The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-22


| provide the necessary gunpowder for car
ryiug on the War OF the Rebellion.
very few outside Of official circles eyel
recognized the sore tax upon our ma
tional government In the same all essen
tial provision. Fewer still ever give thought
TO what could be depended upon in this
respect should some sudden outbreak OF a
great and prolonged foreign war in an Insta nj
set US face 10 face with Il test OF our best ma
tiOnal resources for defense or aggression
Because conditions might at any time arise
making the carrying on OF foreign war lmpOs
sible from the lack Of The one necessary article
of gunpowder. the proportion OF its Ingredients
In United States military use - 76 OF inter, Ii
of charcoal and 10 Of sulphur, so simple fact
that the ordinary reader smiles wisely at It's
repeition-takes on retectyely serious i'm
p0Ttance. We could never fall short OF charcoal
There are iBexhaustible sulphur mines with
in our own boundaries, ana though one OF the
most important elements Of matter, sulphur must
ever remain one of the cheapest and most avail
able. But while all are accustomed 10 boast OF
our limitless natural resources, inter or ssltpe-
ter, so far as has been discovered, is not one OF
them. To be able to fight, we mast have powder.
To have powder We must have inter to tile eX-
tent OF rs per cent OF its bnlk. We must, there
fore, have niier or turn Quakers and refuse TO
fight.
and just as 1t Is every citizen OF the United
is gratifying to feel that the military authorities
have for some time fully realized The situation as
ii exists and have quietly and effectively
instituted measures OF provision against future
fatal weakness in time OF war. My own atten-
tiun recently directed to The subject by the
remarks OF French attacne IN Algers, who
SAID
/" Your Government is at last becoming wise
and prudent in proper measures OF projection
against future dangerous eXigencles. The very
aseendency and greatness OF your country, with
its certain refleXve Influence against mOnarehial
Institutions, renders II
SHINING MARK
! For attempted conquest by imperial powers
| which see ia republican greatness their own
| most fatal weakness"
We have patriotism oceans of it. We have
| men, millions OF them. We have f0undfies, iron,
| steel, cannon, small arms; commsSaries and
| transportation. Certainly DumberIess and in
| caculable. But all this would not avail If we
| had no powder, or inter for making powder; and
| considerations pretty close TO those limited at
| above have led our military authorities, through
our Ordnance Department. TO adopt policy OF
| gradual storage Of both powder and niler on so
vast scale As VIII, IN itself, carry at all times
| an eXcellently rounded and most potent argu-
| ment against any foreign attempt at invasion.
Previous TO The discovery Of the vast inter- beds
| In Peru our chief source of supply was in Ger
| many where tie substance was extensively man
| ufaclured from various foIms OF decomposing
organic matter, and also in an Indifferent degree
through the iXiylalon or ltering OF certain soils.
| Such earth is found 10 some extent in limestone
| caves In TINS country notably III Mammoth
| Cave, ky., and Big Bone Cave in Tennessee But
this Indifferent supply, which at times has forced
| the value OF powder 10 outrageous prices, has
been totally lost sight Of since the South Ameri-
| can nltrate-beds were discovered. and the era
| OF nitrate kings" one Of whom is now built
| ing wonderful palace in England, began. SIEVE
| Ial hunGred square miles OF pure mineral sal
| peter exist, and have for few years past been
| mined In the province of TaTapaca, In Peru.
| lie stuff is actually sbOveled out precisely as a
| car is loaded with grading material from the
| bank OF a railway gravel pit. II is estimated
! that these peds contain sufnclent supply Of
uiter for the Use OF the entire world for period
! of upward OF 1000 years. That is why all
/ grades of euDpowder are purchasable so
| chsaply to-day, aud never can again become eX-
| pensiye, unless foreign complications should re-
| suit in closing our potts. Our Government is
| simply prOYidentiy taking advantage Of favora-
| bic conditions TO seeurr and store such quanrl-
| ties as VIII render US Independent OF any ext
| eeucy possible for human care TO iorestall. Nine
| million pounds have already been purchased at
prices ranging from ~ TO cents per pound,
and each year hereafter other millions OF pounds
| VIII be added TO tile tremendous quantity already
| i'll hand.
In the latter part of the seventies the wisdom
| OF provision for some such great powder and
inter reserve became SO patent TO the authorities
at Washington that it was decided one should be
established al near the Atlantic seaboard
The question OF exact location then presented
many difficulties. ContlgtItty 10 land aud naval
necessities IA point of sufficient natural strategic
situation to render IL defenSible, means OF trans.
pOnatiOn and quick communication, and, above
ALL site sufficiently removed from the actual
seacoast TO eliminate the rayaging effects OF sea-
air humidity upon stores had 10 be taken into
account.
THE SITE SELECTED.
Southwestern Connecticut, Southeastern New
York Eastern New Jersey aud Long Island were
all thoroughly explored by representatives of tile
Ordnance Department, and d site, 200 feet above
tile sea level, was al last selected In the elevated
Picatinny Valley, lying in The. Appalachian
Noun ain chain, In Northeastern New Jersey.
Here splendid tract OF 1900 acres was pur-
caaSed, aud IN 1880 the New Jersey Legislature
sanctioned the sale of The land to the Govern
ment. This tract is about forty miles from New
mil las nf he lnvn
little city of Dover which nestles between the
most beautiful OF North New Jersey hills The
kittatlnDy OF Blue Mountain range, called The
Shawangunk, in New YORK State, looms along
Northern New Jersey, crossing The Delaware
| at Delaware Wafer Cap The Highland Range
OF lesser hills. spur OF Which terminates 10 the
noted Palisades OF the Hudson hugs this closely
on the east, forming number OF stream thread
ed, picturesque valleys. The almost precipitous
red cOnglonerate eScaTpment oil one OF the
broken spurs OF this Highland Range, PIcatinny
Peak, forms the western wall OF fIc,ttinny Val
ley, hiding TO the west that dream OF valleys
| beautiful, ever-wlnSome Berkshire. Copperas
Mountain and Hickory Hill, two huge granite
| Knobs. shut in Picatinny Valley on the east.
| Lake HoptacOng, a fishers paradise, CLEANS
| along the southern ucint OF the valley
| Green Pond Qake), 1000 feet above the sea,
shtmmers IN lis upland reaches. and Middle
| Forge Pond, Lake OF no mean dimensions
with lily-pads and bordered with verdure
aud blossoms, sells like cleaning sapphire In
the center OF the tract itself. Ten years ago the
Picalinuy Valley was an almost uDbToken
wilderness. a single wagon road, older than
| The independence OF our country. skirted II at
| the foot OF the mountains on the east, Hall way
from Dover 10 the present gigantic powder ware
house now known as the United States Plea
| tinny Powder Depot, on another old colonial
| road, is The little hamlet OF SpicertOwn. From
tlis point the Government has constructed ana
maintains splendid road two miles In length.
This threads along gentle depression of the
bases OF COpperas Mountain and Hickory Hill
so that the grounds are almost hidden from
view, until, on ascending trifng grade, the en-
10 maf n hsata md flrQ
portion OF the valley owned by the Government
Is brought IN view.
To the south the grassy valley breaks away, a
line OF waving green against the red walls OF pre-
cipitous hills. To the right where you pause
before entering The grounds, wooded hills rise
almost sheer above you for between 500 and 600
feet Opposite, Pcatnny Peak circles TO the
north and south, rising In perpendicular ragged
masses, Ike natural wall. from the almost level
plain. Ones eye instantly comprehenos the
sTRAGETIc AND DEFENsIBLE ADVANTAGES
Which have been secured; for from each of al
least fifty eminences, any one OF which cannot
stand upward OF two miles from all The others,
such artillery could be planted as would COM
mand every rood OF the depot grounds as well as
any near approach to Them from the south, or TO
the horseshoe shaped encircling creSts OF half
mountain hills. One cannot but at the same time
re fleet that any foreign enemy could enter New
Yoik Harbor, practically unopposed,, and by
rapid of the railway, even by forced
march, possess, fortify and defend for his own
use this gigantic store against our own most des-
perate valor; and, finally, II compelled TO aoan-
don his position, with half dozen well-directed
shells, explode and destroy every vestige Of the
PicatDny Depot.
The entrance to the grounds along the Gov
ernmelt road is guarded by immense iron gates.
Their design Is striking and unique. Huge can
non form tue four posts supporting the gates.
Their breeches rest in immense granite blocks,
and cannon-bails placed on their muzZles form
most suggestive caps; while the splendid
wiought-ron gates are paneled aud emblaZoned
with The insignia OF the Ordnance Department,
consisting OF crossed cannon and cannon
balls To the left of this imposing entrance
massive granite wall sweeps straight across
the narrow valley from base TO base OF noun
tains. The view across the incl0sed level plain
Is Il singular blending OF natural beauty
and forbidding austerity. Tho well kept
grounds siaven and neat The handsome
official buildings, employees quarters, guard and
engine houses. are bright ana fine. Tie splen.
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