The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1892-11-02
MIGHT BLOW US ALL UP.
Unguarded Lamps Used on Those
Ellis Island Powder Barges,

The Board of United States Army Engi
neers, that has been considering the sub
| ject of the powder barges anchored of
Ellis Island. has made report which is
in effect a substantial victory for this city
Soon after Mayor Wanser was elected lasl
spring his attention was directed To the
fact that the following companies had
vessels anchored on the Jersey fats east
of Black Tom Island:-The Latin &
Rand Powder Company, the Hazard
Powder Company, and the Dupont Com
pany. all of which stored only black pow
der; the High Explosive Company, the
Repaun Chemical Company, and the You
Lengerke & Detmold Company, the first
two of which stored high explosives and
the last black powder and smokeless pow
der only. The powder barges of these
companies are under no regular super.
vision of the General Government OIL
State authorities.
The Treasury Department was appealed
to by the city Tor protection, and this ap-
peal resulted in the commission of the
Board of Inquiry of army engineers
When public hearing was granted by
this Boarl, Mayor Wanser and Corpora
tion Counsel Edwards appeared before it
ON behalf of the city and delegation
from the Board of Trade was also on
hand. Through the earnest efforts OF the
Mayor and Corporation Counsel and the
others The Board was interested in the
view of the matter taken by the citizens
of Jersey City. 1t was found that in
1891 the traffic in powder in new York
city was:-
Non DE fonating Posuders.-For local and in.
terror use, 3, ,T39 600 pounds; for coastwise traffic
LIZA. 600 pounds; foreign import, !, t28 COZ
pounds; total, 6,O9o0o9 pounds.
IIiqh Explosives. Local and interior use 315
600 pounds; coastwise traffic, 81 600 pounds
foreign import, 2l1,0o0 pounds; total, J. 437, ,OC0
pounds.
BIG INTERESTS NOW INVOLVED.
These figures, the board says in its re-
port just filed at Washington, Certainly
demonstrate the Importance OF the powder
trade of New York." and make it neces-
sary that some provision should be made
for the reception of the powder, aud at
same time that restrictions should be
placed upon its custody for the protection
of adjacent life and property.
When inspected by the Board the six
floating magazines or powder barges were
all moored at the anchorage near Ellis
Island. They contained 427 900 pounds of
various kinds of explosives, including
dynamite. The Board found the precau-
tions against fire fairly good on some of
the barges. but wholly neglected on
others. The presence of ordinary portable
coal oil lamps was noticed GU some of the
vessels. In brief, the discipline and well
considered rules of life imDeratiyely de-
manded in the floating magazines were
not generally apparent on this inspection,
On one vessel l60 tons of black powder
was stored, which. had it exploded, would
have been dangerous to the occupants
of Ellis Island and the New Jersey shore
MENACE TO LIFE.
The Board is of the opinion that the
conditions existing at the time of it's in-
spectlon were menace to the lives and
property OF the citizens of New Jersey
near that point, but 1t is equally of the
opinion that the menace need not con-
tinue, provided a judicious system of
regulations as to amount stored and care
to be observed, enforced by frequent
official inspection of the barges, be insti-
tuled by the Treasury Department..
The report cuncludes:-
1t was frankly admitted by the representa-
tives OF the powder companies at their hearing
on June H. 1892 that some limit should be pre-
TO be allowed on a barge at any one time Under
the usage regulating such matters in England
maximum cargoo of ten tons C20,0C0 pounds)
would be licensed at a distance of 32O wards
from public railway, 25O yards from dwelling
house, with the consent of the occupants and Of
$50 yards without such consent-aH these dis
iances penn reduced one 'halT II the explosives
be stored below the water line. In case like
that under consideration, such cargoes would be
authorized at anchorage2 0 yards apart
ii these rules of practice should commend
themselves TO the Treasury Department the
prescribed anchorage near Ellis Island would
accommodate eight powder barges. with una XII
mum cargoes of ten tons each. disposed at 80
yards apart. and would thus more than meet the
present needs of the powder trade OF ths Port CT
New York without greater risks to tine commu-
nifty at large than recognized as reasonable
and safe at the Port of London
81 am convinced of the MERIT .,f Hood, s Sarsa