The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-05
SEES POWDER PERIL
TO 5000 IN HARB0R
Acting Commissioner of Immi-
grafton Tells Of Danger
From Explosives.
INQUIRY BY CITY OFFICIALS
Careless Handling of Dynamite
in Bay Said to Threaten
Great Disaster.
INQUIRY BY CITY OFFICIALS

"rh. lives Of 5000 immigrants aud OF
i,vVu Government employees and property
worth millions are in constant danger
from the reckless handling Of explosives
near Ellis Island and in the harbor"
This statement was made yesterday to
a reporter for THE Sun by acting Com
missioner of immigration Bryan IA. Chl
II was Mr.. thl who submitted reports to
the old department OF Commerce and
Labor which led William r. Wilson. Sec
rotary OF Labor, to inform Congress- that
the immigration station is in danger every
day OF being blown up.
The acting COMMISSIONS ~ convinced
Of the possibility Of an explosion OF dyna-
mite or giant powder more frightful in its
consequences than the explosion at Com
munipaw on February !, 1911, when
twenty-five lives We're lost, hundreds Of
thousands of dollars worth OF property de-
stroyed ,s2J.nQo worth at Ellis Island
alone), and ali Greater New York and
near Jersey shaken.
Federal. State and city officials We're SO
much impressed by tn, gravity of the
conditions mentioned by Secretary Wilson
that independent Investigations wer" be-
gun yesterday to determine whether or not
concerns which load and unload and
transfer large quantities o: explosives in
New York harbor are obeying the law,
Dock Commissioner r. A, {. Smith and
Fire Commissioner Robert Adamson acted
at once after reading Secretary Wilson's
report. They called for reports on all
permits issued to vessels used in carrying
explosives for powder companies and the
police boat Patrol was ordered to cruise
in the harbor and obtain information a.
to the methods used by the powder con-
Germs In handling and shipping explosives
a tk.. 49,
done
secretary Wilson. in his report to Con
gress, made the points that vessels loaded
with explosives anchor c!andestinely near
Ellis Island, and that transshipments OF
explosives from cars 10 piers are made
perilously near to Ellis Island Former
Commissioner of Immigration Williams
found there was no legal way to prevent
such perils and asked for legislation COW
cring the whole subject
Acting Commissioner Uhl said yester-
day that II was true that officials and EN-
ployees on Ellis Island were continually
In fear OF death or injury and that IL
would not be easy to eXaggerate the perils
of the situation.
when Assistant Secretary Post OF the
Department was here last July" said
Commissioner rhl. Il told him what was
going on and pointed out to him the
freight pier OF the Jersey Central Rail-
road. where vast quantities OF explosives
were handled within 1900 feet OF the i'm.
migration station. The danger exists to-
day. often 5000 immigrants and 1000
employees are on the island. and II there
should be another explosion similar TO the
big blowup at Communipaw three years
ago many lives would certainly be lost
The pier which was destroyed In 1911 was
three times as far from the station as the
pier where explosives are now handled
but that explosion wrecked $4,000 worth
Of property on the island
Besides this there is the danger that
boats carrying explosives will be in col
lision In fogs or at night time. The local
Jersey authorities and tho local New York
authorities have no power to prevent such
dangers and there appears to be no Fed
eral official who can do so. Therefore,
unless Congress- pays attention to Score
tary Wilson's recommendations there is
likely to be some OF these days a catas-
trophe that will horrify the world Great
quantities OF explosives can't he iolted
around in the midst OF a population OF
100000 or 100000 without tempting
fate
The municipal ferryboat Queens nearly
crashed against a powder boat early yes
terday morning. although Commissioner
Uhl hadn't heard Of the near accident
when he was talking to a reporter for
THE SUN. The Queens, carrying 1000
passengers from st. George. Staten Island
to Manhattan. was bothered by "a heavy
fog. At 1880 A. NJ. off Governors Island
Cant. Emmons sighted a small. gray
dynamite boat and stopped the Queens
Just In time to prevent collision
The passengers Of the ferryboat were
nervous when they saw the red fiaS at the
masthead of the dynamite carrier and
were more nervous when the dynamite