, 1890-06-26

our own most desperate valor; and
finally II compelled to abandon his
position, with II half dozen well
directed shells. explode and destroy
every vistagc of the Picatinny de-
pot.
The entrance to the grounds along
the government road II guarded by
Immense iron gates. Their design
is striking and unique. Huge can
non form the four posts supporting
the gates. Their breeches rest In
Immense granite blocks, aud cannon
balls placed ON their muzzles form
most suggestive caps; while the
splendid wrought iron gates are pan
elcd and cmblazoned with the ilisig-
mia of the ordnance department,
consisting of crossed cannon and
cannon balls. To the left of this
imposing entrance o massive gram
lite wall sweeps straight across the
narrow valley from Dase to base OF
enclosed level plain is sin.
gular blending OF natural
beauty and forbidden austerity. The
wcll-kept grounds are shaven aud
neat. The handsome official build
ings, employees quarters, guard and
engine houses, ARE bright and fine.
The splendid rim Of chestnut groves
at the base of the mountains, with
the imposing line of cleaning red
rocks abovea and the noun tain crcsts
covered with frs and spruce,
cutting q fine horizon edge aga nst
the sky, are filed with rich pictur-
esque beauty. But these long, low,
dark structures, solitary and alone,
In seemingly the most remote
places, have u weird suggestiveness,
giving most forbiddlng aspect to "A
scene otherwise perfect In exquisite
beauty and repose. Altogether, few
structures are required. There
IL the guardhousc, u square brick
building with granite trimmings
and heavy battlemented walls, In
which, apparently to render the
place easy Of destruction, there is
mover any guard; the engine house
containing IA fine engine. and no.
body to man II; the commandnntis
Office, u fine commodious building
with large offices for the command
ant, Major Frank II. Phipps, of the
ordnance department, who has been
In charge since August, 1887 aud
the depot's chief clerk, Mr..
Robert w. Hughes; the keep
er's house, the stables, the
Toulouse and the work men =
quarters. These with the powder
magazines themselves and the tall
flagstaff aud regulation flag flying
from its head, comprise everything
within the entire valley to suggest
the tremendous import of Its occu-
pancy.
IL was at first intended to erect
ten magazines within the grounds,
but the number was subsequently
limited to five so that each could
be placed ut least half mile from
any other, In order to reduce
first was built In lSSO-Sl, un-
der the direction of Major +. III.
Parker, of the ordnance corps, then
in charge. Four are completed and
In use for storage, while the massive
foundations for he fifth are already
In. They are practically alike, and
the dimensions of euci are 20Ox5O
feet. The centn,i piers and founda-
tons are of granite, quarried from
the near mountain sides, and the
24-inch walls above are hollow and
provided with apertuies for Tree cir.
culation of air during few hours Of
sunny days. The ceilings are low,
of corrugated iron, laid on
wrought iron trusses, forming
low attics above. The interiors
floors, walls, ceilings, iron door
frames and supporting Iron pillars
are all sheathed as perfectly us u
ships deck with yellow pine; while
each are provided with two doors
and eight windows, hung with solid
inside shutters Of pine, and two out
cr sets of solid wrought iron shut.
ters. Those of the doors, and of the
ventilatOrs which open from the
outside, are lined with half ali inch
of soft rubber. All the magazines
are protected from lightning IN the
most thorough manner, one being
provided with AN aerial network of
conductors on lofty poles carrying
cables and forming con
tiuuous circuit above and
around the entire building.
No human being is permitted to
enter IA magazine unless barefOoted
or with rubbers over his boots or
shoes. SIDE tracks from the Morris
County railroad run to each uaga,
zine, and every barrel Of powder is
handled on rubber-covcred skids or
trucks with wheels tired with soft
rubber. Once within the inaga.
zines there aTe only the seem mingly
endless tiers OF barrels of powder, or
boxes Of nltre, the Polished ceilings,
sides and iloors in view; but no one
can tscnle the seiise of awe at the
reflection of what one little spark in
Nearly half million of dol.
lars has been expended upon
the depot. About l,2j0, 900
pounds OF powder, chiefly of All ex.
perimental variety, and 6,O0O,OOO of
the total OF 1900, OW pounds OF nitre
now possessed 10y the United States,
are stored In this magnificent depot
for the Atlantic seaboard. Ana yet
there is but one keeper and three or
four laborers 10 protect these, under
certain conditions, priceless proper
ties. Picatlnuy powder depot
should be made IA regular army post,
with artillery bri-tling upon the
heights, an adequate body
Of infantry encamped in the
valley below, and no human
beiug, save under the proper
authority and surveillance, should
ever be permitted to enter the tract.
As 1t is, any person In the pay
of foreign military secret service
can prowl about it; a. half dozen de.
termincd men could take possession
of 1t; and any one rampant socialist
or luminous crank could effect its
absolute annihilation. Somebody
at Washington has demonstrated