The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-03-13
Explosives Near Grand Central
Station Are No Menace, De
clares City's Expert.
EVERY PRECAUTION IS TAKEN.
Detonaters Kept Far From Mag
azines and Blasting Materials
Carried to Place in Special
iy Constructed Vehicle.


New York. March l2-Nearly 1900 pas
Ecngers traverse the network of tracks
leading out of the Grand Central Station
every DAY. About $50 yards from the four
main tracks, at a point where East Forty
ninth street and the easterly side OF Park
avenue curb lines intersect. more than a
thousand pounds Of explosives are stored
every t~wenty-four hours.
Both apprehension and keen interest as
10 how these explosives are handled. why
they are needed and how the safety of the
workmcn and the travelling public is safe
guarded have been shown not only by
these passengers, but also by pedestrians
1requentnS the streets near by.
The head Of the Bureau of Combusti-
bies Of the Fire Department has taken es-
peciaI pains TO see that every precaution
that the regulations Of the department
throw around such matters has been fol-
lowed. and the contractors who have the
work OF preparing the ground for the new
Grand Central Station have fulfilled the
law in letter and spirit apparently.
from The ear windows the three little
hhahues painted a vivid vermiIIion and
marked "MaEazlne,' Explosives" Dan
ger are easily visible, and the nery-pns
among the passengers have Piled the train
men with questions about these same lit
We nuts. In Tie smallest. which stands
- "a HA4aA NdS bIlltTLE one OF
tne isolation cottages attached 10 the
women and Children's Hospital, which
covered the block on Lexington avenue
between Forty-eighth and Fortv-ninth
Streets is stored one sort Of explosive.
DYNAMITE IN WARM STORAGE
A little south Of this IS a large shanty.
covered with sheet tin. securely fastened
with bolts and bars. Its interior looks like
the inside Of a butchers refrigerator, but
II Is warm, instead Of frigid. for the chief
concern Of blaStsrs in cold weather Is 10
sep uynanIte nom freezing. There are
tohsltudlnal divisions inside the shanty.
an llese shelIeS drawers slide. In these
oiaNers are the sticks Of dynamite.
The sticks are about IS inches long. and
me size used for the most part is an inch
ana a haIt in diameter. Each stick is
wrapped IN paper resembling butchers
coarse wrapping paper. The sticks look
Lhs rather roughly nodded candles Of a
paIe Yellow hue They are soft and easily
Jennings. the man in charge OF the now
~uer-housc for Robert EIdridge. superin-
tehdent OF the OHOurke Engineering and
construction Company on this part of The
Central Railroad job.
Inside the door of the shanty is tackled
me bureau Of CombustibIes permit. No.
. flTst class. which was granted last Sep
SelhDtf' before the work of eXcavating the
ueeD hole was begun. Jennings handles
the dynamite with nOnchalence. for no
AYERS that IT Is unless in close
company with a decorating cap and The
wires OF a battery. As these adjuncts are
kept lar away. Jennings handles these
sticks much the same as a grocer nackinr
up a dozen taliow candles would when a
cHNJtomer IS IN search of illuminants.
Most or the blasting thus far has been
upne d quarter ola mile south of the
place where the explosives are stored
nNhen the holes have been drilled, either
py me steam drills or by hand, one of the
men licensed and authorized to do so goes
20 Jennings with an order for so much ex-
PloslLt gels It gives a receipt, gathers up
Tue Sucks IN his arm and v-ul H.. -
olphen ground from FOrty-ninth street 10
where the blaster awaits his coming.
MANY PRECAUTIONS TAKEN.
From another place several decorating
caps are brought. by another workman. |
The dynamite is placed in the drill holes.
the detonators attached. wires from a
small battery are connected. signal men |
win red dags warn away all the work
men IN the vicinity and the blaster goes
70 4 small, portable box. resembling the
lop ot q hitching post, with a handle sur
IlouhllllE Two plunEerS When he sees
mat everybody is at u safe distance he
waves one hand and TRUSTS down tho |
!an0Ie Win tie other. IN an instant there |
Is q cul boom and clouds of dust oh |
placed. w."
Back 90 the e~Xcavating gang. the rock
men resume their drilling and the poTder |
man goes back 10 the shantieg for more
explosive. This routine is followed day
HLlcr gay until the earth and rocks have
peen e2cayated TO q uniform depth of
level. ~
The explosives are brought TO these
s~iuTenuuses twice a day. The contractors |
peInLI VIII not let him keep more than
n tnOnsand pounds on hand at any one
time, and. as the daily consumption is
aGolt LOO pounds, two deliveries of ex-
plostves are made.
The regulations of the Fire Department
ABOUT TIE transportation of explosives are
very explicit The contractor who gets a
permit 10 store dynamite or other explo-
fiNe has to file a bond proportionate to the
amount of the dangerous substance he ex-
pectE to have on hand. In case of the
shanues in the Grand Central wards the
contractors bond is 5000.
But the company that furnishes the ex-
ploSlNeS 10 those who use them finally also
mas to fulfill many requirements. The
wagons that fetch the dynamite from the
ktulencuSeS Or boats moored in the bav
back Of Bedloe's and Ellis islands up
lhrouSh the streets Of the city have to be
built in Il certain way. with smooth floors
Hnd sides. the nails countersunk and the
SIDES and bottom imDerviOus TO water.
and. according to the new regulations.
they must be painted on the sides and
back with the words. Powder Wagon"
In letters at least 6 inches high.
They must keep off the most travelled
thorouEhfares. they must not be loaded or
unloaded by any other than authorized
persons. Smoking within ten feet OF one
or these wagons is not permitted. The
dynamite must be packed in strong
explorers or other combustibles are 10 he
transported in the same vehicle and the
driver may not leave his wagon unguarGed
Tor q moment