The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-08-01

tea in the Hotel Astor this afternoon. Mir. Hughes intends to return to Bridgehampton tomorrow to remain until he starts on his campaign tour ill the west. ... SUGGESTS NEW PORT
 FOR WAR MUNITIONS
 New York, Aug. 1.-The explosion Sunday morning at Black Tom Island |and that at Communipaw five years ago has brought home to New Workers as we'll as to the residents of New Jer- sey cities and towns along the sea- coast and near New York harbor, the ever-constant danger in loading ships from barges and lighters with war munitions right at New York's front door. It has been suggested that 1t might be possible to arrange. by stat ute if necessary, for the transfer of explosives at some other point or port along the adjacent coast This feature of the subject was discussed to-day in shipping and railway circles. but no definite action has yet been taken.
 Calvin Tomkins, ex-Commissioner of Docks, said to-day at his offices that if the port of New York and the transportation facilities were properly integrated, there would be no such im- mense accumulation of dynamite as was on Black Tom Island at the time of the explosion. He. said that prop CT railway service was the remedy, and suggested that If the loading of munitions to Europe could be done in Newport or some such place, there would not be the constant danger to lower New York and Jersey City from explosions.
 Under the present system, large quantities of explosives have to be shipped into New York and Jersey City to be switched there to be taken on lighters. If we had our port and its transportation facilities properly CO., ordinated, this would not be necessary. Depots for such freight could be estab- lished ten or fifteen miles from the city limits. there put on lighters and taken to the ships. would suggest Newport At any good port, take for instance New Orleans, Montreal, Ant werp or Rotterdam, 1t would not be necessary for such large quantities of explosives to accumulate as do in Jer- sey City. have for years been urg- ing integradon of our harbor falili- ties. It is the only thing that can prevent such thing from happening again."
 Norton to Take Action
 James Norton, Director of Public Safety of Jersey City, said that his de- partment would take all possible steps to make it impossible for another such explosion as that at Black Tom Island to happen within the limits of the city. He will hold a conference of lawyers at City Hall this afternoon to see what legal measures can be taken to pre- vent explosives from being stored in Jersey City.
 officials from the Interstate Com- merce Commission have told us," he said. "that we cannot prevent ,explo- sives from being taken through the city. What we shall try to discover is whether we have power to prevent them from being stored here. We may suggest to the railroads that a base for the shipment of explosives be established down the bay somewhere. The city cannot force the railroads to do this.
 This is a matter which affects New York as much as it does us, for l barges loaded with munitions, drifting down Gravesend Bay to where the ! ships lie may explode. The regula- l ton which we have been imposing is that lighters shall not tie up at the pier, while being loaded, for mare than twenty-four hours. If the load ing is not finished in time, the light CT must anchor in the stream and come back in the morning for the rest of her cargo. This we could legally insist upon, but apparently the law has been broken"
 |. R. A. c. Smith Commissioner of Docks. said that the safe handling of | explosives had been a matter of con- cern for his department for more than two years. With Robert Adamson, Fire Commissioner, and Arthur Woods Police Commissi oner. he has underta- ken to enforce strictly the regulations of the Municipal Explosives Commis- sion adopted January 24, 1912. These regulations provide that all lighters transporting and delivering explosives at docks in New York shall have a permit granted by the Commissioner of Docks, and that for each vessel so employed. the company shall file a bond for not less than $5,000 and shall pay an annual fee of $50. It also pro- vides that explosives containing nitro- glycerine and not intended for use in New York shalll not be landed upon any dock, transported through the city, or stored within the city, Each lighter which shall have a permit to transport explosives shall haae on board two certified handlers, and no tpersons except the regular crew shall be allowed on board.
 | The only places on the waterfront ot the city of New York where dyna- mite and similar high explosives are permitted to be landed, are the fol lowing:
 Borough of Manhattan: North River = Foot of West -157th Street foot of West 134tf Street, foot of West 18th street. East River-Foot of E.. 18th Street, foot of East 86th St., foo, of East 108th street.
 Boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens- Foot of Clinton avenue, Brooklyn. foot of Sixth Street, Long Island Cit,
 Borough of Richmond = Donovan's dock. Port Richmond, Johnson's Dock West New Brighton, Brady's Dock Clifton.
 SOCIAL AND PERSONAL,