Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-01-16
GREAT SYSTEM OF POLICE
WATCHES DU POINT PLANTS
Major Richard Sylvester. Former
Chief OF Washington Force,
Is General Director.
sGUARDs AGAINST EXPLOSIONS
War Supply Establishments Care
fully Protected From Plotters and
~ Cranks-Immense Sums Spent for
Secret Service Force.

=
Secret Service Force.
b. Major Richard Sylvester. former chief
the directing genius OF probably tho
most tirelcss and peculiar police and
secret service force in tho world
His job Is pra c,tcally a hy7roduc' or
% the European war lie is par, o.
q now police system. not connected with
n any municipality, and yet rs necessarily
81 vtgilant IS though II guarded an 'nc
s. rulers OF the earth,
Y After investigation j.; may hc con
As servativcly estimated that the muni
III tion plants of the United states arc
M spendinG $4,000. 900 per auuun 10 pro-
II tect themselves agains; inccndiaris!n,
~ bomb plots, spies and interference /"
H tho filing cr war orders.
gn Major sylvester heads tho guard ana
~ secret service system CT one az th's"
u great manufactures OF war supplies
" that of r. ,iu pont DC NemoUrs Com
3 pany. That company might hc reGar leu
NJ as the pioneer III the era or increase"
II Vigilance that came with the sinking
II OF the Lusitania the bomb outrage IN
q the United States Capitol Building and
n at ]. p. NorGan's home AN" INC re-
81 curing fires and explosions aboard
q ships and In the various muniriom plants
M of the country.
HI GENERAL DIRECTOR or
POLICE At ALI PLANTS
III To-day ali oc the factories makthS
81 war materials have their police systems
N their alert guards ana sec'et-SefF''e
~ men. A number OF these systems are
-
81 Tho guarding OF muultion plants has
y become science. jus: as the making
III OF munitions
/. In Richmond the American l.ocot.o-
tive Works not only maintains special
n guards In the plant. but has waich'nen
III day and night paIroliing the Fttth
81 Street Niaduct. which crosses the
IA Richmond works The riaduet is
III brilliantly illuminated ana every pre-
E caution taken 10 prevent the drop 'ns
Nj of explosives into the shops beneath
<<E 1t Is figured that more than 500
E guards and detectives are III TINS com
M paratively new work. Major sylvester
M directs about GOO at ,hc various Du
Sgl'ont plants.
nj The Du Fonts maintain. aud Major
Ss Sylvester superv!scs, therefore. police
81 force about as big as that OF the city
N of washington The force OK uniformed
IA men a, Hopewell alone is nbout the
~ size of the Richmond police force,
M II is no; permitted that the !ntricac'es
SS Of the guard systems employed Al mu-
& milton plants shall 80 exposed IN de-
IA vail. But enough may be told 10 con
|ES %t.tutc graphic story Of what ne
HI makers OF war supplies arc dong TO
|Ri protect their plants and their workmen
IKE from unseen unknown and Yet CON
M stantly feared foes.
|a MYSTERIOUS EXPLOSIONS
AT tAUNEi.S poINT PLANT
Isl Al the WHINING ton, Del, plant o. the
rs Du Poni Company there have been
|E mysterious explosions. Thirty powder
|E makers. occupying one small huiid'nS
|s9 of the upper Hasley yards. were blown
rs into eternity. None remained 10 say
{s how the accident-is an accidcnt-oc-
HI Cured.
|S Bodies and bits OF bodies We're p!cket.
up here and there. ldentshcati"n WAS
lN Impossible in many instances and som"
l& OF the victims. OF what remained 81
lEs them, had 10 lie given . common burial.
|E Up TO this time the investigation ~
I@ detectives under Major sylvester. has
|M produced no satisfying explanation. 1t
Hill cannot be shown that the explosion WAS
{E the result OF outside agencies, nor can
TEit be established that II was merely an
fE accident On the day OF the disaster
e&i an official said:
III The whole thing is a.;nys,eE,." 40,
@ n man is living who was in or near the
tE hacking house. and We seem 10 he with
FM out the means Of starting successful
E investigation."
M This tragedy is hut one OF tho mora
IN recent to visit munition factories in
fM various parts OF this country. The loss
|@ of life was unusually heavy, and the
4N horror of the occurrence answers the
EN question why police systems, vast and
&& costly. are now maintained ny makers
m OF powder shells, cartridges, gun and
al high explosives which Europe is buy
n ing at the cost cf hundreds Of millions
81 OF dollars
III The purvcyors o. war supplies arc .ne
III busiest agencies In the United States
IL to-day. There ar" stories % milton.
IA aires made almost overnight. q, fac.
10 tories that have virtually thrown ava,
u their doors and are open twenty fou,
q hours day and seven days week
II Forces have been doubled and treble
in steel, powder aud gun manufactures
u and wages higher than they hav.
III ever been In these Industries
e Almost every plant enpable of MAX
III ing anything desired bv tho drh.int
- XII armies OF Europe has hurricdlv erectet
@ new buildings and largely Increased II!
tA capacity. This statement applies O.
E course, to factories whose owners wan
Ffs the war order business
CITIES GROW Up
f3fg.-. AROUND MISITIuN PLANT,
New towns have sprung up hnrc nm
3Ithere as al fopcwsli. where Tho ~
HAPonts have made city on. 81. a corn
ka33held within q year old factory sites
nh trod few months ago by onlv n r.,
f# hundred half busy employees ararr
Hwith thonsH nds 81 workren Sniploa
sitter shinioad Of ammunition aud tn
E8paraphernalia Of war cross and -.o-c.
1.-THE ocean to tho hattlcfclds ~, a conn
sAnent in arms
The story Of tho war mur.,,o