The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-29
nNoLr sAM,s PoWDER DEPOT
Less Thnn Half Dozen Men to Protect
the Great stores mt PIcntinny.


Prom The rTtsbur0h Dupatch,
Doyrn, n j., June 27.-Everybody knows OF
the sad and often udicrous straits TO which
the Government OF tho late Contederacy was
put TO provide the necessary gunpowder Tor
carrying on the war Of tho rebellion. very
few outside Of official circles everrecognlIe the
sore tax upon our National doyornmehtt mi IN tIe
same all-essential provision. Fewer sun ever
give thought TO what could be depended upon
In this respect should some sudden outbreak
OF n great and prolonged foreign war In an in
stant set us inCe to lace with tho tesJ Oh our
best t9E dsGnE9 or "a Sny tms arise
making the carrying on Of Q foreign war I'm
possible from the, lack OF the one necessary ry
article OF gunpowder, the proportion OF Its IN
Eredients In United States military use ~ OF
iitro. ii OF charcoal and 10 OF sulphur. so
Wisely at It's repetition takes on, relectively;
grave and serious tmrorthnce. we Gouiu
h hsTe dc, sulphur mines within our own
boundaries, and though one II the most I'M
pUrtant elements OF matter sulphur must eyer
remain one OF the cheapest and most avallable.
hut while oil are aCcustomedt to boast OF our
limitless natural RESOURCES, nitre or saltnetrot;
SO far as has been discovered. Is not one OF
them TO lie able to fight we must nave pow
der. To have powder we must nave nit It,, 40
me extent 9 90 n Sr cent or n G nSEer and refuss
TO fight Previous to tho discovery OF the vast
uitre beds in Peru our chief source OF supply
tensively manufactured from various forms Of
decomposng organic matter. But this tndii-
y,
value Of powder to ouirageons PRICES, has been
totally lost sight OF since the south hnerit I'm
nra9 6G4s SSs OF w SRS 'hs is
now building a wonderful naIacS9 in Eng LnEo
nrovince OF Tarapaca. in Peru. The stun Is
loaded with grading material from the bank
Of u railway gravel pit IT Is estimated that
these beds contain a sufficient supply of ni;r9
for tItn,t nf ~ ~ a
upward Of 1000 years. That is why all or des
OF gunpowlcr nte purchnsable 80 chenpiy to-
day and never can again become expensive
unless foreign complications should result In
closing our ports. our Government is taking
and store such Quantities MS will render us ill.,
dependent of any eXigency possible Tor human
already been purchased Mt prices ranging from
twelve to eight cents per pound and each yonr
hereafter other millions OF pounds VIII De
In the attor part of tho seventies The wisdom
of provision for some such great powder anu
ties at Washington that it was decided one
should be established at or near tho Atlantic
seaboaTd. site. 200 feet above the sea, sea level.
valley living in the Appalachian Mountain chain
in northeastern New Jersey, Here SPLENDID
the New Jersey Legislature sanctioned the sale
of the land to tho Government. The tract Is
four miles, niles North ron Of the lovely little city Of
Dover. which nesleS between the most beautl-
ful OF north Jersey hills. To the south the
Rms: 70 The right where you r naqsG
rise hmdst sheer she aSo6 for
between 800 and coo feet. Opposite Picatinny
Peak circles to the north and south, rising ln
perpendicular ragged masses like n natural
wall. from the almost level plain. Ones eye
instantly comprehends the strategic and de-
for from each OF at least fifty eminenres, any
ono OF which cannot stand UPWARD OF Two
he planted as would command every rood Of
tho depot grounds as we'll as any near approach
to them from The south, or the no seshoe-
shaped encrcling crests OF hal mountaia Eils
one cannot but mt the same time reflect that
any foreign enemy could enter New York mar
Dor practically unopnosed., and by the rapid
use Of the railway or oven by forced march.
possess forttfy and defend for his own use
this gigantic store against our own most des,
weii-direcrad shells. explode and destroy every
vestige Of tue Iicatinny depot.
The entrance to he grounds along the Gov
eminent rOnd is guarded BY immense iron
gates. Their iesisn IS striking and uni.He:
the gates Their breaches rest, in immense
granite blocks. and cannon balls placed on their
mules form most suggestive cars, while the
enhlaZoncd with tn insignia Of he Ordnance
Department consisting Of crossed cannon and
cannon balls. 10 the left o! this imposing, on.
trance massive granite wall sweeps s!ral -ht
across the narrow valley from base to base Of
The EsW aGrGss the Of 9nslGse
beauty and forbidding austerity.
1t was q IirSt intended TO erect zen maga-
zines within the grounds but the number was
subsequently limited to five. 80 that each could
be placed Mt least haf u mile from any other
The first was built in 13sO 81, under the direc,
ton of MAJOR +. II. Parker of the Ordnance
Corps, then in charge. Four are completed and
IN use for storage. while the massive foundH-
lions for the Nth are already IN. They are
practically a.Ikc, anGt the dimensions OF each
tpllnIuflJnS
| the near mountG In sides: and The 2l-inrh
walls above are hollow and provided with
RpertureS for free circulation of air during 4
| few hours OF sunny days. The ceilings are
! low, Of corrugated iron. laid on wrought iron
| tcr.o"s-foors, walls, ceilings. iron door
! frames. and supporting iron pillars are nll
S ySiow pine a. while each are provided with sGd
| inside shutters OF pine and Two outer sets Of
! solid wrought iron shutters Those Of the
| the outside are lined with half m inch Of so.t
| All the magazines are protected from light
! provided with an aerial net work Of conductors
| On lofty poles carving cables and forming a
| tire building. No human being is permitted
TO enter n magazine unless barefooted or with
| IRON the Morris County Railroad run TO each
magazine, aud every barr barre =, q powder IS
Once Once Whit Whit tho 'O magazines there '0G are
| only tho seemingly endless tiers OF bar
| rcs of powder or boxes OF nitro. tho pol
! ishcd ceilings sides. and floor in view but no
| one can escape tho sense OF awe al tho reileC-
| tion OF what ono little spark in such place
| could unloose Nearly 100000 has been on
Iendel upon the depot. About 100000 pounds
| OF powder. chiefly OF an experimental variety.
and 5000 Ou0 II the total Of 9,UOU.OUU pounds If
ntre now 10 .sosscd by the United Statos a. Q
stored in this derOt for the Atlantic seaboartl.
| And yet there Is but one hooper and three or
| four laborers to protect these, under certain
conditions, priceless properties.
| PicRtinny powder depot should be made a
| regular army post with artillery bristlng upon
| the heights an adequate body Of infantry On
! camped in the valley below. and no human be-
| ing save under proper authority. and survei-
| lance. should over be permttel 10 ent, r the
| tract. As II is, any person in tho pay Of foreign
| military secret service can prOwl about il a
! half dozen determined men could take posses
| sion OF IT, and any ono rampant Socialist or
| luminous crank could effect It, absolute ami
| hintion. Somebody at Washington has de-
mon -traied the hlghe-t character OF military
patriotism in tho foresight necessary to its pro-
| vision. Who Is the criminally idoiG patriot at
| Washington that Is bidding through the gross
| est negligence for It's destruction?
4 Transporting Piano.
TT'n ne 81. J1m,SS GrgsitT.
/ An interesting exhibition was given at tho
| Savoy Hotel Yesterday of the tranSpOSing piauO