Evening journal., 1915-01-23
Industry
BOONS PENNSCROVE
230l Men Turn Out 80
Carloads of Explosives
Daily
TOWN CROWDED
WITH WORKERS

PENNSGROVE, y. j., Jan. 23 Pow
der making has boosted Pennssro,e tol
the pinnacle of prosperity. and from an
easy going river front village it has be
come the busiest town in all the State,
within very few months. Where there
were 100 men working ON part time at
the Caney's Point plant of the +. ~
dupout de Nemours Powder Company
last spring, 300 workmen are now Dusy
in day and night shifts.
Every day adds new hands TO the
army of laborers who file through close
ly guarded gateWnys TO work in the
neycr.ceasing grind of the powder mills
or TO help IN the construction OF new
mills and magazines. which are being
erected for nearly a mile along the shore
of the Delaware river. The plant Is being
increased to several times its former ra-
pacitv How bic the plant will he when
completed the company is not telling. III
is a general rumor about the town.,
. however. that there are already enough
orders for explosives and small ammu-
milton piled up 90 keep the enlarged
plant running full time for three years
To come without stopping
Thirty carloads of explosives are turn
ed ont daily.
Since the first Of the year thirty
special marshals have been sworn in
by the borough council to do duty
with the regular guard at the powder
works A wire fence hung upon steel
posts. and which, il is said. is charged
at night with a heavy electric current,
is being constructed around reser-
vations. which covers several hun
dred acres. Powerful electric arc
lamps have been strung along the
front of the reservation where H. faces
the Delaware river, so that the entire
waterfront after nightfall is as bright
b as day. Strangers have difficulty in
getting near enough to see anything
of the plant. and no outsider is per-
mitted inside of the gates without a
special pass.
Were too busy to talk" is all that
the officials would say when ques-
toned about the remarkable boom
in their business. And they are, too.
Columns of smoke are constantly
pouring from the high stacks among
the group of gray buildings isolated
on Carney's Point. and the noise and
whir of machinery can even be heard
from a distance Hundreds of ham
mers beat a distant drumcall where
the army of carpenters and their help
ers are putting up odd-looking struc-
lures that squat low along the shore
, line. Other gangs of laborers are lay
ing new spur Of railroad track which
I will reach a mile and half into the
heart OF the new addition to the pow
der works. Freight trains cannot
. bring the material in fast enough, and
e many tons of cement are loaded in wa
CONS at Wilmington, Del. and brought
u across the river on ferryboats on morn
70 ing and afternoon trains every week
day and carted out to the powder
II plant
+ The building operations and the busy
y grind OF the powder mills has brought
II a rush OF workmen that has nearly over.
+ whelmed the town. There is scarcely a
family that has not two or more board
ers. Most of the families already To-
Gated here have gotten their living from
the powder works in past wears and tbev
nave taken the newcomers i'm for an ac-
2 commodation until the company can
y provide other quarters for them. Al
ready the company has bought two
large residences and an old boarding
Z. house and has or will convert them into
r. quarters for their unmarried chemists.
j. engineers and clerks.
l. In order TO house the large number OF
o Italians engaged in making excavations
# and IN the heavier work about the mills.
# the powder company sometime ago pur-
u chased the old Camey's Point school
d house now unused for school purposes.
= and has fitted it up inside with hunks.
+ Even this is now overcrowdcd and
= score of the foreigners have made their
/, beds in the loft Of the schoolhouse
% which they reach by means OF long lad
?. ders. Long wooden shacSs have been
built in the school yard for mess halls
n and kitchens
d Scores of the workmen have been un-
o able 20 secure suitable accommodations
C in the town. A party of newcomers
s from Bridgeton. headed by Ross Harris
Il a mechanic. found places to sleep in the
- cabin Of barge tied up for the winter
e at one of the fishing wharves. All OF
y the party were nearly drowned a few
\ nights ago when heavy rains caused a
e flood i'm the river and their floating
e dormitory was swept from its moorines
p. and sank in the channel a few minutes
e after the sleepy workmen. aroused by
S the water in their hunks. dove over.
r board and swan ashore. The ferryboats
which usually tie up for the winter. arc
running on extra schedule to carry
workmen back and forth from Whining.
@ ton.
# The towns prosperity has spread Ia
e the surrounding towns and villages
:. Motortrucks, rcsurrcctcd stage coachea
r. and farm wagons bring hundreds ol
!. workers from these places 10 the powder
r. plant every morning Farmers for miles
o around have gotten jobs for the winter
n in hiring their teams 10 the powder
c company and some of the land tenants
= have deserted the soil for the prospect
OF more rcmunoratiNe cmproyment ri
@ 'amey's Point Few men around here
s who want work, are really idle. and tho
J. trains and boats every day bring labor
9 ers from distant points who have been
IS attracted 10y stories of the powder boom
10 so that nearly every noon there is a hia
crowd about the gates al the works
seeking for jobs.