The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-04-23

Mt. home. there are few more interest
ing places In which to spend u day
than in one of the immense powder
cities that have sprung into existence
to meet the demands Of the European
war.
The, prst Of all the powder cities to
be- isbvilt on the huge scaie OF present
operations was Carneys Point across
the Delaware river frma Wilmington.
There, 1900 men are employed making
explosives that go TO England, France
Russia. Italy, and that lately have been
going to Greece for the re-equipment OF
Astonishing as it may seem. officers
Of the American powder, companies de-
clare that about half the powder used
by the allies IL now made In this coun-
This does not mean that half the am.
The proportion OF shfapnei casing and
the like produced In this country Ia
small American explosives 70 abroad
by the shipload. to be put into foreign
made containers.
Could Make Enough Powder.
For the first tfme in It's history, the
United States is equipped today to pro-
vide all the explosives a. could possibly
use even In n great war. The powder
manufacturers explain that their con-
tracts with foreign governments are
30 conditioned that they would be can
celed instantly II this country needed the
product, and the powder turned over
to Uncle Sans lighting forces. -.
The powder city OF Carneys Point u
very much like the othsrq, at Hopcwell,
lGibbstown, Haskell, Phrlin and other
places. that have developed in the last
, twenty months
One or the most Interesting and UNI
expecteJ discoveries ono makes on visit
ing a powder town. 10 that there Is far
less danger from explosions than Is
The great danger n from fire: but II
Is the same sort OF fire danger that
exists In any other business where a
great deal of inffammsble stuff Ia
handled. The risk OF life and limb Ia
very much less than would be imagin-
ed.
The PLANTS in the powder cities are 50
spread out. and so well protected
against fire and bomb attacks that II
would be impossible to inflict n great
permanent damage to any Of them.
Couldn't Wreck Whole Plant.
The common notion that a lot OF
bomts might be placed by spies In the
Carncy's Point or Hopewell plant. and
less Of life. 10 entirely mistaken. There
isn't chance for such a happening.
The explosions that do happen are al.
most always In the process OF nitratins
cotton. instead OF blowing up with
great violence and widespread damage
a mess OF the stuff blows up with a
! huge puff that produces a cloud OF
yellowish gas and smoke that fills the
building where 1t happens. The work.
| ing force PUSHES outside when the puff
| occurs. huge suction fans are set al
work to expei the gases. and in a few
minutes work In resumed.
When the war IT. Europe started
| some eighteen months $50. there was
an enormous demand for s'nokeies.
| orders for owde- from the allied gov
fragments.
At that time the du Popt facto-y nj
Wilmington employed about 6f0 men
and the cal acity OF the plant was abcu,
6oc'0co pounds a year
Now Covers Four Miles.
The task OF the du Points was now "a
increase their Plant TO an unhea ri -oi
| size. Buildings sprang UP as II b.
magic. three villages were built by Tho
company to accommodate the huge
number OF laborers employed. AMI q
plant that before occcried only sevara
| hundred yards OF water front nov
stretches down the river for four miles
Ny guide and I caucht the noon boa
from Wilmington for CaIneys Point.
As We STEPPED on board the boat my
Communion called my attention to d
large cloul OF yellow smoke ARISING
from ONE OF the old buildings on tn,
other side OF the river.
The nitrating plant has gone up" h,
said. and ] supposed that a bad explo.
sion had just occurred. NV anxiet,
was not In the least lessened when h,
"If you are lucky. you may see tn,
same thing happen while you ar,
| j soon found out. however. that IN,
trouble was caused only by the burninG
| of a charge OF cellulose which was be.
Ing n!trated. This results In a thick
yellow. smoke. which Is driven out b,
large fans. and In five minutes tn,
work goes on as before.
Three Shifts of 5000 Men.
On the trip over my friend told m,
many interesting things concerning tn,
growth of the plant. Three shifts o.
quo men each run the plant its full
canacity-n!ght. day. and Sunday--whil,
before only 600 men were employed.
| PAYDAY comes every other Saturday
| when half a million dollars Il carried
over from the du Pont building to tn,
grounds. This money is all hard cash
and the six or seven large trunks which
mold II are under a heavy guard o
armed men. The men walk lin ropet
alleys and are paid of by tile nav
masters, who are armed in case of an
| trouble; but so far none has occurred.
| Two Russian ships and one Italian
| loadiDg or waiting to load with powder
were anchored In the river. This com
pany supplies 80 per cent of the powde
being used by the allies In Europe, an
| when one remembers that It liz said tina
more powder has been expended In
single day In Europe than was used b
one side In the whole civil war, II ca
be seen how much this really is. Abou
| 20 per cent Of the powder manufacture
In the United States Is made by IN
du Fonts. the other 20 per cent beln
made BIZ two smaller concerns.
49, - Machine Waiting.
By this time our ferry had reache
Garncy's Point, and we found that
machine was waiting for us on tn
dock. In the machine was the chic
Inspector of the du Pont police, VIII
wear uniforms that are practically tn
ssme as our regular infantry uniformi
From tho looks OF this gentleman
could easily see that Job as big a
the one In which he was engaged wa
no Joke.
In the upper pocket OF his coat on
coulC see blackjack; a regular on,
i too, not a billy; and under his coat wa
| a holster, which contained quite a fol