New-York tribune., 1901-09-22

were lifted up ard rolled along the rail until the
men on the schooner could take them As one
of the last kegs rolled along E5OP iOcis@sed
and a thin lire Of back powder grains fe,' in
front of the moving keS- There not tiGc 10
stop the keg, and ii rolled over the powder aad
there a bright red flame. he man rJllinG The
keg thought that all over with him bHt the
/ euloSy, but there was no explosion There was
no reason why the two boats wee not hiSwn
up and the whole river front OF Hartford
wrecked. 1t was Just ore OF the queer freaks
. Of powder and dash OF divine Prevalence
There was an old wharf just below the En-
field bridge. where the powder boats were load
ed and the powder brought in from :LaZard-
Vile TO this place in big wagons with D canvas
covers put over the whole load. t. E-s = = from
the eyes of the curious and from any possible
harm There was a little Stcrehodse near the
landing. where the powder vas stored until
some of the people who live: "--f ere wharf
thought that they We're living too reckless an
existence, and VetCct The tlIEcztEe. AIter
that time the powder drawn from the
. big magazines in the vaIicy az f4aZardviile.
Often there was powder enough tne wharf
to ruin the town of a.nfelG, If ary thing should
cause it to explode. but The men who handled
the stuff every day and lived with it did not fear
it in the least. There IS d steep hill on The
road to the place where the wharf was. and II
was necessary Tor the drivers of the powder
wagons TO come down TINS NH TO reaCA lne
dock. At one time the two boats that happened
to be at Enfield were loading 90 make trl down
river trip, and were almost ready 10 start. The
wished to get one or two more wagon
loads on board, and were sitting on the " haCI
waiting for wagon 10 come down tEe E-l
I
over the crest of the hill and begin the descent
! Then they that the load was so heavy that
the horses could not hold il back, and they saw
/ the horses start to trot- Then fed heS OF
powder rolled off the front of the wagon and
went under the wheels. When this happened
some of them feI! over into the water to Try
| to avoid the coming shock. for they felt sure
7 that there 20 be terrific explosion ana
they also felt that this was about the last thing
that they would feel. Those who thought that
| they We're going To take a quick and somewhat
scattered trip To Sufteld, and knew there was no
use in lodging still and watched the
wagon. The driver saw what had happened
! but was pOwerless to hold his horses The frOnC
wheels struck the keg and pushed it along, and
| then climbed on top of it. There was a little
crash and the slaves gave away. Inc loose
powder poured out onto the rocky road and the
rear wheels passed over it. but there was no
explosion. 1t is claimed by those who saw the
sight that it took just an hour and hall for
the whole thing To happen, but the driver SAID
that it took place in eleven seconds
The trip down the river on one OF the powder
boats was full of excitement and interest Some
times the boat allowed to drift down at
night with the current, and at other times II
was sent down the wings of white ASH
breeze" The men on the boat did not like the
balmy Zephyrs of this breeze as the chleI part
! of it consisted of long poles One END OF the
| pole was shod with an iron cap IhlS was
planted in the bottom of the river and the other
! end was placed under the arm OF a man ana
| then the man was invited To push IN thIS way way
| the boat was poled To Hartford IN laler udH
there little steamboat 10 TOW the ; "ot,s
down, and this made matters Hiucn 20 =
| The boats taken through the cahal at
| Windsor Locks. rule, but once OF IWte
! one was taken over the fails 1heIe Il q Htt:
| cb,rr.J L\- which the falls can be shot. but it
fakes Il daring 10 do II IN an ordlIdrN ot'tt'
| let alone one loaded with powder Inc river
during thunderstorm Is an lntefeS'ihS P'dCe
| for those who are partial To vivid excitement
/ tn crews took To the tall trees when good
/ thunderstorm came boomlnE over tIT 'tltII
! tajrs aod tbe. boat was anchored in the river,
I a few choice prayers having been SaId Tor lnT
/ b,,,.It Of the nearby houses. Most people WOdii
not care to smoke while sitting on a boaIi91d
/ of povder but the men often did TINS. Ihey
did moi do il i'm a spirit of br,vado. but just be
cause they liked Eonnecucut t"p3Vvv- l"IS
/ - ., 80, INTO the cabin and lock all the doors,
and then fill their lungs fun of good East W 1hH-
{ Sor dust On the whole. 1T was a pleasant iile'
and one in which one Was not ""reu 'v" i.'I'l-
/ The railroad spoiled il all. and the poWctr poa'S
! vcr, sold to "A Hartford man after 'he Iu'I
| - ,,.,,-ic,tion. hut if one 0f the old powder
! boats had gone up in smoke ana name tIIeIc
/ might have been no need OF a society Win q
| ions. name To worry over the various sandbiiS.