davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
DR. WILLIAM r. DOYLE

bomb discovered before it was exploded.
The bomb contained mixture of chorate
of potash and other substances similar to
those I just mentioned.
ut is my opinion that from the facts in
this case a chlorate explosive probably
used The fragments OF metal found
were similar to those that would come from
a section Of strong hydraulic pipe, and I
think it probable that piece of such pipe
contained the explosive. The fragments Of
the wagon indicated that piece of pipe
was used and was lying horizontally on the
floor of the wagon on the right side"
In fact Con. Dunn finds that the ingredi-
ents used in the bomb that he thinks was
set off by clockwork device are Of a sort
that are easily obtained Whether or not
clockwork device was employed he affirmed
that it would have no bearing on his con-
clusion about the nature of the explosive.
Historic Black Tom.
The explosion at Black Tom n. j.. which
occurred on July 80, 1916, is the most recent
disaster spreading fear of explosives in the
public mind to the one which happened
but the other day. Black Tom is situated
on the western shore of the Upper Bay in
New York harbor. Immediately back of
Bedloe's Island. The space between the ISL
and and the New Jersey shore has been
filled in as has also a portion OF the island
itself.
It was occupied by the warehouses Of the
National Storage Company, and the Lehigh
Valley Railroad Company had on it Of
fices, docks, float bridges and tracks. At
the extreme eastern end of the property was
what was known as the North Pier. This
was used for transferring from cars to
oarges or lighters shipments of all kinds Of
and explosives.
At r. NJ. July 30. seventeen cars con-
tanning ammunition for cannon stood on the
North Pier. There was a total weight Of
25200 pounds Of high explosive $500 black
powder shrapnel with cartridge cases
charged with smokeless powder. There were
also eleven cars of dry INT packed in
wooden cases-a total of $4,000 pounds In
the vicinity were three carloads OF wet
and barges loaded with ex-
plosives and ammunition, including 100000
pounds of picric acid were tied up to the
North Pier or near 1t.
1t was near l o'clock i'm the morning Of
July 30 that a Waterman noticed fire or a
of q fire. lie turned in an alarm
to the Jersey City Fire Department. APP
paratus reached there in about half an
hour. In the meantime explosions Of shells
and shrapnel were constant and fragments
were falling all around the railroad en-
ployees who were fighting the fire. They did
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
Postage Wasted by Careless Public
Gives Government Extra Revenue

destroyedentirely and the Government makes
a clear gain.
The other source OF loss to the individual
by which the Government profits is the
number of stamps that are wasted I'm ex-
cess postage. People who have not five
cent stamp put three two cent stamps on
foreign letters thus making the Post Office
Department present OF one cent. Domstic
mail, too is frequently overstamped Enough
money is wasted in this way to provide
thousands of inexpensive letter scales
Moreover few persons know anything
about the rates for newspapers and think
that because newspaper rolls into such a
solid bundle II costs great deal to send So
they go on overpaying the postage.
On the other hand much matter is under
paid. Here the Government loses nothing,
for the shortage is collected from the re-
ceiver. who must pay the due stamp. Know
ing this, and being anxious not to seem
niggardly to the friend who must make up
any deficiency in postage person lnsdoubt
often puts on too many stamps-and Uncle
Sam gets the differences.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

T~HERE is one source of revenue to the
Government of which but few per-
sons are aware-that proceeding
from the large number of stamps that are
wasted by tho people.
There are two ways in which the Govern
ment profits by the carelessness and igno-
rance Of the public In the first place many
stamps are destroyed. This means a profit
to the Post Office Department OF many
thousands of~lollars year; how much can
not be estimated, for there is no means Of
getting figures, except by elaborate and un-
trustworthy calculation. person carries
stamps in his pockets until they are so worn
that he does not dare use them. In point of
fact, anything that looks like a good stamp.
no matter IL II is somewhat mutilated, Is
passed by the clerks. just as a dilapidated
bank note Is good if there Is enough OF II TO
show what IL is Wear and dirt cannot, with
out almost destroying tho stamp, give it
the look OF one that has been cancelled. Yet
few persons will put damaged stamp on a
letter. Besides. many stamps are lost or
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

stations were scattered throughout the CITY.
In addition TO these posts workmen were as
signed I'm squads TO certain sections TO be
ready TO repair damages to property.
When the sirens announced the approach
OF airplanes most of Paris dived into cellars
or other places Of safety to await the crash
that told OF more noncombatants killed and
wounded, and then the siren that announced
"all clear OR sometimes there was only
tie seconds warning COCOON" and the
roar that declared Big Bertha was entitled
10 more notches In her gun carriage. But
always after the crash Monsieur le Partisan
would shrug his shoulders and return to bed
cr SILVER and go back TO sleep, and next
morning IL he chose to visit the scene of dis
aster he would find only boarded windows or
a damaged house that might have been dam
aged a week or six months before.
Even the pavements were repaired at once.
Steam rollers, wood or stone blocks asphalt
ard other equipment and materials neces-
sary for paving repairs were part of the
paraphernalia kept on hand at the repair
stations. Houses could not be rebuilt nor
could plate glass be replaced during the war.
but minor repairs were completed before
Paris knew what had blown sr.
In the early part OF 1918 munitions fac
tory in the outskirts OF Paris was blown up
with great loss OF life and property Rumors
OF spies were circulated at once. All Paris
went out TO see what had happened But
when Paris arrived TO look around-investi-
gators already had determined that the dis
aster was entirely an accident--the streets
had been cleared and several more or less
damaged buildings, with planking over the
broad gaps In their walls were all there was
lott TO tell the tale of a hand grenade that
h. been dropped by workmen and picked
NJ by children at play.
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03
Paris Quicker Than New York
In Cleaning Up After Explosions

ME rapid removal of debris and the
repairing Of damages in the Wal
Street district after the recent ex-
plosion recalled to ex-service men the ac-
tlvties in Paris during the commandments
OF Big Bertha. The former soldiers, how
ever. point to many contrasts as well as
parallels i'm connection with the disasters
they review. Not only was there the differ
ence of the public in it's attitude of expec-
fancy, but after the first long distance
shells were thrown into Paris the municipal
authorities Of that city assigned squads OF
men to various parts of the city TO wait
for Just such occurrences and care for the
wounded and repair damages without delay.
The explosion in Wall street occurred at
Just one minute after ~. IN ten minutes or
lees ambulances and Communicated automo-
plies were carrying away the dead and In
1ured. Within twenty minutes the police
Tad formed their lines about the scene of
havoc and excluded those OF the crowd who
mad no business inside of the lines The
Fire Department arrived on the scene in
time to have the blazing automobile in front
OF the Morgan Building attended TO within
sight or nine minutes
BY o'clock in the afternoon the shat
tered glass and other debris that had lit
tered the streets and sidewalks In the vicin-
ity had been swept into neat piles ready to
be carted away, and workmen were busy
boarding up windows repairing lighting
systems and generally putting the wrecked
trildings In order. Next morning Wall
Street was ready for work as usual.
In Paris during the war even greater
speed was shown. But Paris was prepared
FIR such emergencies, which were of almost
daily occurrence. Ambulance and first aid
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

dents, no deaths, a half dozen injuries and
a properly loss of only $53,23s
The findings Of this authority on what
composed the explosive in Wall street are
that neither picrc acid nor INT was used
and as the fragments did not Indicate COM
plete detonation he concludes also that the
explosive was not dynamite From other
indications Col Dunn was able to eliminate
black powder.
Like Fireworks Bomb.
What he believes was used tie expert
explained in the following language:
THE most common explosive used to pro
duce quick and powerful blast such as
given by display bombs that are used In
fireworks celebrations and are exploded in
the air, consists of mixture of chlorate of
potash with finely divided combustible sub
stances, such as charcoal, powdered alumni
mum, sulphite of anthony, gum rosin. &C.
Such a substance when ignited by a time
fuse will give quite violent explosion. in
termediate in effect between black powder
and thoroughly detonated high explosive.
Not long ago sample was forwarded to
the chemical laboratory of the bureau of
explosives OF the explosive taken from a
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

This quotation officially accepted in
Washington disposes of the stories fire.
quently spread of late that supplies OF INT
remain stored all over the country and could
be easily obtained for bombs.
The number of accidents, causing fires
personal injuries or property loss occurring
through the transfer of explosives to and
about the city are said by the local Bureau
of Fire Prevention to be reasonable in num-
Der.
Absolute Safety Impossible.
Absolute safety is unattainable, but the
bureaus statistics show a yearly decrease
since 1908 In many cases proof was adj
duced of shippers failures to safeguard
their dangerous shipments, such as for in
stance. sending carboys of nitric acid which
were equipped with clay shoppers fastened
by light gauge wires In this instance
where the shipper was mucted in damages
il was demonstrated that a leakage occurred
whereby nitric acid in one end of the load
and sulphuric acid in the other formed a
mixed acid which is more dangerous than
nitric acid alone
Included in the list of articles whose
carriage about New York involves the ele-
ment of danger are:
Sulphuric acid, hydrochloric acid. gaso.
lene, nitric acid carbonic acid. alcohol.
storage batteries charged with acid. wood
charcoal, electrolyte, crude oil, hydrohuoric
acid varnish, liquid paint. naphtha, chloride
of sulphur, acetic acid. bi-sulphide carbon
iiquefied petroleum gas, distilled naphtha.
iormic acid. compound acetylene gas sui
phur dioxide yellow and white phosphorus
acetone, oily cotton waste, ether, benzine
burnt cotton, compound chlorine gas, NOV
ing picture films. nitrate of soda, toluoi
lacquer, rubber (ground. scrap. shoddy).
varnish, shellac, liquid cement, collodion.
chlorate of potash and more than fifty other
fairly common liquids, oils, textiles and
leather substances.
SO that in spite OF the assurances of the
officials who look after fires and fire pre-
vention, and of the numerous regulations
relating TO explosives and hazardous trades
it really does seem that New York is sitting
on keg of gunpowder
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

assistants seem to be far away from de-
tsrmining it's nature as they naturally would
he on the day of the explosion. The testi-
niony of experts so far called before Fire
Marshal Brophy agrees only that il may
have been one of several high explosives
either that or a large quantity of some less
powerful explosive.
Col Beverly w. Dunn. chief of the bu-
reau of explosives of the American Railway
Association, is one expert, however who is
in no doubt that the Wall street explosion
was carefully planned. and he is in even
less doubt about what explosives were used
IN the bomb.
ard other slugs in the bomb" he said "it
mi ght be possible to keep on hoping that
the explosion was not a Red demonstra-
tion."
The bureau for the safe transportation OF
explosives or other dangerous articles now
called more simply the bureau OF explo-
sives, was first organized as committee of
the American Railway Association in April
1905. It's necessity for existence was dra-
matcaly shown by disastrous accident
near Harrisburg on May H. 1905 where by
the defamation OF a carload of dynamite
twenty persons lost their lives and there
was a property loss of 100000.
Col. Dunn Expert in Explosives.
Gen. Crozer. Chief of Ordnance He was a
graduate of West Point an officer of thirty
hve years experience and an expert in both
the chemical and ballistic branches of ord
nance work. Much interested in the efforts
of American railway managers to safeguard
this dangerous freight he gave their commit
teo freely Of his knowledge and experience.
Every section Of the regulations this com
mttee adopted is said to have been either
ins pired passed on by him. 1t was the
wish of the railroad managers to put him
in charge as soon as uniform code had
been adopted.
There were difficulties i'm the way. but
these were finally overcome, and President
Taft permitted Col. Dunn to retire He was
at once appointed head of the American
Railway Associations bureau OF explosives
with the title Of chief inspector.
Before listening to this authority on the
cngrossing subject Of the recent explosion. a
word may be excused to show by a few
figures how thorough has been his direction
of this remarkable bureau
In 1907 there were 10 accidents due 10
tho transportation by rail of explosives so
deaths so injuries and property damage
ot s469,S00.
In 1918 (when there was ten times as
great an amount Of transportation of this
dangerous freght) there were only 4 acct
The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

not know that the greatest danger of a
violent explosion rested in the cars loaded
with TINT
When this blew up the cars were entirely
destroyed. one hundred and sixty-one
freight cars were completely DESTROYED and
eighty-four other cars badly damaged. An
enormous breakage of glass windows oc-
CURED in New York city, Jersey City and
buildings on Ellis and Bedloe's islands were
structurally damaged Five persons were
killed and many persons were more or less
severely injured
This disastrous explosion was one of the
results of the war. With the transporta-
ton of these dangerous munitions to tide
water an exceptional opportunity was pre-
scented to a German sympathizer who seized
1t and caused the destruction of an i'm
mense amount of war material. All of the
known facts justify the assumption that the
great catastrophe was due to a fire started
by criminal of this type.
Essential in Peace.
Explosives are essentials in peace as well
as in war. and they must be transported as
required by the basic law of supply and de-
mand. The lesson taught by the Black Tom
explosion as well as that to be learned from
the attempt TO destroy New York's financial
centre is one of Increased restrictions that
promote public safety.
Following the armistce the Government
selected Fort Wingate. New Mexico as the
principal storage point for its surplus of mill
tary explosives, and this required the move
ment Of thousands of carloads from tenn
porary storage along the Atlantic coast
This vas the subject of a report made by
Col. Dunn to the executive committee of
the Bureau of Explosives. in which he
concluded:
The railroads have now been relieved
OF the duty of transporting from point to
point and back again, as the plans of the
war Department changed to meet varying
conditions the enormous quantity OF dan
gerous freight whose production resulted
from the great war. With some good luck
and reasonable degree of enforcement of
the regulations this duty was performed
with the loss of only one life"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
Dandruf Surely
Destroys The Hair

Gfrls-if you want plenty of thick,
beautiful. glossy. silky hair, do by all
means get rid of dandruff for it will
'starve your hair and ruin it If you
don't.
It doesn't do much good to try to
brush or wash 1t out. The only sure
way to get rid of dandruff is to dis
solve it, then you destroy it entirely.
To do this. get about four ounces of
ordinary liquid arvon; apply it at
night when retiring; use enough to
moisten the scalp and rub it in gently
with the finger tips
By morning, most if not all, of your
dandruff viii be sone, ana three or
four more applications will completely
dissolve and entirely destroy every
single sign and trace of it.
You will find too. that all itching
and digging of the scalp will stop, and
your hair will look and feel a. hundred
times better. on can get liquid arvon
at any drug store. It is inexpensive
and four ounces is all you will
need. no matter how much dandruff
you have. This simple remedy never
fails.-Adv.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
TWENTY YEARS AGO
~->~-~~~--~>~~->~~~e~->o
Looking Backward in Society
Columns of The State Journal
August 25, 1900.


Miss Irene Horner left today for Mary
land, where she will join the Chicago Glee
club. Miss Horner has been engaged as
soprano soloist for the club, which will
make an extensive tour thru the south and
east. Miss Horner returned last week
from Chicago, where she has been study
ing vocal
Miss Santa Waters leaves soon for a
visit with relatives in New Mexico
Mr.. and Mrs. Il. i. Kepley went to
Leavenworth Thursday for a six weeks
stay.
Some of the boys of the younger crowd
are planning a Vinewood party to be given
next Friday night.
Mrs. George B. Harrison and Miss Sarah
Parkinson went to Merrill Springs today
for few days outing.
Mrs. J. NJ Mccullough and laughter,
Nina, who have been the guests of the
Rev. and Mrs. H. A. OFT, have returned
to their home in Freeport, In.
Mr.. Tom King leaves Sunday for a trip
to Chicago, New York, Atlantic City and
other eastern points.
Miss Mary Wyatt is spending a ten
days vacation in Colorado.
DR.. d. NJ. Fisk and family will return
next week from a several weeks outing in
Colorado.
Mrs. G D. Nichols, of us Tyler street
accompanied by Miss Grace Bonham, will
leave Sunday for an extended visit with
friends and relatives in Missouri.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
Beautifully Curly, Wavy
Hair-In Three Hours!

Girls. have you tried the silmerine
method of curling your hair? It's simply
sltmn, Slyes you the most oeanitIql
three hOurS-keeps the hair soft. silky and
Eiossy-and nothing harmful or messy
about 1t. The curls will last the longest
tiIne-in spite Of heat, wind or dampness.
You won't nave to be continually fixing and
fussins with loose. flying hair. It's foolish
to SINCE aud blister and deaden your
tresses with a hot curling iron-and alto
gether unnecessary now.
Liquid silmerine is pleasant to use. be
ing neither sticky nor greasy Get bottle
from your druggist today. follow the sim
pie directians-the first :riaI will make it
your steadfast fricnd.-Adv.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25

spent the past six weeks visiting Mrs.
George Mccoy and Mrs. A. T. Lucas.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
BETTER BABIES

The crusade for better babies has
spread from coast to coast, and taken
firm hold of American Mothers. Few
women realize how much the i'll health
of the mother influences the unborn
child, both physically and mentally.
Women who suffer from mysterious
pains, backache, nervousness, mental
depression, headaches, etc. should
rely on Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable
Compound, made from roots and
herbs, which for nearly forty years
has been the standard remedy for
these ailments.-Adv.
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25
@0OG / X
J
BY MYRA WILLIAMS FARRELL

A Topeka girl who is making good,
and of whom her friends are very
proud. is Miss Mary Samson, daughter
Of Mrs. George Pritchard, formerly of
Topeka. now of Edinburg, Tex.
Miss Samson. who went to Texas to
join her mother after being graduated
from X. L., was made city editor of
the Edinburg Valley Review, within a
few hours after she struck town.
The San Antonio Express. in COM
menting on her success as city editor,
has this TO say: Two issues have al
ready been issued since Miss Samson
took up the reins of city editor. and
also that of advertising manager She
has handled the little locals and little
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25

stories with the same accuracy and eff
ficiency as the big ones. and this is
what has won her a place in the hearts
of all Edinburg citizens. One man
stopped her on the street and told her
that he had never seen so many To-
Gals in the paper as he had in the issue
of Friday. July 16. He hadn't been
advertising. but he gave her an ad for
the next issue"
The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-25

Miss Samson makes out her assign
ment sheet the first thing in the morn
ing when she goes to work. and then
goes out and gets the stories. She
covers the city thoroly, from the grain
elevator and the cotton gin to the Hi
dalgo county court house. Not only
does she handle the regular days run
of news, but she is a sports writer of
the first &egree. The baseball team.
which is in a tie for the leadership of
the Valley Baseball league, has made
her official scorer for the team"
No girl ever won more honors at
K. L than did Miss Samson. Besides
being a Kappa Kappa Gamma, she
WAS a member of Pi Beta Kappa. an
honorary scholastic sorority; of Phi
Newark post., 1920-03-31
Damages To Be Award
ed Delaware Farmers

United States District Attorney
Charles F. Curley, said yesterday
that he had received assurances
from the War Department that the
department. will pay into the U. S.
District Court awards made by the
department. in condemnation pro-
ceedings for the right of way from
Mount Pleasant ito Port Penn.
The sum appropriated for this
purpose, Mr.. Curley said, exceeds
$4,000 and will be placed in the
registry of court for this district
for disbursement, according to the
usual practice in such cases, and
will be paid the numerous claim
ants authorized to receive the
amounts designated by the War
Department in compensation for
the damage done in running the
railroad between the two points
designated, and for lands taken fol-
the building of the Marhn-R ock'
we'll powder plant at, Port Penn
during the war.
Newark post., 1920-03-31
Whirlwind Finish For
Jewish Relief Campaign

Monday nights dinner-dance at
the Hotel dupont which signaliz-
ed the endr of the campaign for
Jewish relief took the form of a
wonderful celebration, said
Newark worker who was one of
the delegation present. Every To-
cal representative says the same
thing and is enthusiastic in praise
of the spirit of the whole affair,
and immeasurably pleased with
the outcome of the campaign
which netted S152,34S for the
cause.
Mayor E. B. Frazer, Louis Hand
loft, Arthur G. Wilkinson, Sol Will
son, Dr.. George w. Rhodes, Mr.,
and Mrs. E. c. Wilson, Mr.. and
Mrs. Charles P. Steele, DR.. and
Mrs. Charles w. Dunlevy, Dean
Winifred J. Robinson, Miss Ed
wilma Long. Miss Eleanor E. Todd
Newark post., 1920-03-31

man Thompson, Mrs. George p.
Dutton, Mrs. A. T. Neale, Mrs. w.
A. Wilkinson, Mrs. Emma Wilson,
Mrs. George L. Townsend, Mrs. g.
A. McCue, Mrs. j. Pearce Cam,
Mrs. w. E. Holton, Mrs. I. F.
Manns, Mrs. James Hutchinson,
Mrs. Charles B. Evans, Mrs.
Charles L. Penny, Mrs. John Pill
ling. Mrs. Muchmore, Misses
Eleanor Harter, Cornelia Filling,
Elizabeth Lindsay, Frances Hurd,
Margaret Springer, Edwina Long,
Jane Maxwell, and Miss Martha
Wilson.
Refreshments consisting OF Per
fection salad, waters, coffee, ice
cream, cakes and nuts, were serv-
ed.
Miss Cornelia Pilling entertain
ed a dozen or more of her young
girl friends at a sewing party or
Friday evening.