New-York tribune., 1912-04-30
WONDERS Of DYNAMITE.
And Some Wonderful Men Who
Make and Sell II.

HIiu SOliiC VDIItC' wv "S'' "i'V
Make and Sell II.
Tho r. 7. du Font do Nerours Powder
Company was represented in Washington
last week by dozen or more ambitious
young meh who are engaged In superin-
tending that company's high explosives
plants In various parts Of the country.
From California TO New Jersey, from Ala
bama to Wisconsin and the far-on state OF
Washington plants were represented, and
the programme prepared would indicate
that the rnanufa cture Of powder was serl-
Gus business from start TO finish.
striking fact in connection with the
gathering was that none Of the superin-
tendents Of those high explosives plants
was over forty years old newspaper
man remarked ~ he surveyed the gather
ing: That looks like class OF college
bows" As matter Of fact, they were
nearly all of them at one time college
BOYS" but now they are practical business
men, keen, alert and anxious TO excel.
IT. g. Haskell, at the head of the high
explosives operating department Of the dl
Pont company. Is graduate Of Yale. He
guided the discussions which marked the
FIVE days gathering, bringing out much
that was Of interest not only 90 those ell
gagged I'm the manufacture Of high eX-
plosives but to the public az well
Colonel Y. W Dunn a West Point grad
uate. now at the head If the bureau for
tho safe transportation Of explosives and
otho. dangerous articles, was an interested
listener through most Of the sessions, and
contributed much in the way of valuable
suggestion.
While it may not be generally known. it
is nevertheless true that the railroads OF
the United States now accept and transport
explosives almost as readily as they do
livestock. \ number Of years ago, realizins
that the shipment of explosives was mat
ter for extreme caution, Congress lodged
with the Interstate Commerce COMMISSION
the authority TO formulate rules ana reSu-
Ia lions TO apply 10 commerce between thc
states. This commission, acting with the
American Railway Association, has pro-
yidcd safeguards that reduce the possoi-
ity of an explosion 10 n minimum.
II il estimated that GoOo.0O pounds
1000 tons-of explosives are manufactured
in the United States every year. 1t IS
stated on good authority that there are
about 5000 cars containing explosives IN
transit continually. Calling the distance
between New York and Chicago l'"" miles
when the traveller enters a sleeper on the
Atlantic to 30 to the city on Lake Mlchl-
gan and return he undertakes a Trip that
will require him to pass forty cars loaded
with dynaf-ite and other explosives. Ana
for most OF the distance he viii be tearing
along at lightning speed. Yet, with all the
iarring nad tolting, the coupling ana un-
coupling. incident to handling freight cars,
how rarely we hear Of an accidental set
ting off OF explosives on railroads.
The story Of the development OF the eH-
plosves freight traffic IS well worth read
ing. because IL shows what can be accom-
rlished I'm solving q knotty problem when
shippers and carriers cooperate In an III
telligent manner. In the early days or the
industry the manufacturcrs had great dit'l-
Guilty in securing the transportation OF
their product. either by boat or rail. Ihs
CivH War doubtless had much TO do with
rcconciling railroads to the transportation
~ explosives and Fastening the general
acceptance of powder as freight by pubH'
carriers The government demanded hat
punpowder 10 transported to all arsenals
and troops I'm the field. Explosions, OF
course happened from time to une' puI
none was so serious as 20 cause the rail-
roads. even after the war. TO change the
poicv theyshad been forced to adopt our
ing hostilities.
when the manufacture Of dynamite and
nitroglycerine was introduced. in the latter
COS. however. and permission was sought
for other transportation. the ralroads' Win
few exceptions. refused on the ground that
the risk 10 life and property was 100 great
While nitroglycerine, which might De caIeu
the anarchist OF the explosive world can
not oven to-day be shipped By ran IN any
country I'm Europe or In the United states
becausa OF it's extreme sensltiveness To
.bocL dynamite can be and Is carried N
comparative safety just as steam uoIe'"
may be operated IN comparative saiet!
when proper means OF precauuoh are
odon,ad Being outawed by the railroads.
pitroclycer!nc. when there IS call Tor IT,
f. still delivered by wagon, with team OF
horses or mules, and the day is doubtless
far distant when any other means OF trans
portation or TINS tAc"eu'"eH
article will be permitted.
The public generally has an exaggera''o
notion os the frequency OF accidental eN-
plosions of nltroglyc'rine, black powder
dynamite and other explosives and the loss
Of life and destruction OF property caused
thereby.
When II Is considered that dynamite con-