Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-12-13
A DANGEROUS SPOT.
Where the United States Navy
Stores Its Guhpowder.
Big Magazines on Ellis Island in
New York Bay.


from New York City and within eight
hundred yards of the Communipaw
docks at Jersey City. The island is
known as Ellis Island, and is three acres
and half in size, with rough, rocky
back on all sides.
1t has been in use as powder depot
for the Navy Department for nearly
thirty years, and all the buildings on
the island, of which there are eleven
are of plain, old fashioned appearance,
although they are said to be still sound
and good for many years future SER
vice. The main building is circular in
form and is built close to the water 8
edge on the northern extre entity, facing
New York. 1t is a somewhat strag-
Cling looking building from the out
side, being irregular in height and
painted bright yellow; but inside the
greater portion of the 100 tons of pow
der now on the island is housed and in.
spected daily.
There are two kinds of powder in the
magazines. The prismatic powder, Of
which there is $780, 900 pounds, or
about Is tons, is packed in small square
boxes, and the common cannon pow
der, of which there is 200 barrels, or
about AZ tons, is stored away in bar
rels, as there is less danger from com
bustion in this grade of powder than
from the other. Inside the magazines,
where the powder is kept, the cases and
barrels are care fully arranged in rows
along the walls, and daily examina-
tion of the condition of the combusti-
bles is made. On fair days the maga-
zines are opened and aired, but great
care is taken to exclude the damp.
No one is allowed to enter the pow.
der magazines without having first re,
moved his shoes, and even then he il
cautioned not to handle anything dur
ing his inspection of the great store
rooms, while vigilant watch is kept
to see that he observes the commands
properly.
Besides the circular storeroom there
are two others, standing near the centre
of the island, which contain powder.
Then there is large building, half
workroom and half storeroom, for car
tridges and gun cotton. In this build
ing force of three men is empl Dyed in
preparing the ammunition for war ships.
In this workroom there are half dozen
kinds of gun charges. These are the
one, three and six pound shells for the
Hotchkiss breech- loading gun, and the
five, six and eight pound shells for
larger cannon. Some Of these shells are
plain, while Others have steel tips, and
their shapes vary according to the make
Of the gun to which they belong.
Ond of the most interesting of these
charges is for the six-inch rife bore.
The charge is composed of numerous
smGn pieces of compressed powder of a
peculiar, six-sided shape. The man
employed in making the charge begins
by placing round piece of board be-
fore him on which are painted figures
exactly resembling the bits of COM
pressed powder used. He then inserts
an iron rod in the center of the board, |
after which he attaches the powder to it
by round holes bored through the CEN
tire of each piece. When the first pile
is made he begins to build the blocks
up around it until he has column OF. |
a circular form about five inches in
thickness. A common bag is then
placed over the charge to keep it in
place, the iron rod is removed and the
bag is encased in copper cylinder un-
til used. This is the most complex and
difficult charge used in the Navy de
partment.
Two of the buildings on the island
are residen ces, and the remainder are
used as workshops and magazines. All
are painted a bright yellow. Near the
main magazine stands an engine house.
containing stationary engine capable
of throwing water to any part of the
island. A hose and reel are attached
to the engine house, and the flow of
water can be conducted to any part Of
the island with little delay. Owing to
the close proximity of Jersey City,
close lookout is kept for sparks coming
from that place.
The regular force of watchmen in
charge of the magazine, numbers four.
Every facility for fastening the work OF
loading ship is to be found on tn,