The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1890-01-25
A DANGEROUS SPOT.
Where the United States NAVY
Stores Its Gunpowder.
Big Magazines on Ellis Island in
New York Bay.

powder arc stored in three magazines OF
small island in the bay but two mile
from New York City and within eieh,
hundred yards of the Communipav
docks at Jersey City. The island i.
known as Ellis Island, and is three acre.
and half in size, with rough, rocky
back on all sides.
1t has been in use as a powder depo,
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 extremity, facing
New York. 1t is somewhat stray
Cling choking 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 100, 900 pounds, or
about IS tons, is packed in small square
boxes, and the common cannon DOW.
der, of which there is 200 barrels. or
about AZ tons, is stored away in bar
refs, Is there is less danger from COM
bustion in this grade of powder than
from the other. Inside tho magazi mes,
where the powder is kept the cases and
barrels are carefully arranged in rows
along tho walls, and . daily examina-
ton of tho condition Of the combusti-
bles is made. On fair days the maya
zines are opened and aired, but great
care is taken to exclude the damp.
No one i allowed to enter tho DOW
der magazines without having first re-
moved his shoes, and even then he 10
cautioned not to handle anything dur
ing his inspection Of the great store
rooms, while vigilant watch is kept
10 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
|vorkroom and half storeroom, for car
Ridges and gun cotton. In this build
ing force of three men i, empl Dyed in
the ammunition for war ships.
n this workroom there are half dozen
binds of gun charges. These are the
'ne, three and six pound shells for the
Hotchkiss breech- loading gun, and the
Ne, six and eight pound shells for
rger cannon. Some Of these shells are
plain, while others have steel tips, and
heir shapes vary according to the make
dthe gun to which they belong.
One of tho most interesting of these
|Aarges is for the six-inch rife bore.
me charge is composed of numerous
mall pieces of compressed powder of a
PECULIAR, six-sided shape. The man
nployed in making the charge begins
, placing a round piece of board be.
No him on which are painted figures
Eactly resembling the bits of COM
fessed powder used. He then inserts
iron rod in the center of tho board,
&sr which he attaches the powder to it
round holes bored through the GEN.
ofeach piece. When the first pile
made he begins to build the blocks
around it until he has Q column of
elrculsr form about five inches in
nckness. A common bag is then
heed over the charge to keep it in
ice, the iron rod is removed and the
sis encased in a copper cylinder un-
used. This is the most complex and
ncult charge used in the Navy de-
Rtment. t
Two of the buildings on the island
residences, and the remainder are s
u as workshops and magazines. All
painted bright yellow. Near the s
w magazine stands an engine house, c
aianing stationary engine capable Q