haven
Road. when VIC began manufacturing the general
price of high explosives was nearly double wnat u Is
now, ana that alone will explain the opposition"
II MN q
what the HERALD readers sre Interested in?
eve ind no grea, dlacuty We even ms send M BY es.
Is wrapped in pasteboard saturated with paraAne to
mako il waterproof. When heard OF the ciamor
about tho danger OF shipping vgorite on the cars
went.to Mr. Touscy, tho general freight agent OF the
New York Central Railroad and told him our CON-
sm,ne the non-exploaive character OF the pound
In transit would pay the expenses OF the In
vcstigation."
s.Has tnis been doneY"
"No; but believe II Will be +"
..You say that the powder will not explode by tho
application OF frey''
''Ony by conclusion" 3"
"How, then, in case Of . railroad collision :"
swell, render tho stun nonoxposve BY leaving
'u. an Ingredient 81 necessary"
.By separate copper cartridgesseon tanning the full
sBut these also TO be sent to the parties how
does that render tho explosive safe?" 10 this Mr..
Reynolds did not give very satisfactory reply. He
offered show the writer the truth OF his proposition
by experiment with vigorite which the reporter
promptly declined. "Dynamitc Is secret
pound" Mr. Reynolds continued, ''and when exper-
imentcd with II BY the addition OF nitro-gycerine
added to 1t. any Of tho high explosives TO nitro
gycerne alone, they were rendered non-oxplos've by
any Of the ordinary MEANS"
Chow do you pack the article for shipmcnt?n
slp wooden boxes but we are having iron ones
% sunpowder is shipped that way. ana our compound
looks ike black powder and could be shipped as such
all the world over"
s.In treatment the gly ccrine undergoes chem-
cal change, and when removed from the vessels
tainng ruus directly into box the dry powder,
which then nearly ready for packing, 1t taking only
about SIX hours TO dry. 1t rs dried ON hollow steam
table ana two men are constantly employed In taking
care oi this and packing IT, Tho oniy nro about the
place is IN the incorporating buiidng-No. where
and the only dre on the premises is that under the
boiler"
yes They are as follows:-George H. Reynolds,
President; W. II. Ii. Robinson, secretary and treas
urcr Trustecs-George A. Hoyt, president Penusyi-
wanna Coal Company; j. b. Brinsn.sd.- secretary and
treasurer OF Port Henry Iron Ore Company, No 56
Ne" a. @ III a. Eo 70 Maa,
street. New York. The latter gentleman Is also SUPER
inicndent OF the company"
~ hear you had accident at the Port Horny works
short time since. How thaty
1.-TWO men were killed. out was with different
compound than will venture to that since
the Introduction oil nigh explosives that there have
been lever accidents In mining and blasting than
ever before; In TACT they arc completely taking the
place Of black POWDER
sUpERixrEyDgxr BEACH PROTESTS
Subsequently to the interview with Mr. Reynolds
the superintendent OF the Miners Powder Company
nas found at his residence as gwen above. Mr..
Beach said:--''I have no hesitation giving
the HERALD my honest convictions about tho car
rage OF these high explosives on the railroads
For one, wash my hands oil tho responsibility, and,
although am superintendent of tho company and
ono Of the stockholders anu should be glad oi cneap
psportaon our manufactured article, still think
there IS moral well n business Side 10 this Ques.
tion, and ircmblo lost the wnoc country may some
day be shocked by an explosion, attended with terrible
loss vi lie ana property"
"You do not agree, then, with those who believe In
the non-cxposvc properties OF the compound save by
roncussion!'i ~
"By means Professor Mowbray, OF North
Adams with OTHERS claims That ~ is im possible
by that means, but can dcmonstratc TO certainty
tbat friction wi as surely produce explosion III the
cougcaicd article The primary conditon ot an cx-
poslon - the rapidy with wnich the chem cal
lion among tho constituent PARTICLES OF The compound
taxes place. one VI The best writer's speaking OF
miro glycerpe uses this language tit also liable
IN certain cases, 10 decomposition, yielding gases
when cxort pressure WITHIN the containing vessel
nd "A q