New-York tribune., 1908-02-09
DEBATE ON EXPLOSIV ES
Erperts Before House Committee
on Railroad Dynamite Bill.


and Eliminates held the attention of the House
Committee Interstate and Foreign Commerce
to-day. law to safeguard their transpor'a-
ton the subject discussed. IN the course of
the hearing impTomptu lecture OH high explo-
sives was delivered by DR. Charles p. Dudley. Of
Altoona Penn, president Of the bureau for the
safe transportation Of explosives comprising rep
resentatives Of ninety-three railroads. owning and
operating 20 per cent of the steam road trackase
of the United States.
Mr. Dudley appeared in support of the Sherman
bill, the object OF which is promote the safe
transportation in interstate commerce of explosives
and other dangerous articles. This bill largely
drawn by the explosive bureau 1t prohibits the
commercial transportation of dynamite, gunpowder
oF other explosives. excepting small arms ammu-
milton. unless under strict regulations
In discussing existing laws Dr. Dudley cited the
fact that they require the transportation Of such
sensitive explosives nitro slycerine illuminate OF
mercury TIE chief agent of percussion caps, and
illuminate OF silver in iron cases. He added:
This provision oonternplates an iron lid to the
tli mn gives us a contact OF two metallic
~pooles ~ supIose-as l vinced has often been
ments OF travel so disairange "A packed illuminate
ana sat @ t.e OF the dry powder ESCAPES the package
ana and its Id Then the train, will say, is stopped
ash Dry fumne steS is So sest2e IN ta Ipa f d
s.n should lay slan on the edge Oh TINS table and
would interest you.
oasss, as Iegued in the present law. patiently was
bbfginared Or, IN time when the ntnate relations
result Of the arrsurg explosicn Wrcef io Which
Q, Q, sl,oco9oo the president OF that company. Mr.
transit. and it was introduced II was good far
as it went. but it failed Of passage. last year
also very good but did not go far enough. 1t
present bin before You rsprasenis the h.sf efir;s
OF the Bureau for the Safe Transportation of Ex-
comanS o. itself @ n s m nns hsan Of e
hat & mad of raj lnaD
railroads stand to lose most heavily from explo-
sionS In transit.
W. B. Dwinnell. general manager of the develop
department OF the e. I. Du Pont de Nemours
Powder Company. Of Wilmington. Del said:
The present laws governing transportation of
became known as an ai arce lie of h and they
railroads would have TO go out of the explosive
viii be appreciated when 1 tell you. for instance,
fat f ae freight Gf ths by
use % Of in PGn and ia a to s The b
commercial factors of to-day. The net result is |
that the rarSads have been and are toaay
ter explosives lays on a., Your I statute books And
to the informer these violations are not prose |
cuted
But" said Chairman Hepburn. "this substitute |
bill which you support leaves with the common |
carriers to prescribe the regulations observed
by manufacturers for the safe transportation Of !,
explosives. Who would frame those regulations?'
The explosives bureau
Which means the railroads?'
Yes. sir; with the cooperation Of Major Dunno
chief Inspector
All and the manufacturers would abide by these
regulations absolutely? Are you prepared say
that?'
We'll" answered Mr. Dwinne. "the manu-
facturers would abide by those regulations unless
they unreasonable"
And II you considered them unreasonable you
would not hesitate to violate the law? Is that your
We would appeal to the Interstate Commerce
Commission to the courts
You place yourself the position of
pany," said the chairman. "of asking us to rec
ommend a law ard of admitting that you propose
violate the provisions of that law IL they do not
meet your approval
Representative Mann of Illinois. said had been
asserted to him that the explosives bureau Is al
lied with the so-caed powder trust and that the
restrictions favored by the bureau
would operate seriously against the Independent
instance, the provision that ex-
posves shall not be transported In passenger
carrying vessels. II understand said Mr. Mann
that on the Great Lakes the Du Pont people have
their own powder boats, and that the independents
have none"
Then" suggested another member of the COM
,nttee. doubtless the independents could place |
themselves equal footing by getting boats
"Oh. quite go" answered Mr.. Mann. IF l had |
an automobile could get TO my home as quickly
as the other fellows. but l haven't one
THE restriction you refer to-" said Mr. Dwin-
nell. lis part of the existing law. The bureau has
merely adopted 1t and carried 1t into this bill
III there a powder trust, said Mr.. Dudley.
You will have To prove that fact by some one
better posted than But will state this for
the committees Information: A majority of the
advisory board of the explosives bureau are men
allied by business with the sc-called independents
rather than with the so-called trusts The bureau
Is qusfedy impartial"
MR. BRYCE'S MISSION TO OTTAWA.