Omaha daily bee., 1907-03-24

M :suI.d r negro stretched out sourd
csleep on a bench, with dozen men ana
boys shooting craps around table. Right
beside them on Il hot radiator We're dozen
sLcks % dynamite. thawing, while over
their heads was stored 400 pounds more.
Another inspector came en- man break
ing open a box of gelatlne compound, even
more powerful than dynamite with his
boot heel. Had his heel gone fraction of
an inch too far into the box there would
have been an explosion which would have
KILLED him and left hole in the ground
big enough to bury horse.
A third inspector, at Kimberley, South
Africa, saw ono OF the KRffir watchmen
sitting in the shade OF the corrugated iron
magazine smoking "A pipe. lie had been
repeatedly warned that smoking was con-
trary TO orders and the officer beckoned to
him. Before the Kafflr could rise there
was an explosion of 1900 pounds OF high
explosives and 5000 pounds Of gunpowder
A spark from the pipe had ignited some
powder which had leaked out through
crack in the house.
Inspector Wolf Of the bureau Of combus-
tibles says that all the recent acct
dents In New York and its vicinity were
undoubtedly due not to the fact that those
IN uulnOflly "ulu~ not pINpdIb lhlSo BlbNAh-
ing proper precautions, but to the careless
ness OF workmen.
There are no doubt places In which high
explosives are stored in amounts in excess
OF that allowed by the law" Inspector Wolf
continued Il have been spending days and
nights in investigating places In which
such violations have been reported.
But so long as building operations con-
tinue in their present magnitude, and the
demands for excavations are as great, the
law as It at present exists, is inadequate.
Especially is this true during the winter
months, when larger quantity OF the ex-
ploslve is required in order that II may be
thawed for use. Frozen dynamite, you
know. is ineffective, and, being practically
nonexplosive is much less dangerous to
have I'm bulk In the city.
a 'In spite OF the immense quantities of
: dynamite that has been used in re-
cent years. New York has been com
paratively free from disastrous accidents.
The most serious of all was that on Park
avenue near the Murray FIN hotel in Janu-
airy, 1892 during the construction Of the
subway. This II is believed, caused
by the making Of primers In the thawing
house, combined with a fire in the waste
paper from the wrappers around the ex-
plosives"
Mr.. Wolf said that there had been nc
oficial statistics preserved of the accidents
in the city and their causes, and that tine
bureau depended for information in this
respect almost entirely on newspaper clip
pings. In this country there is little, Il
R1y, government or state inspection OF ex
plosive factories analogous 10 that In Grea
Britain.
In European countries rules governing thu
manufacture, transportation and storage o.
the dangerous products are made by tn
different governments, and an employe VIII
violates these laws is not only discharged
but fined and often imprisoned as we'll
The methods OF thawing dynamite and othe
nitrogiycerine explosives are specified sbl
law and infractons are punished by tn
courts.
Magazines for storage are examined b!
government inspectors and licenses issue,
before they can be used. Even the key
to magazines must be given TO responsible
persons whose sole duty is 10 look afte
- explosives. In Great Britain the law evel
Z specifies that an employe OF factory max
ing explosives must be provided with cloth
ing made OF noninhammable material an
having no pockets.
A reserve supply OF high explosives I
kept by manufacturers and big cOntrac tor
IN barges In the lower bay, while at Ion
island up the Hudson, below West Poin
is a government magazine. Each mornin
the days supply is brOght to the city 1
barges and this little craft, well known I
all river men by the red flags they ny, hay
\ a right Of way that none attempts 20 dis
pute.
The explosives are transported from III
.rbier through the streets in wagon, whiel
according TO the regulations OF the cit
must have painted on IL Fin easily legib
letters. at least six inches high. 'Powd,
Wagon on sides and back" The drive
must hold a certificate OF fitness; no II
vehicle, and smoking within ten feet OF