Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1923-10-19
ACTS
ON NEXPL0S|VES
AS Acting Secretary of War
He Writes Letter to U. S.
Senator Edge
MOVE BY FREEH0lDERS
Action Taken on South Amboy
Case-Is Called Private
Enterprise
MOVE BY FREEH0LDERS

NEW BRUNSWICK, Oct. 19:-
Every possible precaution is being
used by the government IN trans
porting and handling of explosives
| in this county and all shipments OIL
such a nature are in strict accord
ance with the regulations laid down
bv the Inter State Commerce Com
mission, according to ADVISES re-
ceived by the freeholders yesterday
from United States Senator Euge'
The powder which recently ourhs
ed at South Amboy, taking toli OIL
six lives, was a private enlerpr'se
over which the government had no
control as outlined in letter to
senator Edge from Acting Secre-
tarv OF War General Pershing, a
COPY of which was transmitted TO
the freeholders.
Though the Middlesex county
grand Jury has considered the case
and returned five indictments charg-
ing manslaughter growing out or the
alleged careless handling of powder,
the letter from the war department
will be submitted to them at their
next session.
A letter was also received from
Congressman Elmer Z. Geran to-
gether with a copy of a letter from
General c.. C. Williams, chief of the
ordnance departm ent, giving de-
tailed report OF the amounts OF ex-
pIosives stored in this county, the
purpose for which used and the
method employed in storing the ma,
terial. The information contained
in this communication was the same
as published in the News Wednes-
day evening.
The following is n copy of the let
ter received from ieneral Pershing
acting secretary of war, by Senator
Edge:
Preference is made TO your letter
of September %. 1928, incios!ng a
copy of resolution passed ~ "A board
,of Chosen Freeholders of the Coun-
ty of Middlesex New Jersey, in which
you request that definite steps be
taken to lessen the danger from ex-
plosives in transit.
II am pleased to inform you that
all shipments of explosives by COM
mon carrier throughout the United
States are controlled as to packing
containers, method of shipment, etc.,
by rules laid down by the Interstate
Commerce Commission The Ord
nance department in all shipments
by common carrier of explosives, the
property of the war department, has
carefully complied with these rules.
Where movement is to be made by
government truck the matter is TAX
en- up In advance by ordnance officers
with each township through which
the movement will pass, agreeing TO
pack the material in certain way,
label the trucks in an indicated man.
ners and follow such routes as will
be acceptable to the township in
question. A movement of this nature
is not started until the consent of
each township is obtained.
The recent shipment, by govern
ment truck, of several millicn pounds
of procotton, L violent explosive Of
a very sensitive nature from Rari-
tan Arsenal, Metuchen, New Jersey
to the Picatinny Arsenal, Dover, New
Jersey, IA distance of about : 0 miles,
was carried out without accident or
criticism of any kind.
1.-The smokeless powder, a part of
which burned recently at South Am
boy, New Jersey. consisted of a ship
ment from Charleston, S. c., on
barges of the AtI1s Powder Company
and was in the process nf peing
transferred from their ba-ges at
South Amboy. New Jersey, to the
cars of the Pennsylvania Railroad
for final shipment to the plant of the
Atlas Powder Company at Lake
Hopatcong, New Jersey. This was
strictly private shipment in which
the War Department was not con-
cerned.
1T gives me great pleasure to as
sure you that every possible Ere-
caution is taken ~ the War iIcpart-
ment in its handling Il all move
nfents of explosive material in or
der to safeguard the public from per-
sonal injury or loss of property.
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G,p