The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-10-03

rs New York reclllessy sitting on key
of gunpowder waiting for RED" or
any man made desperate by real or
fancied wrongs to touch match to 1t and
blow us all to Kingdom Come? If the horrid
tragedy of Broad and Wall streets were nor
so recent it would be amusing to notice the
changed attitude of pedestrians toward ac-
customed sights in the city streets
Now any ancient, discouraged horse drag
cling a ramshackle wagon which formerly
would be forced to the wall is given respect
full way
Now when red flag is waved in the vicn-
ity of constructive work, instead of ignoring
it and pursuing ones way haughtily past.
the meek citizen halts at a considerable
distance removed and patiently waits to
Lear the tiny squirt indicative of the firing
off of a stick of dynamite before he resumes
his journey.
The echoes of great destructive blast
almost seem to frighten the air still and
caution us all to walk softly, like the ancient
King in the Bible.
For the dread of fire is still potent fear.
Carried to extremes, it leads to suspicion/of
every harmless package, of vehicle and
equipage most innocuous. New York people
who never inquired before after any of the
details of the Bureau of Combustbles are
now asking why ii is that the laws do not
protect them by the most stringent regula-
tions from danger to life and limb by the
defamation of high explosives. If these
fiightful forces must be used in building
and other operations, why not innocent
bystanders perfectly protected from them
as the carriers traverse the streets or the
explosives fly heavenward, carrying rock
and earth in their dangerous function?
Laws Are Ample Protection.
Innocent people, except when these forces
in the hands of vicious men, are fully
and positively safeguarded from them so
far as law can insure it.
A man is apt to smile as he sets down
this primary truth. 1t would seem that
every citizen must have read at some time
Chapters 10 and IL of the Code of Ordi-
nnnces. But Fire Commissioner Thomas J.
brennan knows by experience that four out
CT ten citizens have perhaps read the code
and that those who have not criticise I'M
justly To go further than this any manu-
facturer, transporter or any person engaged
in the storage, sale, handling or use of gun
powder, blasting powder. volatile fnflamma-
BILE oil or liquid, essential oil cor any sub
having properties of such a character that
alone, or in combination or contiguity with
other substance compound, may decom
pose suddenly and generate heat, gas
pressure to produce rapid flaming combus-
ton or administer destructive blow to sur
rounding objects" makes himself liable to
severe punishment by even a trifiing dis
obedience of the code.
The quotation used is from the general
rf..,1 .&ft he rifx ra1a he ~
law of May 80, 1908, which repealed obsolete
and obstructive legislation in regard to the
manufacture, use. sale, &c, Of destructive
powders, provided that the Interstate Com
mission should formulate and enforce all
reasonable regulations to promote safety;
therefore the code of laws carried out by
New York city is grated on others that
are nationwide.
Two States lead in the manufacture of
these explosives-Pennsylvani and New
Jersey-but scattered over the United States
are magazines numbering over thousand
in which the explosives are stored. These
are subject to localized safe
guards as well as to the general Federal
law, and carriers of the explosives from the
place of manufacture to the magazine and
from the latter to the mine, munition plant
Or wherever the explosives are legitimately
used ere likewise doubly controlled by law.
No Magazine on Manhattan.
The local magazine of New York city Is
situated not Manhattan Island, but in
barges on the upper bay behind Ellis Island.
From this magazine a person armed with
A written statement of the Fire Commits
sioner certifying that he has authority to
perform the work of removal, may with
iraw a specified quantity of explosive 1t
s to oe delivered at certain points on Man
haitian Island In barges and placed on
authorized wagons and within certain APP
pointed hours. The applicant for or holder
If permit for such removal Is bonded and
Engages and agrees to indemnify the city
or any loss. damage injury resulting
rom his acts under such permit.
In lie case of explosives a bond of $4,000
S required to bring them into the city for
he purpose of sale, transport and delivery.
\ similar bond is required for each vessel
n the local trade and for each vehicle