Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-06
TONS OF EXPLOSIVES.
the GovernmeHt's Great GinEa- zine on Iona Island

When the naval magazine at Iona island, Roclzland county, is completed the government will store 2,oOO,OOC pounds of explosives there. This is enough to obliterate every trace ot the island and to wipe Peekskill of the map. But the government does not expect any such catastrophe and is distributing the gunpowder and ex- plosives so that it is believed that one magazine could blow up without af- fecting the others says the Nyack (N. Y.) Journal.
 Iona island, once the favorite out ing ground of New York, will soon be the greatest powder magazine in the world. The government bought it for $1G0,0o0, and since last May hundreds of men have been at work preparing it as magazine section. By next September it will be ready to receive powder and shells, but it will be five years before it is completed.
 When finished it t:s to Ee one of the most beautiful spots in the world. It will be a magnificent natural park with driveways and battlements. It has cost nearly $1,OoO,0oO thus far, and another $5oo,0o0 will be expended before it is completed.
 Of all this domain one man is SUI preme. He is Gunner Herbert Camp bell, who served on the Amphitfite during the Spanish war. He is com mandant of the station. The work is being pushed under his direction. He is a young man and a bachelor. T l., what he would do with the big man sion the government is erecting for him on the land
 There are over 100 acres on the is- land. On this the plant is being erected. There are 25o men at work there. Five miles of railroad have been built there to connect the mag azi1ie and the storehouses.
 At the south end of the island is 8 dock for ordinary freight and SUD- plies. Above that is the loading dock, which has aboht 200 feet frontage. Here the great battleships will come for munitions. The government rail- road runs to the dock, and the ann
 nunitfon will be waiting there when the floating forts warp into the dock. An immense storehouse has been con. structed on the dock for the storage of ammunition while it is being loaded.
 <. Of the shell houses, four are up, two started and the workmen are blasting for the foundation of two others. Blasting is the word, for the island is solid rock. They have drilled for water there. One well was put down 22O feet, and they did not get below the rock then. The hole was as dry as a powder house.
 Each of the shell houses is 15x5O feet. Four of them are to be filled with loaded shells. It is estimated that they will hold 3,2OO tons of am intuition. Each building is of red brick, one story high and fireproof.
 The other four shell houses are to be used for fixed, ammunition. By that is. meant shells that are loaded, but into which the sprojeetiles have not been placed. They will be insert ed as ordered by the navy depart ment.
 On the north of the circle are five powder magazines.
 They are the same size as the shell houses and of the same construction Each one is to afford storage for 500 tons of smokeless powder. It is an odd fact that ton of coal and ton of powder occupy the same space. Four of the magazines are completed to the roof. They are blasting for railroad entrance to the fifth.