Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-12-12
Good morning, what will you have,

sir
[; II want some dynamite"
/ amy particular brandt"
Nope"
1--WE have 40 and IS per cent grades
! sir. Which do you want?'
F.! Gimme the strong stuff, Bill-75
per-"
| And how much"
! About ten sticks, I guess and say.
| Bill, wrap up few caps and a couple
of Yards of fuse
"All right, sir. Will you take it with
you?"
Sure T. take it with me. That's
, what I'm buyin' it for. Just dump the
blow juice in this here bag and here's
your price"
This sample of talk between an I'M
known customer and hardware mer-
chant could be fairly matched in any
town in the land says the New York
; Tribune. 1t illustrates the deadly ease
| with which criminal dynamiters, under
, the law, are able to obtain the mater
ials for wrecking buildings and de-
stroying lives. The weapon used by
the McNamaras and their ilk can be
bought anywhere by any one just about
as easily as any one buys sugar and
salt. There Is no restriction on the
sale Of dynamite. Just walk into a
hardware store and say you wont a
few sticks and a couple Of OF fifty
pound boxes. The proprietor will not
usually ask you any questions. II you
wish, you may tell him that YOU want
to blow up some stumps or try this
new tangled method of farming by dy-
Mantle, or you may jokingly remark
that you are thinking of blowing up a
train. If you invest in nitro glycerine.
tell him its for a quarry job or an oil
well.
The shopkeeper doesn't care. If YOU
have the money he will sell you the
goods. He makes a profit. 1t is not
his business to inquire whether you
have legitimate purpose in buying or
whether you are 'yegg' safe blower
or a violent anarchist or a dynamiter
of the Mcnamara school. There may.
indeed, be some local restrictions In re-
gard to its transportation. so that the
shopkeeper may not keep 1t under his
counter or In his cellar. It may be
kept in some outbuilding. sometimes on
the outskirts Of town: you have mere
ly the trouble Of going short distance
to get it: perhaps 1t Will be delivered
to you on the highway just ouside the
town limits. Here in New Yory dy
Mantle is not sold over the counter but
you may buy any quantity Of 1t and
have it delivered at the waterfront end
Of some streets or to a boat or to a
railroad station.
Poison and pistols may not be free
~ sold. Dynamite, (which is more
dangerous to the community than ar
senic. cavanide. revolvers and slung-
shots. is sold every day in the week
without let or i1indrance. If band OF
social enemies more ambitious than
the Indianapolis-Los Angeles outfit.
wished TO destroy cities instead OF
buildings and bridges, they could easily
obtain the wherewithal by the ton and
carload. Dynamite costs about 20 cents
a pound. nitroglycerine about 60 cents
pint Four dollars will destroy
million dollar building.
"Tile McEarnaras were never both
cred about getting dynamite for their
jobs. At Tiffin, Ohio. they had stor-
ed $50 pounds in shed owned by Nc
Manigars father. There were eighty
three sticks discovered in the union
vault at indianapolis, and seventeen
sticks in Jones barn. At Muncie, Ind,
man named c. c. Keyser. sold 220
quarts Of nitrogIycerine to Jim Nc
Namara and McManigal, ostensibly for
use in a quarry. At Portland, Ind, they
were able To buy 100 quarts OF the
same stuff. They paid $50 quart for
nitroglycerine. McManigal used to
carry twenty quarts. weighing seven
teen pounds, in a suitcase-quite a re-
spectacle load. The dynamite used at
Los Angeles was specially ordered at
Giant, Cal, ard was OF the 80 per cent
grade, almost equal to pure nitro gly-
cerine. This extraordinary strength
was one Of the things that excited sus-
picion against the men. The explos-
ives people suspected a criminal use
and warned the Southern Pacific rail-
road that an attempt might be made
against some Of their bridges. This
incident well illustrates the present
lack of legal protection, The explosives
people did more than their duty. at
least more than the law demanded,
when they went to the length of warn
ing the railroad of a possible criminal
attempt.
1.-THE dynamite stored at THIN had
been stolen, and good deal Of the
other explosives used by the McNa-
mara gang was stolen.gwhich points to
the need OF a law safeguarding not only
the sale but the storage OF the stun.
The prevention Of theft Of dynamite
by casual yeggmen or professional
wreckers is as important as the pre-
vention of sales to such persons. A
criminal will naturally prefer to steal
the stuff, because he will then leave
no trail-there will be TO witnesses 10
swear that they sold him explosives.
AT present dynamite is stored IN
many places in insecure outhouses ana
shanties. unguarded and unprotected.
A danger sign serves TO keep away
honest folk Who Nigh. interfere with
the criminals plans. It IL like robbing
graveyard Stunned by every one. The
crook can come in the dead OF night,
wrench off the staple OF the paddock
and help himself to enough explosive
to wreck half town. The law should
make 1t as difficult for criminals TO
steal as to buy dynamite. Storage
houses should be strongly built, secure
locked. provided with burglar alarms.
and In certain cases looked after BY
watchmen, da$ and night"
| The Tribune was advised, as prAc-
/ ! ::: :c:! test ~ cerdifions. TO 70 out and
buy q few boxes OF dynamite in New
York, The time did not seem partScu-
larry attractive when government
sleuths were said TO be ovefrunnln1
New York and other cities In search