The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1914-09-01

These are busy days at the naVai
ammunition base at Iona Island, some
40 miles ND the Hudson River. Here
at top-notch speed hundreds of men
are making ready large and small
shells and preparing the powder
charges for the guns of the battle
ships.
The reservation covers ll6 acres
Within its limits are stored about
three million pounds of smpkeless
powder and over one million POUNDS
of black powder, besides many thou-
sands OF shells. This war material is
kept in large brick and stone powder
magazines and shell houses.
The powder magazines all have
four separate fireproof walls and are
divided up into compartments In or
der to prevent "A fire or an explosion
from reaching or destroying the en-
tire contents The loaded shells are
kent separately from the empty pro-
textiles and are stored in two hXed
ammunition magazines. Each sheii
Is weighed and numbered before be-
ing put away. The weight is recorded
in chalk on the shell.
Magazine attendants inspect the
shell houses and powder magazines
many times during the day and night.
At night each visit is recorded on the
disk of the magnetic clock in the ads
ministration building. The tempera-
ture in the shell houses and powder
magazines is kept between 80 and 30
degrees.
Just now many shells for the big
battle ships are stored away at iona
Island is a secret; but there are lots
of them. They are expensive. Thus
the 14-inch shells, weighing 1,6OO
pounds and requiring charge OF
nearly 400 pounds of powder, cost
about $500 each.
one Of the principal activities at
Iona Island is the manipulation OF
smokeless powder for charges for the
large and small guns OF the navy ana
Of black powder for bursting charges
for the shells. The powder hlling
houses. four of which are in opera
ton. are situated at widely separated
points. They are small one story
wooden structures isolated owing to
the possibility of an explosion. the
men working in them are required TO
wear white serge suits and moccasins;
no metal or other articles are allowed
in their pockets which might in any
way cause spark.
All the tools, tunnels, measuring
cups, scales and other appliances
used are made of copper. Here the
delicate and somewhat dangerous
business of weighing has to be done
very carefully. At the Indian Head
proving grounds the naval ordnance
experts by tests determine the pow
der charges best adapted for the va
rious guns, and at the annual target
practice the results as to range ana
velocities of the various charges are
recorded. Then slight changes in the
composition of the powder lead to
changes in the weight of the charges
Each morning the days supply of
powder is brought from the maya
zine To the filling houses in lead coll
ored wooden boxes. These are all
zinc-lined. The u. $. government
pays 20 cents pound for powder and
furnishes the alcohol to the manufac-
lures. The boxes of powder are emp
tied into long wooden trough and
with n copper scoop the powder Is Dip
ped out, accurately weighed and tied
up i'm quarter, half and full charges in
white muslin they are held in readi-
ness to go aboard the ships.
The big charge of 400 pounds for the
fourteen inch guns are arranged In
four charges Of 100 pounds each. The
bags, when piled on top Of one another,