REPORT OF BOARD OF ENGINEERS, U. S. ARMY, ON STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVES IN NEW YORK HARBOR. WASHHSrGTOIT: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, 1893. REPORT OP BOAED OF ENGINEEPiS, U. S. ARMY, ON STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVES IN NEW YORK HARBOR. WASHINGTOTT: GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE. 1893. Treasury Department, Document No. 1560. Office of Secretary, Division Revenue Marine, REPORT ON STORAGE OF EXPLOSIVES m NEW YORK HARBOR. Teeasijry Department, Office of the Secretary, Washmgtonj D. C, June 1, 1892, The honorable the Secretary of War : Sir: I have respectfully to state that complaints have been made to this Department that the large quantity of explosive materials stored in the barges anchored in the vicinity of Ellis Island and Bedloe's Island is a constant menace to the lives and i)roperty of the citizens of New Jersey located near that point. I have the honor to request that, in order to ascertain whether or not there are good grounds for the complaints, a board, to be composed of officers of the Armj^, be designated to examine into the matter, and report whether, in their opinion, tlie present anchorage near the islands mentioned for vessels and barges with explosives stored on board is, as claimed, a menace to the lives and i)roperty of the citizens referred to. Capt. J. W. Congdon, commanding tlie revenue steamer Manhattan, which vessel is on anchorage duty at the port of New York, will be in- structed to convey the board to such points as they may desire to visit upon application. Capt. Congdon has been engaged upon this special work for some time and is well informed upon the subject, and may be able to assist the board in their labors. I desire to state in this connection that there is no approi^riation under this Department from which any expenses incident to the board could proxjerly be paid. Herewith is transmitted a copy of the rules and regulations relating to the anchorage of vessels in the port of New York. Kespectfully youis, O. S. SPAULDINa, Acting Secretary. EXPLOSIVES NEAR ELLIS AND BEDLOE'S ISLANDS. War Department, Washington, October 29, 1892, Sir : In response to your letter of June 1 last, stating that com- plaints had been made to your Department that the large quantity of explosive materials stored in the barges anchored in the vicinity of Ellis Island and Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor, is a constant 3 4 menace to tlie lives and property of the citizens located near that point, and asking tliat a board of Army officers be designated to examine and report upon the matter, I have the honor to advise you that the sub- ject was referred to the Board of Engineers at Kew York City for action, as desired by you, and the report of the Board and accompany- ing pa|)ers are transmitted herewith for your information. In this connection it may be remarked that the report of the Boiird is considered by this Department to be of such value as to warrant that it be printed in full, including the papers which accompany it, and, if you should so decide, the Department would greatly appreciate the favor to be furnished with 500 copies of the same for distribution to the Army. Very respectfully, L. A. Grant, Acting Secretary of War, The honorable the Secretary of the Treasury. POWDER BARGES IN NEW YORK HARBOR. The Board of Engineers, Army Building, I^ew York City, October 18, 1892, Brig. Gen. Thomas L. Casey, Chief of Engineers, IT. S, A., Washington, D, C: General: Tlie Board of Engineers has had under examination the matter of the storage of large quantities of explosive materials on barges anchored in the vicinity of Ellis and Bedloe's islands, New York Harbor, concerning which an investigation by a board of Army officers was requested by the lionorable the Secretary of the Treasury on June 1, 1892; and, in accordance with your indorsement upon the papers dated June 0, 1892, has now the honor to submit the following rei)ort thereon : Upon the receipt of the documents a conference was had with Capt. J. W. (Jongdon, of the Eevenue Marine Service, to whom the Board is indebted for important information on the subject. Stenographic notes of the interview are appended, marked A. On June 11 a public hearing was had, to which all parties interested in the storing of exj^losives at the locality in question were invited. A record of the proceedings is appended, marked B. On June 13 the Board, in company with Oapt. Oongdon, made an in- spection of the powder barges at their anchorage. A record of the notes of this inspection is appended, marked 0. The information thus obtained convinced the Board that the subject was one of serious importance, and that no pfibrt should be spared to obtain full knowledge of all important facts bearing thereon. Authority was therefore asked and received to call a public meeting by formal advertisement at which all interested parties should have an oppor- tunity to present their views. The meeting was held on July 14 and was well attended. Attention is invited to the stenographic record appended and marked 13. The facts thus collected relative to the storage of explosive material lit the locality in question may be summed up as follows : In accordance with the provisions of an act of Congress approved 6 May 16, 1888, the Secretary of the Treasury, under date of July 5, 1889, defined and established certain anchorage grounds in the bay and har- bor of New York. These regulations are still in force. Three anchorage areas for vessels carrying gunpowder or other explosives are defined, and only three. They are as follows : First. On the shoal jp:onnd to the eastward of Eikers Island, East River, fi-om one- quarter to five-eighths of a mile from this island. Second. On Jersey Flats to the westward of a line running NE. by N., from the outer end of the i)ier, east of Black Tom Island, provided that such vessels do not anchor within 800 yards of Ellis Island, or within 500 yards of any pier. Third. On the flats to the south of a line drawn from Bedloe's Island to Cavans T'oint, New Jersey, and to the westward of a line from Bedloe's Island to Robbiiis Reef, provided that they do not anchor within 1,000 yards of either Bedloe's Island or Rohbins Reef light, or within 500 yards of any pier. Vessels carrying explosives of too great draft to use this anchorage may anchor only in Gravesend Bay, but not within 1,000 yards of the shore. The present inquiry refers to the second of these areas. It is now used by six powder companies, viz : the Laflin & Hand Powder Com- pany, the Hazard Powder Company, and E. I. Du Pont, De Nemours & Company, all of which store only black powder; and by the High Ex- I)l()sive Company, the Eepauno Chemical Companj^, and by the Von Lengerke & Detmold Company, the first two of which store high ex- plosives, and the last black powder and smokeless powder only. The i)Owder barges of these companies are under no regular super- vision by the General Government or by State authorities. No limits are imposed as to the amounts of powder which may be stored at any one time, nor as to the regulations to be observed for its care and safety. No formal rules are posted on the barges for the government of themen in charge. It is stated that the presence of at least one person on board is required, and that care is taken to select trustworthy persons for this duty. Families were living on two of the barges, and on some cooking and lights wercpermitted without sufficient safeguards against fires. Permanent anchorage sites have been assigned to the difi'erent barges, and provisions to prevent drifting out of position have been made. The slight depth of water excludes large vessels and affords protection against collisions, while the set of the current affords safety against drifting ice. On the other hand, many small vessels lie up in the winter in the water space between the powder anchorage and the shore of New Jersey, thus placing themselves within the danger radius in case of accidental explosion. They are only prevented from occu- pying the anchorage ground itself by the supposed fear of danger which will thus be incurred. Although powder barges have been anchored in this vicinity for nuiny years no accident involving an explosion has occurred, but on one occasion a large amount of a high explosive was burned on a barge at her moorings. As to the amounts of powder which are stored in the barges, it ap- pears that the requirement^^ of business have heretofore ruled, but at the meeting it was recognized by the representatives of the companies that some restrictions should be establislied. In reply to a letter of the board asking to be informed what would be the miiiimum amounts that would not unreasonably cripple the trade, the following was re- ceived ! The Laflin & Eand Powder Company, 37,500 pounds black powder,- the Hazard Company, 18,750 pounds black powder j the E. I. DuPont, De Nemours Company, 12,500 pounds black powder ; the Eepauno Chemi- cal Company, 10,000 pounds high explosives j the High Explosive Com- pany, 30,000 pounds high explosives 5 the Yon Lengerke & Detmold 6 Company, 7,500 pounds black powder, and 25,000 pounds smokeless powder. These figures aggregate 70,250 pounds of black powder, 40,000 pounds of liigli exidosives, and 25,000 pounds of smokeless ])owder. They may be considered as representing the desires of the powder compauies at present for water storage in the harbor of New York. In addition, the Hazard Powder Company has a land depot under the Palisades al)()ut three-quarters of a mile above Fort Lee, on the Jersey shore j the Du Pont Powder Comi)aiiy has another in the same vicinity; and the Laflin & Kand Powder Company another under the Palisades about IG miles up the river. The other companies are understood to receive their sui)plies on the barges direct from the factories, without interme- diate storage, The questions before the Board render it necessary to consider: (1) The powder trade of New York, including its extent, the legal restric- tions under Avhich it is conducted, and the facilities to which it has a reasonable claim. (2) In the event of large explosions, whether of black powder or of high explosives, what is the danger radius beyond which no serious destruction of property or danger to life is to be apprehended ? (3) In case it shall appear tliat the use of powder barges may be con- tinued under suitable restrictions, what safeguards in the way of rules and regulations and what provisions for their enforcement are neces- sary to protect the public against carelessness and neglect on board the barges or against defects in their construction'^ These three questions will be considered in turn. THE POWDER TRADE OF NEW YORK. It is hardly necessary to refer to the very extensive and increasing use which is made of explosive agents in executing the public and private works demanded by the conditions of modern civilization. The necessity of affording every proper facility to their procurement is rec- ognized everywhere, and even in conservative Great Britain, where many restrictions unknown in this country are imposed on the manu- facture, storage, and use of these agents, the presence of i)OAvder barges or " magazines " so-called, on the river Thames, quite near the city of London, and in the track of commerce, is authorized as an unavoidable evil. The subject should therefore be approacihed in a reasonable spirit, not prejudiced by groundless fears. In order to comprehend the public importance of the interests in- volved in the powder trade of New York, not considered merely as a source of profit to the manufacturers and shii^pers, but also as a necessity to the public, it has seemed important to ascertain as nearly as may be, the actual extent of the annual traffic, local and interior, coastwise, and with foreign countries. This has not been easy to accomplish, as the figures are not contained in the commercial i^ubli- cations; but it is believed that the following table, which is based on inquiries among the manufacturers, Avill err rather by underestimating than by overestimating the amount of this traffic for the year 1891. For convenience the explosives are separated into two classes, non- detonating, represented by the different grades of ordinary black gunpowder with a small i^ercentage of smokeless varieties, and all detonating compounds and mixtures i)roperly designated as high ex- plosives. It should be borne in mind that much of the traffic does not pass through the anchorage. 7 Nondetonating powders. Ponnds. For local and interior use - 3, 739, 000 For coastwise traffic 1,223,000 For foreign export 1, 128, 000 Total 6,090,000 High explosives. Pounds. For local and interior use 315, (XK) For coastwise traffic 911, 000 For foreign export 211, 000 Total ; 1,437,000 These figures certainly demonstrate the importance of the powder trade of ]New York, and it remains to consider the restrictions under which for good and sufficient reasons the traffic is conducted. The State and municipal regulations, which are enforced in view of the public safety of the port, are summarized in the paper hereto a^)- pended marked E. They are somewhat difi^'erent in the States of New York and New Jersey, and are therefore set forth for each separately. It will be noted that these regulations impose restrictions which are necessarily onerous, and which^ call for as much relief as is consistent with the public safety. Under 'them the three great black-powder com- panies, the Laflin & Rand, the Hazard, and the E. I. Du Pont>-De Ne- mours, have i)rovided land magazines at isolated positions on North River, from which all business is conducted which can be conveniently so ac- commodated. The regulations which limit the time during which powder may be kept afloat render it necessary that shipments shall be made promptly just before the vessels leave the port, and hence require facili- ties* for water delivery. The expedient of powder baiges moored in the harbor naturally results, and the dangers of collision, of the dragging of anchors during storms, and of floating ice limit the localities which are available. The site opposite Communipaw is so much the superior of any of the three authorized by the Treasury Department that it alone is used. The limitations of the traffic are succinctly set forth in the following extract from a communication of one of the companies : Orders must be packed, marked, and held ready for vessels which at times stop at our barge for the same on their way to sea; often they are from one to five days late in calling on us for the powder, and you will see we are compelled to hold it on the s^jot during that time. Again, export shipments must be made on exact time, and this is usually early in the morning, say from 6 to 8 o'clock; hence we must have the powder near at hand. Most of the railroads here take powder but once a week on separate specified days, and we consequently are compelled to have a near-by place at which to mark and set aside accumulated orders for ready shipment on these spe- cial days. City deliveries require to be made promptly, and for that additional rea- son we must be in position to do so. We mention these conditions to show you that our North River magazine would be out of the question as a point from which to make daily deliveries. That magazine being over 10 miles distant, is only fit as a storage from which to replenish our barge stock from time to time, aud has enabled us in the past, and will also in the future, to limit the amount of stock carried on the barge to a comparatively small quantity. It remains to consider how far facilities can be granted to so impor- tant a traffic, without exposing the i>ublic to serious risks in case of an a<3cidental explosion. That none has occurred during the many years in which it has been gradually developed, speaks well for the caution 8 observed by the companies, but where so immense interests are at stake, too much care can not be taken to prescribe and enforce all need- ful regulations. THE DANGER RADIUS. Many local circumstances, beside the kind and quantity of the explo- sive, affect the danger radius. Such are the suddenness and complete- ness of the chemical reaction, the degree of the local confinement, the nature of the surface of the country intervening between the explosion and the object affected, and finally the fact that the actual intensity of action varies somewhat at difl'erent azimuth angles, producing discrep- ancies in the observed effects not always easy to explain. Iri a word, there is no law which governs in all cases, and accepted rules for deter- mining the danger radius are simply empiric deductions from such observed facts in large accidental explosions as serve to throw light upon the subject. A brief summary of the more important of these records is appended, marked F, and to it attention is invited. It is to be regretted that the lack of authentic information as to the amount of the explosive, or as to the precise effects at known ranges, deprives many disastrous accidents of the value they otherwise would have in investigations like the present. Legislation in Great Britain is much i^ advance of that in this country in regulating the manufacture, storage, and use of explosive material. In the year 1875 a general explosives act was passed, and it has been modified from time to time as suggested by experience, until now the rules and regulations, and the provisions for enforcing them, are of great utility in protecting life and property. The administration of the act is vested in the secretary of state, who may appoint fit persons as inspectors and assign them their duties. These ofiicers are now three in number — Col. Y. D. Majendie, chief in- spector, and Cols. A. Ford and J. P. Cundill, inspectors. Their an- nual re])orts and their special reports on particular cases are of gen- eral value and widely-recognized authority. These of&cers have made careful studies of all data existing upon the subject, and their conclu- sions merit the most careful consideration in cases like the present. The explosives act makes a distinction between what is called a " store" and a "magazine.'^ The former is a building licensed by local authority, to contain not over 4,000 pounds. All rules relating to " stores " are matters of statute, and the local authorities have no dis- cretion in regard to the grant or refusal of the license when the appli- cant is in position to satisfy the legal requirements. If the applicant requires larger quantities or less distances, or desires to keep the ex- plosives in a floating magazine, he must apply to the secretary of state for a " magazine " license. The secretary of state is not bound by any statutory limits. He judges each case on its merits. In deciding upon such licenses the authorities are guided as to quantities and distances, in a very large degree, by a carefully prepared "table of distances," which extends up to 100,000 pounds, with proportionate distances from various classes of protected works. A copy of this table is appended, marked G. The following rules are followed in applying this table : If mounds or screens of earth, whether natural or artificial, protect the magazine, the distances laid down are reduced one-half; and this principle is ap- plied to floating magazines where the explosive is kept below the water 9 line, the water being regarded as a mound or screen to prevent extended natural effects. Again, in " stores " 1 pound of high explosive is allowed for 2 pounds of gunpowder; but as appears from the table, in the case of ^'magazines," when the quantity exceeds a certain amount the dis- tinction disappears, because the effects of high explosives at a distance do not appear to increase in a higher ratio than those of gunpowder. The Board regards this English practice as the best guide available for deciding such cases as are now under consideration, supported as it is by known data obtained from the study of the effect produced in great explosions. The regulations prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury for this anchorage, as already stated, j)rovide that vessels carrying gunpowder or other explosives shall not anchor within 800 yards of Ellis Island, or within 500 yards of any pier, or to the eastward of a certain defined line. Tlie space thus established for the anchorage forms an iiregular trapezoid containing about 45 acres, having sides, resj)ectively, of about 2,250 feet, 750 feet, 1,800 feet, and 2,250 feet. In applying the English table to this case, the question arises, what class of protected structures should be assumed to meet the i)roblem here i^resentedf Since objection is made to any storage of explosives in this vicinity, English custom would apply the most stringent rule applicable in such cases, namely, that for "a dwelling house without the consent of the occupier, a factory not belonging to the Government, a church or chapel, a university, college or school, a hospital or i)ublic institution, a town hall or court of justice, a covered market, theater or building wherein i^ersons are accustomed to assemble." For such structures the amount of black powder or high explosives allowed to be stored when, as in this case, the danger radius is 500 yards, is 24,000 pounds, provided, in the case of a lioating magazine, that the explosive be stored below the tcater line; if stored above that line the amount is reduced to 9,375 pounds. Hence, as appears from the dimensions above given, the established anchorage area will accommodate seven vessels, spaced at 280 yards apart, the distance required for a load of 24,000 pounds; or twelve ves- sels, spaced at 200 yards apart, the distance required for a load of 9,375 pounds. The area allotted is, therefore, ample for the present needs of the powder trade, provided the rules for securing public safety in Eng- land can be accepted as sufficient. REGULATIONS GOVERNING STORAGE. The following are the terms of the official license granted by the Secretary of State, for a magazine for exiDlosives, under the foregoing rules : 1. The site of the magazine shall be that shown on the plan signed by a Govern- ment inspector, hereto attached. 2. The distances to be maintained between the magazine and snch buildings and works as are specified in the schedule hereto, shall be those set forth in the said sched- ule; and if at any time after the grant of this license, by reason of the approach of any such buildings or works the magazine ceases to be beyond the distances therein specified, this license shall cease to authorize the use of the magazine for the keep- ing of explosive. 3. The mounds, buildings, and works in or connected with tlie magazine shall be those shown on the aforesaid i)hin, and their construction shall be . 4. No explosive shall be kept in the magazine other than . 5. The quantity of explosive in the magazine shall not at any one time exceed 10 6. The hatches of the hold Bhall not he open ; and explosive and the cases contain- iii;^ the same shall not bo exposeci or uncovered while any steam vessel is within 50 yards of the magazine. 7. The portion of the masjazino marked cabin on the aforesaid plan B, shall he usetl as a residence for a watchman, and there shall at all times be a competent per- son on board the luagazine. 8. The amount of coal in the magazine at any one time shall not exceed liuudr<'d weight, and of other iuel hundred weight, and such (;oal and fuel shall be kept only in a properly ventilated place on the deck of the magazine. 9. No artiiicial means of lighting shall be permitted on board the magazine but candles or vegetable oil in a lam]) or lantern of such description as not to cause any danger from hre or oxidosion, aiul no matches other than sal'ety matches shall be allowed on board the magazine, and the said safety matches shall be kept in a place set apart for their safe keeping in the cabin of the magazine. 10. No lire shall be allowed on board the magazine except iu a stove in the cabin, and every portion of the magazine about and near to such stove and to the line thereof shall l)e screened and protected by a good and sufficient covering of sheet iron, zinc, or lead, and such stove and flue shall not be in contact with any woodwork or other inflammable material. 11. The magazine shall be provided with a valve or valves situated below the water line, and of such position, construction, and dimensions as to be readily opened from the deck so as to admit sufficient water readily to tlood the hold in the event of any fire breaking out on board the magazine. 1 12. A red flag not less than 3 feet square shall be at all tunes kept hoisted in a conspicuous ])osition on board the magazine, and the magazine shall be otherwise distinguished in such manner (if any) as the harbor authority within whose juris- diction the magazine is situated may appoint. VIEWS OF THE BOARD. When inspected by tlie Board on June 13, 1892, the six floating maga- zines known as powder barges " were all moored at the anchorage near Ellis Island to which they had been assigned; and in the docu- ment appended to this report, marked 0, will be found a detailed state- ment of what si^ecially attracted notice. The watchmen on board reported the following as the actual-con- tents of the magazines at that date : Barge. V. and L. Detmold. Palinurua Bessie Joseph W. Fuller . Electric Sallie and Sophie . . Kind of explosive. Smokeless and black powder Dynamite Atlas and Etna powder (about) Black powder (about) Black powder Black powder and some cartridge sheUs. Total Amount in pounds. 2,500 22,850 22. 500 325, 000 30, 000 25, 000 427, 050 On all these barges the watchmen appeared to be trustworthy men. The regular occupants at night were : F. and L. Detmold^ man, wife, and three children; Falinurus , man and wife, with a temporary helper during the man's illness; Bessie^ two men; Joseph W. Fuller j six men; Electric^ one man ; Sallie and Sophie, three men. Marked distinctions were noted on the different barges in the matter of precautions taken to avoid accident. On none were regular rules j:)Osted for the government of the occui)ants, but on all some general in- struction had been given verbally. On the Palinurns a heap of rubbish, including oil and rags liable to spontaneous combustion in the hot weather then prevailing, was found in the interior of the powder chamber. The precautions against fires originating at the stoves were fairly 11 good on some of the barges, but were wliolly neglected on others. The presence of ordinary portable coal-oil lamps was noticed on some of the vessels. In brief, the discipline and well-considered rules of living, imperatively demanded on a floating magazine, were not generally ap- parent at this inspection. On the Joseph W. Fuller the Board found, as above stated, about 160 tons of black powder. Such an amount if exploded would be dangerous to the occupants of Ellis Island and of the I^ew Jersey shore. The Board is of opinion that the conditions existing at the an- chorage at the time of its inspection were " a menace to the lives and _ l^roperty of citizens of New Jersey located near that point;" but it is equally of opinion that this menace need not continue, provided a judicious system of regulations as to amounts stored and care to be " observed, enforced by frequent official inspection of the barges, be instituted by the Treasury Department. It was frankly admitteil by the representatives of the ])owder com- panies at their heariug on June 11, 1892, that souu^ limit sVould be prescribed as to the maximum amount of exi)losives to be allowed on a barge at any one time. Under the usage regulating such matters in England a maximum cargo of 10 tons (20,000 pounds) would be li- censed at a distance of o.'H) yards from a public i'aih\ ay, 250 yards from a dwelling house with the consent of the occu])ant, and 850 yards without such consent, all these distances being reduced one-half if the explosive be stored below the water line. In a case like that under consideration such cargoes would be authorized at anchorages 250 yards ai)art. If these rules of practice should commend themselves to the Treas- ury Department the prescribed anchorago near Ellis Island would ac- commodate eight i)owder barges with maximum cargoes of 10 tons each, disposed at 250 yards apart, and would thus more than meet the present needs of the powder trade of the port of New York, without greater risks to the community at large than are recognized as reason- able and safe at the port of London. Kespectfully submitted. Henry L. Abbot, Colonel of Engineers^ Bvt. Brig. Oen., U. S. A., President of the Board. C. B. COMSTOCK, Colonel of Engineers , Bvt. Brig. Gen.^ U. S. A. D. O. Houston, Colonel of Engineers. G. L. Gillespie, Lieut, Colonel of Engineers. 12 A. Transcript of stc^iographer^s notes of an intervieio hettceen the Board of Engineers and Capt. J. W. Gongdon, commanding the revenue marine steamer Manhattan,^^ held in the Army Building , New York City, June 1892y in the matter of complaints relative to storage of high explosives in barges at the anchorage grounds near Ellis and Bedloe''s Islands j New YorJc Harbor, Present: Cols. Abbot and Comstock, and Lieut. Col. Gillespie, Mr. Jay Stone, chief clerk and stenographer, Capt. J. W. Congdon, United States Revenue - Marine Service. Gen. Abbot. Captain, we would be glad to know something about the author- ity which controls the anchorages in this harbor. Capt. Cong DON. The act of Congress approved May Ifi, 18S8, gives the Secre- tary of the Treasury authority to define the anchorages in this harbor, and make regulations in that regard. Gen. Abbot. Has the city any harbor masters ? Capt. CONGDON. As near as I can ascertain, the so-called harbor masters are the dock masters. They merely have control inside of the piers. There are harbor masters appointed in New Jersey, because one of them had some trouble with some vessel anchored olT the pier. He tried to have it moved, but a woman on board drove him off with a shotgun. They .sent for me and I had it moved out of the way. The man told me that he was a harbor master, but that he had no authority to carry out his orders. Dock masters have come to me several times about vessels anchored along the piers. I told them that I had no authority to act, but if I were in their place 1 should make them pay wharfage. Gen. Comstock. Prior to the passage of this act, when the United States took charge of these anchorage matters, who had control of vessels anchoring in the harbor ? Capt. CONGDON. Harbor masters appointed by the State, and they had as- sistants. Gen. Comstock. Under State laws? Capt. CONGDON. Yes, sir. Gen. Comstock. Are those harbor masters still in existence ? Capt. Cong DON. I think not. Commissioner Post, of the Dock Commission, stated yesterday that there was no law that he knew of which covered the ground. Gen. Comstock. The harbor masters have some authority, but you do not . know what the laws are ? Capt. CONGDON. No, sir. Gen. Comstock. The question is, whether there is not some State law which might throw some light on what has been done heretofore ? Capt. CONGDON. I don't know. Gen. Abbot. How do you carry out the regulations about anchorages ? If they decline to obey your instructions, as in the case of a powder ship, to move otf , would they be lined, or is it necessary to actually tow her olT yourself ? Capt. CONGDON. Year before last j moved 94(5 vessels out of the channels. I warned over 1,500. As a general thing they are in the channels that are mostly used. I generally take right hold and tell them they must move off, but some- times they pay very little heed to me. I try to give them a fair show and sub- mit the case to the collector of customs, who submits it to the district attorney. They are then fined $100. Gen. Abbot. If the Treasury Department should issue directions not to allow any more vessels in the anchorages here, is there ample power to enforce them ? Capt. CoNGDON. Yes, sir: I should immediately write to these people warn- ing them of the fact. They say that they will go anywheres where we direct. Gen. Abbot. The Board would like to have any information you can give us as to the origin of those complaints. Capt. CONGDON. All I know about the matter is in the correspondence I have had with the Department, f had a letter from the Board of Trade of Jersey City, and from a State senator whose name I don't remember. I went among the powder people and read them all the correspondence I could get hold of on the subject. Col. Gillespie. Were these vessels anchored in the proper anchorage 13 grounds, assigned to tnem under the authorit^^of the Secretary of the Treasury ? Capt. Cong DON. Yes, sir. Gren. COMSTOCK. Has there been any complaint made by people on the Jersey shore V Capt. CONGDON. Not direct to me, but to the Immigration Bureau and then to the Secretary of the Treasury, and also to a member of Congress, who intro- duced a resolution to have them removed from the harbor, but it was tabled. After receiving the letters I saw the different powder people and found out how much powder they had on board. The following is a letter I wrote to the Sec- retary of the Treasury in answer to one I received from him on this subject : U. S. Revenue Steamer Manhattan, Port of New Y(yrk, February 10, 1892. Hon. Charles Foster, Secretary of tlie Treasury ^ Washington, D, C: Sir : I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of Department letter of the 8th instant, L. G. S., wherein I am instructed to ascertain and report to the De- partment the number of scows or barges loaded with explosives anchored in an- chorage ground No. 1!J, New York Harbor : the quantity of ammunition or ex- plosives which they contain ; to whom they belong, and by what authority they are located in their present position, and in reply will state that immediately u])on receipt of Department letter I sent a small boat with an officer into the powder boats and got all the information I could from them, and I have notified the several firms connected with the powder firms, and respectfully submit the following statement, to wit: Dupont Powder Company, No. 32 Pine street. The schooner Sally and Sophie has about 125 pounds of black powder. Sometimes has more. She is also used for storing Government powder. Hazard Powder Company, No. 63 Pine street, has one barge The Electric. She has at present from 7 to 8 tons of black powder on board of her. Laflin & Rand, No. 20 Murry street, have a barge TtieJ. W. Fuller. Has about 40 tons of black jwwder on board. The Excelsior Powder Company, 45 Broadway; one hulk containing dynamite. Has about 5 tons on her. Name, FaUnurvs. The Repauno Chemical Company, No. 239 Broadway, has storage in hulk Bes- sie, 17,500 pounds dynamite. The firm of V. L. Detmold, No. 8 Murray street, dealers in fireworks, etc., have storage in barge V. L. Detmold in small cases; 100 1-pound cases, 7(52 2-pound cases : 88 kegs of 25 pounds each, 336 quart kegs of Q{ pounds each, 115 cases of non-explosives and 103 cases of metallic cartridges. Total, six powder boats. They all have watchmen on board and in some cases whole families live on board. Respectfully referring to what authority these boats are located in their pres- ent position, I have the honor to state that on the 18th of last month I received a communication trom the collector of customs at this port, calling ray attention to these powder boats and their dangerous proximity to the buildings on Ellis Island with a view that I might take such action in the premises as would be found necessary to enforce a strict compliance with the laws in this respect. I took immediate action in the matter by sending an officer into these boats and locating them, finding them all anchored according to law as laid down in the second section of Anchorage No. 19 of the latest rules and regulations relating to the anchorage of vessels in this port. I find in the first anchorage circulars issued by the Department, dated September 13, 1888, that no mention was made of this anchorage that they now occupied, but in the later circulars, dated July 5, 1889, this present ancVhorage was embraced in response I infer from the rec- ommendations of my predecessor. I beg leave to submit a copy of my letter to the collector of customs on this subject. Also copy of my letter to Lieut. Hunker, U. S. Navy, from President Wheeler of the Hazard Powder Company in 1888, bearing on the same subject. Also inclose the letter of William J. Tate, esq. Respectfully yours, J. W. CONGDON, Capt. U. S. Bevenue Marine, Afterwards I received a letter from the Chief of the Bureau, who wanted me to recommend some place for an anchorage for these people. I told him that there was no place except beyond Gravesend and outside of the "gate." The 14 powder is being constantly rim in here. I notified either the secretary or president of the Hazard Powder Company about this matter, and he staled to me that in some of the towns they had passed a law compelling- them to store the powder outside of the town. The consequence is that people dealing in dyna- mite or powder smuggle it in and keep it in places where it was more dangerous than if it were in town. There is more powder lying around loose than there was before. Gen. Abijot. Have you formed any views as to what could best be done in this matter? Capt. CONGDON. No, sir. Col. Gillespie. There are laws for the regulation of transportation of dyna- mite and high explosives on land, but not by water. Capt. Cong DON. People are doing this all the time. If I find a vessel coming in with powder I drive it out, but sometimes the tugs get the powder and dis- charge it right onto the craft. They come in to the shore there in small boats, and are going backwards and forwards all the time. The Board then adjourned to meet at noon on the 11th instant to hear the views of the powder men on this subject. B. Transcript of stenographer'^ s notes of a puhlic hearing held in the Army Building^ New Yorlc City^ June 11, 1892, in the matter of complaints relative to the storage of high explosives in l)arges at the anchorage grounds near Ellis and Bedloe^s Islands^ New York Harbor. Present: Cols. Abbot and Comstock and Lieut. Col. Gillespie ; Mr. Jay Stone, chief clerk and stenographer ; Capt. J. W. Congdon, U. S. Revenue Marine Serv- ice ; Mr, Willis Van Tyne, Excelsior Dynamite Company ; Mr. Edward Greene, Laflin & Rand Powder Company ; Mr. Arthur Hyndman, E. I. Du Pont, De Ne- mours & Co. ; Mr. E. F. Hamlin, Repauno Chemical Company ; Mr. George Weightman, Hazard Powder Company ; Messrs. Van. Lengerke & Detmold. Gen. Abbot. I will read the following letter from the Treasury Department, 80 that it may be understood by gentlemen present : Treasury Department, June i, 1892. The honorable Secretary of War : Sir: I have respectfully to state that complaints have been made to this De- partment that the large quantity of explosive materials stored in the barges an- chored in the vicinity of Ellis Island and Bedloe's Island is a constant mena-je to the lives and property of the citizens of New Jersey located near that point. I have the honor to request that, in order to ascertain whether or not there are good grounds for the complaints, a board, to be composed of officers of the Army, be designated to examine into the matter and report whether in their 0])inion the present anchorage near the islands mentioned for vessels and barges with explosives stored on board is, as claimed, a menace to the lives and prop- erty of the citizens referred to. Capt. J. W. Congdon, commanding the revenue steamer Manhattan, which vessel is on anchorage duty at the port of New York, will be instructed to con- vey the Board to such points as they may desire to visit, upon application. Capt. Congdon has been engaged upon this special work for some time and is well in- formed upon the subject, and may be able to assist the Board in their labors. I desire to state in this connection that there is no appropriation under this Department from which any expenses incident to the Board could properly be paid. Herewith is transmitted a copy of the rules and regulations relating to the anchorage of vessels in the port of New York. Respectfully yours, O. L. Spaulding, Acting Secretary. 15 Gen. Abbot. We desire to thoroughly understand the subject under investiga- tion. We have had an examination made of the laws of the State bearing on the matter, and have addressed similar invitations to those you have received to at- tend this meeting to all parties interested that we knew of. We want to learn what you have to say on the subject, what difficulties may exist, and what would be the best means for obviating them; in other words, to have a full discussion, and to act intelligently on sufficient informiation. We would be very glad to hear from any gentleman present on the subject. Mr. Greene. That is rather short notice foi* many of us. The Du Pont Com- pany at Wilmington is represented by Mr. Hyndman. He has to refer every-, thing to them, and I have to submit this matter to our board of directors. I shall see some of them to-morrow and some of them next day. I shall be very glad to consult with them and take their advice, and I suppose that Mr. Hamlin, of the Du Pont Company, is similarly situated. Mr. Detmold is here to speak for himself. If you wish me to state what I think of the storage of powder, I will do so. I think that it would be very unfortunate for all of us if we were driven away entirely. It would be hardly possible for us to do any foreign or domestic trade. For instance, suppose we engaged a vessel to take a shipment of powder, and she is to sail on the 17th instant. When that time comes around it is found that she is not ready . If we had to bring that powder in by rail, we could not of course send it back, and it therefore seems absolutely essential that we should have some place of deposit here in the harbor. I am bound to say that I think the storage of powder is carried perhaps a little too f»r in some cases, and that the quantity permitted to accumulate is too great. Gen. CoMSTOCK. You are referring now to storage on vessels in this particu- lar place ? Mr. Greene. Yes, sir. I believe that if the matter could be thoroughly in- vestigated, and it could be decided how much each vessel was permitted to keep on store, that that would be the best way of settling the matter. Gen. CoMSTOCK. How much has your company had in store there at any one time — the maximum ? Mr. Greene. It is a very large quantity. I have no doubt that there have been 400 tons of gunpowder stored there at one time. Gen. COMSTOCK. By your own company? Mr. Greene. At some time. Gen. Abbot. Your company has no dealings in high explosives? Mr. Greene. No. sir; not at all. We are interested as stockholders in dyna- mite companies, but do not sell anj' in ours. Col. Gillespie. Is there any limit to the amount of powder that any one ves- sel can carry ? . Mr. Greene. Shipments made for abroad are not, generally speaking, of very large amounts. Shipments of 1,0(X) kegs are as large as any of us make. Mr. Weightman. We ship 1,500 kegs, but there are times when there are orders for even larger quantities than that. Take the case of the Hazard Pow- der Company. Before many days we will have a shii)ment to make in this harbor and for export which will be large. We have been trying for the past year, as all loyal Americans are trying, to cultivate a foreign trade both in South America and Europe. Unless we can have a place where we can store our product preparatory to shipments, we could not develop this trade. We have magazines where we keep the greater part of our powder. We have a lighter by which we bring up our jwwder for shipment by steamer, and for the ordinary trade from this port abroad we must have the powder where it is accessible, be- cause powder orders are just like orders for fuel or other commodities; we must be ready to fill the orders when received. Gen. Abbot. Your company deals chiefly in black powder ? Mr. Weightman. Only in black powder. I will say, however, that we are interested in the others, but have nothing to do with the shipment. 1 am ad- vocating the matter of shipments of black powder, but I notice in the latter part of your letter inviting me to be present, you pay special attention to the matter of high explosives. I know that in regard to the barge. The Electric, which stores our powder, that we always have a very limited quantity, because we are constantly replenishing our stock from the magazines which we have on the North River. Col. Gillespie. You speak of your magazines. Where are they ? Mr. Weightman. Just above Fort Lee, in New Jersey ; three-quarters of a milo. 16 Col. Gillespie. Near the water front? Mr. Wkightman. Yes, sir. Gen. ( 'oMSTOCK. Down on the >vater surface? Mr. Weichtman. Down on the Palisades. No better place for such a busi- ness could be selected. When we bought it many years ago wc looked ahead to the growth and extension of the business. Gen. COMSTOCK. How do you transport your powder to the vessels? Mr. Weightman. We have a sloop of our own. Wo always have a man on board the barge on the .Tersey Flats. The manner of conducting the powder . business has always been the same. I have been connected with the company since 1862. We have always had these vessels, but commerce has compelled us to go lower down. When we first sold powder we would anchor where the Penn- sylvania Railroad Courtlandt street ferry now is, but we are now located by the Treasury Department between Bedloe's and Ellis Islands beyond. Col. Gillespie. Do you keep powder there for early shipment or waiting or- ders ? Mr. Weightman. There are times when we can not tell whatwill be ordered the next day, but we only generally keep a limited quantity. Our quantity is from 1,000 to 1,500 kegs at the anchorage. Gen. COMSTOCK. You have never had more than 1,500 kegs there at any one time ? Mr. Weightman. Only in case of a shipment. Take for instance when there is a fog. Sailing vessels then can not haul out until the fog lifts. As soon as the fog lifts out goes the vessel, and you must have the powder there to fill the order or out goes the vessel without it. When we have not been ready we have lost shipments. Gen. COMSTOCK. What has been the maximum quantity stored there at any one time ? Mr. Weightman. I should say about 2,000 kegs of 25 pounds each. Col. Gillespie. Have you ever used the anchorage as a temporary floating magazine ? Mr. Weightman. No, sir; only to meet an order already received. We get orders by telephone, but do not know the kind that is wanted. You have got to have it there, and it may be wanted for the next day, and you must have a small supply there to meet the demand. Col. Gillespie. How much do your permanent magazines at the Palisades contain ? Mr. Weightman. Sometimes the quantities there are larger than at other times; sometimes 5,000, and sometimes 7,000 or 8,000. It depends upon what we consider the demand will be. We have to bring the powder down by rail, so we can get at it by sloop. The powder business is one that has grown with this port. We have a large business which is a benefit to the community and lo the United States, and we employ many men, and all that we ask is that we may be enabled to have proper facilities in the harbor. Gen. COMSTOCK. Are there any restrictions upon your movements of powder down to the Palisades ? Mr. Weightman. None whatever. There is no State or city control what- ever over the powder facilities up there. Col. Gillespie. Any at Bedloe's Island ? Mr. Weightman. No, sir. That is under the chargeof the Treasury Depart- ment, and we were located there officially under Capt. Hunker and Capt. Cong- don. Col. Gillespie. That location is.only 3 or 4 years old. Mr. Weightman. Since 1888. Col. Gillespie. Prior to that time ? Mr. Weightman. We v/ere off. the Central Railroad dock, and the company called attention to the fact that we were so close, and then the Government lo- cated us where we are now. Col. Gillespie. Prior to that did you have to consult any one as to the move- ment of your powder? Mr. Weightman. No, sir ; I do not recall any one. Col. Gillespie. There are laws with reference to its transportation by rail? Mr. Weightman. They are regulations of the State. Col. Gillespie. But no laws as to transportation of powder by rail ? Mr. Weightman. No. sir. Col. Gillespie. You have the powder transferred from your mills the same as you would any other material ? 17 Mr. Weightman. Yes, sir ; precisely the same. It is loaded in cars at our mills, and I am very happy to have you ask these questions, as we are more in- terested than anyone else in having" the thing done properly. Our powder comes to us by rail into the West Shore Railroad at Weehawken. transported in our own lighter, and by our own men. It is taken to our own magazine and stored there, and is brought down to the barges as we require it. We keep only a limited supply there — enough to meet the demand. Col. Gillespie. Do you have to load thelcars with gunpowder only, and to go by special trains— any restrictions y Have the powder trains no distinction from other trains ? Mr. Weightman. There is a rule to put the powder in the middle of the train. As far as the Hazard Powder Company is concerned we ship very little powder by rail from the port of New York. All the cars with powder go from our mills at Hazard ville. Conn. All we want is facilities to do the business here in the port of New York. What I want you to understand is that there was a time when nearly all the powder had to go directly from the port of NeW York to the West because it was shipped by canal. The risk is not so great as you gentle- men or the public may suppose. We get the same rates of freight from our mills that any other company or anybody can get from the port of New York. Gen. Abbot. There are laws of the State of New York relative to the ship- ment of explosives by land. For instance, if you ship from some places named without marking cases you are guilty of criminal action. Mr. Weightman. I do not wish to put myself up as an expert as to what all the laws may be. I notice that so far as the State of 'New York is concerned we comply with all of them as to the transportation of powder. Gen. COMSTOCK. What is the ratio of shipment by water from here to for- eign ports as compared to the shipment to American ports '? What proportion of your powder goes to foreign ports rather than to American ports from this harbor 't Mr. Weightman. That is very small. Our export trade now will increase, because we are going to push it. Gen. COMSTOCK. But at present? Mr. Weightman. I could not say. It is about three-eighths and five-eighths. Three-eighths foreign. Gen. COMSTOCK. What proportion of powder is handled in this harbor ? Mr. Weightman. I should say as far as foreign ports are concerned it would be the reverse. Mr. Greene. The amount of powder which goes to foreign ports that is han- dled herein the harbor of New York is a small proportion of what is handled. Gen. COMSTOCK. Your shipments are largely to American ports and not to foreigh ports from this harbor ? Mr. Greene. Yes, sir. Gen. COMSTOCK. What ratio is it; one-tenth ? Mr. Greene. It is less than that. Col. Gillespie. What precautions do you take to prevent explosions of your powder on floating magazines? Do you keep a crew on board, and do you have regulations ? Mr. Greene. The very fact that the man is there — that his own life is at stake. Everything is done that can be done to protect life. Since 1862, of my own per- sonal knowledge, this company has never harmed the hair of anyone. Col. Gillespie. Has your company issued any special regulations to your em- ployes with reference to the care which they should exercise ? Mr. Greene. No special ones. Personally I go over there every little while unexpectedly for that purpose. One man lives there all the time. That very fact' would indicate that we consider it requires care. The man has his life in his hands, and he has been in our employ twenty-five years. We have others who have care of the powder. Nothing could have more scrupulous care than that which we exercise in handling the powder, because we are more interested than anyone else to prevent accidents. Mr. Hyndman. My interests are identically the same as those who have spoken. Gen. COMSTOCK. What is the maximum amount of powder that you have stored here ? Mr. Hyndman. About 1,800 kegs of 25 pounds each. Gen. CoMSTOCK. You have no high explosives stned here ? Mr. Hyndman. No, sir ; don't handle them. Only common black blasting powder. 9017 2 18 Col. Gillespie. Do you have permanent mag^azincs? Mr. Hyndman. Yes, sir ; the same as the Hazard Company. At Fort Lee. It is close adjoining theirs. Col. Gillespie. Do the persons residing in the vicinity of the magazines make any complaint ? Mr. Hyndman. None whatever. Col. Gillespie. Are yoiu- magazines removed from any dwelling ? Mr. Hyndman. They arc. The magazines are about a mile from anybody. Gen. COMSTOCK. What is the amount of powder stored in your magazines? Mr. Hyndman. Never exceeding 3,000 or 5,000 kegs. At the present time there is not more than 1,200 kegs up there. Gen. Comstock. What kind of magazine have you ? What is the nature of the building ? Mr. Hyndman. It is a brick building with a tin roof, and iron doors outside. Gen. Comstock. Is it exposed like any other brick building ? Mr. Hyndman. Yes, sir. Gen. Abbot. What would be the comparative disadvantages of occupying these lower anchorages as indicated on this map here V [Map contained in rules and regulations relating to anchorages of vessels in port of New York, Treasury De- partment, 1888, shown.] Mr. Greene. My impression was that that was too much exposed in time of storms and rough weather, and particularly when ice was floating down there. Mr. Von Lengercke. I believe the disadvantage would be that there would be deep water, and more danger of accidental coUisicm. It is simply' intpossible at the low anchorages to have accidental collision. The water is so low that any vessel of any draft would ground before it came to the p jw Jer barges. Another disadvantage is about small shipments. These go by rail and would cause an untold amount of trouble. All the powder companies get orders to ship small quantites of powder to certain parties by certain railroads, which is done only one or two days in a week, and it would be difficult to make connections unless the powder was handy to New York. We must keep up to the regulations of the freight companies. Gen. Abbot. Do you speak of high explosives? Mr. Von Lengercke. No, sir ; black powder and smokeless powder. The largest amount of powder we ever handle is 500 kegs of 50 pounds each. Gen. Comstock. That is the largest amount you have ever handled at Bed- loe's Island ? Mr. Von Lengercke. Yes, sir. Gen. Comstock. How much of black powder? Mr. Von Lengercke. Never more than 200 kegs. Col. Gillespie. This powder is manufactured up at Ramapo and in that vi- cinity ? Mr. Von Lengercke. Yes, sir. Col. Gillespie. This is your only magazine ? Mr. •Von Lengercke. Yes, sir ; this is our floating magazine from which we can ship quantities. Smokeless powder is a new thing, and does not go in large quantities, it would simply kill the business to have the powder away because we could not make connections. Col. GiLLESPiiii. Your floating magazine is the only magazine which you have in the State of New York ? Mr. Von Lengercke. Yes, sir. I believe that the record of these magazines should go a great way in this matter. There is no record of any accident of any kind, and I believe the condition of things up there make the storage secure and accidents impossible. Gen. Abbot. You keep a man all the time on your boats ? Mr. Von Lengercke. Always. Col. Gillespie. Have you any special regulations for the care which he is to exercise ? Mr. Von Lengercke. One of the firm inspects it regularly, and the man re- ports at the office all the time, and as has been stated, these men hold their lives in their hands. Col. Gillespie. And every man is to be the judge of his own danger? Mr. Von Lengercke. No, sir; we would look after that of course. We have regulations, but they are not in printed form. Gen. Comstock. When the man reports to the office who takes care of the boat? Mr. Von Lengercke, Thei-e is another man there. The b09.t is never with- out a man on it. 19 Mr. Greene. I would like to offer in advance a letter which was written by the Hazard Powder Company, because I think such a condition of thing-s as he presents would arise. It was written by the then president of the company, who is now deceased. He took up the matter at the time that Lieut. Hunker was in charge : The Hazard Powder Company, Manufacturers of Gunpowder, 63 Pine Street, New York, October 30, 1888. Lieut. J. J. Hunker, TJ. S. N., In clianje of anckoragc grounds, Room 4, Barge Office, New York: . Dear Sir: In response to your recent request that I mention objections, if any, to the anchorage ground in New York Harbor suggestively designated by you for powder vessels: The ground thus allotted is on, or boarders on, areef or rocky ledge stretching southerly from Bedloe's Island, with comparatively little water at best, and being in a strong tideway would certainly prove a dangerous place for anchorage . Again, the ebb and flow of tide there and in that vicinity is at all times strong, and in winter is flooded with river ice which would remove or cut down any anchored vessel. Either of these are vital objections, to say nothing of the in- accessibility of the location for daily commercial needs. The several powder storage vessels have for many years lain on the Jersey flats where there is ample area out of the way of passing vessels on a soft bottom, free from floating ice and abundantly remote from the nearest shore. I hope for safety and convenience the vessels may be permitted to remain on the flats at or near their present anchorage as you may designate. Yours truly, R. L. Wheeler, President. Mr. Greene. For these reasons, and partially from the result of that letter, the present anchorage of the boats was designated. Mr. Hamlin. I don't know that there is anything I can say about this matter that has not already been covered by the remarks made by the black-powder people. Gen. Abbot. You deal in Atlas powder chiefly? Mr. Hamlin. We carry from 10,00 J to 15,000 pounds stock. The largest amount that 1 remember ever being over thero is there now — 15,000 pounds — but there is something like 35,000 pounds waiting for a vessel. We have no other magazine. Our magazine is a floating one. Gen Abbot. Where is your powder manufactured? Mr. Hamlin. At Repauno. Mr. Greene. You have dealings also with other companies ? Mr. Hamlin. Yes, sir ; the Atlantic Dynamite Company and the Hecla Pow- der Company. Gen. Abbot. Do you represent those companies here to-day ? Mr. Hamlin. No, sir. Mr. Greene. There is a relation b itween those three companies. Gen. Comstock. That 45,000 pounds repres3nts all the powder there? Mr. Greene. Yes. sir. Col. Gillespie. How many vessels have you ? Mr. Greene. One, and another little one on which you can carry 1,000 pounds. Col. Gillespie. Where do you get your powder from ? Mr. Greene. The Pennsylvania and the Jersey Central Railroad. Col. Gillespie. Are there any rostrictions in the transportation by rail ? Do they require it to be in particular kinds of boxes or packages, and are there lim- itations in reference to quantity ? Mr. Greene. It comes in car loads and less than car loads. It is always packed in 50 or 100 pound kags. Gen. Comstock. What are the regulations, so far as they afl'ect you? Mr. Greene. Nothing, except that the packages should be marked "ex- plosives," "dangerous." That is the Massachusetts law. Gen. Comstock. And they handle it just like any other freight and make no distinction in the handling oi; it ? Mr. Greene. No, sir : except that the Pennsylvania road only allows you to ship one day in the week. That is why we are at a disadvantage. We can not receive every day, and as our powder arrives on Thursday, we must have it on stock here for shipment. 20 Gen. Abbot. Do I understand that the Hecla, the Dynamite, and the Atlantic Companies have no raaffazines of their own V Mr. Greene. Yes, sir. C^en. COMSTOC!K. What is the object in allowing transportation only on one day in the week ? Mr. Green JO. So they can send it all together in one train. The idea of that is to go through in one day, and that would he the end of it. Otherwise, if they carried every day they might (m some days have only 50 pounds to carry. So they try to get all there is for the week on one train. Gen. Abbot. In reference to your storage, could you not occupy that lower station there ? Mr. Greene. The difficulty would be on account of the ice. We could not use that anchorage very well. Of course, if wo were compelled we would have to. Besides the ice trouble the location would not be convenient. Gen. Abbot. There is much more danger in having 9 tons of Atlas powder exp; sed than there would be in having 'AO tons of gunpowder. Mr. Weightman. With all due respect to high explosives, we do not want to suffer fi"om any opinion which you gentlemen have with regard to them. The reason that letter was brought forward here was that the Navy Department at that time investigated this very question, and it was thought safe to be anchored below Bedloe s Island, and the re.-ultwas that we occupied the anchor- age, us we were placed there by olticial authority. Another point is that if we arc placed below Bedloe's Island it is more open and more liable to accident, and on that question I think that if you gentlemen have seen the present position you can not but feel that nature seems to have given it foi' this business. The powder business is such that we are entitled to protection in order that it may be carried on in this great port. We employ many men and have agents all over the country, otherwise we would be deprived from doing business safely. Col. Gillespie. Have any complaints been made by the riparian owners along the shore that the powder barges at the anchorages were menacing them or their property ? Mr. Weightman. No, sir ; never heard about it at all until it was brought up by the Board of Trade of Jersey City. They took it before the Senate. Col. Gillespie. How did it originate ? Mr. Weightman. I do not know. It may have been malice, but I can not say as to its origin. There is another point that I wish you gentlemen to un- derstand, and I want to make myself intelligible. I want yon to feel that we have given you all the information we have. All the powder companies have their own boats and their own employes. When a shijunent is made it is done by a man in the employ of the Hazard Powder Company, and we have not a man who has not been in our employ less than twenty years. Col. Gillespie. You mean to say that there is no intermediary between the point of manufacture and the carrying vessel, that the powder itself does not pass into the hands of a middleman ? Mr, Weightman. No. sir ; the business is done by powder principals and pow^- der employes and in powder boats. There are no liner boats in this harbor than the boats used by the Hazard Company, the ro wheats used in the transporta- tion of its powder. Gen. Abbot. On board the barge of the Repauno Company has there ever been an accident ? Mr. Hamlin. Never. Gen. Abbot. There was a fire down there in some magazine and a large quan- tity of dynamite was burned. Mr. Hamlin. I don't know anything about that. That was on the Hecla boat, and a large amount of explosive was burned up. Gen. COMSTOCK. How much was on board ? Mr. Hamlin. About 19,000 pounds, I believe. # Gen. COMSTOCK. Was that at the anchorage ? Mr. Hamlin. No, sir; that was near one of the Central Railroad docks, and before we were further off the other anchorage. Mr. Greene. I rather think that was carelessness on the part of the man who had a little fire on board. There was no explosion there at all. Col. Gillespie. You do not allow fire on board. Do you allow smoking ? Mr. Greene. No, sir. We have got to have a stove. The man remains on board day and night, and in the winter it is imi)ortant that the man !-hould be warm, but he remains there. Our boat is lined with zinc, and we use every pos- sible precaution. 21 Col. Gillespie. Do you make any special arrangements for the care and stor- age of your powder on board '? Mr. Hamlin. Yes. sir : we have instructions that it shall be stored in a cer- tain way. No smoking- can be done on board and only one fire is allowed. Col. Gillespie. What is the nature of the regulations and instructions you give to the men with reference to the care of that property against explosions. Are there any written instructions for the employes. Mr. Hyndman. No. sir; no one is allowed on board at all, and the man we have there in charge has been with us since the company started. Instructions at this time would not be of any use for they all read the instructions when they first went on board, and know them now. Col. Gillespie. You take it for granted that the man has an appreciation of his danger, and that he would avoid anything- that would cause accidents? Mr. Hyndman. Yes, sir. Gen. Abbot. Is there anybody charged with seeing that they carry out the instructions ? Mr. Hyndman. That boat has instructions periodically. Col. Gillespie. By whom? Mr. Hyndman. By myself, and sometimes from Wilmington. Col. Gillespie. What do you inspect for ? Mr. Hyndman. To see that there is no debris that would furnish food for fire, and the general condition of the boat. It must be perfectly clean ; no litter of any kind around. Gen. Comstock. The storage rooms are lined with zinc ? Mr. Hyndman. No. sir; the storage rooms are lined with wood. The ex- plosives are all packed in tiers, and in such a way that if the vessel should pos- sibly take fire there would be a chance of its burning up without explosion. Gen. Comstock. What are the packing cases made of ? Mr. Hyndma'n. Wood. Gen. Comstock:. Was that dynamite No. 1 that burned up there ? Mr. Greene. There were several grades of it. There was 600 or 800 pounds, I think, at the time, of No. 1 that burned and it was sputtering after the water got to it. The Laflin & Rand Company had some 10,000 pounds burned out at Colorado where there was no explosion. A man was employed there in mixing the medium with the stronger grade. I don't think he was killed. Gen. Comstock. What grade was that ? Mr. Greene. It probably was an average of 40 per cent. Gen. Abbot. What regulations have you? Mr. Van Tyne. Strict verbal rules with regard to fire. Our storage depart- ment is separated from the living department. The man employed is an able seaman, and has the reputation of being a very careful man. G^n. Abbot. Don't you think that being there a long while, he would get to lose sight of the danger of his surroundings and grow careless ? Mr. Van Tyne. No, sir ; this man is unusually careful. He has had the same kind of places abroad, and he does not smoke. Gen. Comstock. How much do you have on board ? Mr. Van Tyne. We carry on board all the way from 10,000 to 15,000 pounds of dynamite. Gen. Comstock. What grade? Mr. Van Tyne. Average about 40 per cent. We always pack it very loosely, and plan to have a very large space where a man can pass between. It is in 50- pound boxes. Col. Gillespie. Have you a separate magazine from your floating magazine ? Mr. Van Tyne. Only in Pennsylvania. This one here is used for shipments. Gen. Abbot. Are there any barges down there that are not represented here to-day ? Mr. Greene. No. sir; I think you have them all here to-day. Col. Gillespie. Has any complaint been made by private parties on the shore ? Mr. Greene. None at all, sir. I investigated the matter myself three or four weeks ago to see if there was any such thing, and I could not hear of any com- plaint at all. Col. Gillespie. How far are you from the shore ? Mr. Greene. About one-half or three-quarters of a mile. Gen. Abbot. What is the largest amount you have had there ? Mr. Greene. 20,000 pounds, but only for a few days. Gen. Comstoc.:. What would be the average amount? Mr. Greene. About 12,000 or 15,000 pounds. 22 Gen. Abbot. What is the amount of the average storage of the Repauno works ? Mr. Hamlin. We very seldom have over 20,000 pounds. We happen to have that much now because we are waiting- for vessels. Col. Gillespie. Do the railroad companies impose any restrictions ? Mr. Van Tvne. None whatever. Col. Gillespie. Do you have to put up any insurance for transportation at the cars ? Mr. Van Tyne. The only insurance I know of was the regular marine insur- ance, and there was a case where it was to he increased or cancelled if we went into the roadway, on account of danger from the ice. Col. Gillespie. You insure your barges and floating magazines ? Mr. Van Tyne. Yes, sir; marine insurance. Gen. COMSTOCK. That does not include loss by fire or explosion? Mr. Greene. I should not expect to collect anything if there was an explo- sion, but if I could prove that the ice caused the explosion I should put in a claim. Gen. COMSTOCK. What would be the effect of an explosion of 500 tons of gun- powder on houses half a milp away ? Mr. Greene. I should very much prefer to leave that to the judgment of engineers of the Army. I have seen explosions of more or less quantities at powder mills. I should not expect that the windows half a mile away would all be broken or that everything would be raised from the ground. I don't think it would be as bad as that. Mr. Detmold. I took a London expert over the anchorage, and he said it was the best he ever saw in the world. He said that in the event of an explosion there, the vast expanse of water would act as a cushion, and that the force would be broken so as to be one-third less in its effect than if the explosion occurred on adjoining ground. He said that wave action took place, and that-the gases, etc., concentrated upward instead of rolling on the ground. He thought the place was perfectly secure. I asked how it would be in case it all went up at once. He said it would be three times as great as anywhere else in the ground. Col. Gillespie. What are the special advantages of that ground to you ? Mr. Detmold. The water itself and the distance removed from land. In London they have floating magazines on the Thames, but the habitations are so much nearer that they can throw a stoae from the floating magazine to the shore. Here it is three-quarters of a mile from shore. Col. Gillespie. Do you insure the lives of your employes ? Mr. Greene. No, sir. Mr. Weightman. No, sir. Col. Gillespie. No special insurance on account of the danger? Mr. Weightman. No, sir. Col. Gillespie. Is there anyone here who does? There was no response. Gen. CoMSTOCK. Does any gentleman here know of the effect of an explosion of 200 or 300 tons of high explosives ? Mr. Greene. I have never heard of the explosion of such large quantities. What I learn is from hearsay, but we have had a large explosion of nitro-glycerin at Thompson's Point. Mr. Weightman. There was an explosion of a carload on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, but at that time we shipped powder in wooden kegs; metal cases were used very little."^ It was a fact that a portion of the kegs that were in that car reached their destination, and we wei'e so much interested in the result of the explosion to show what could possibly be done on the railroad that we sent them two of those empty kegs, and for a long time we had one of those wooden kegs which had a scratch on one end, in ourotfice. Thiif took place at Hand, Mich. We got a gentleman to go out there and look into it. We wanted to see what had been done, and whether the c;)mpany would sue us for damages. We found that it did no damage, and sinoe that time the Wabash Company paid us for that powder. It was in the train, and it was damaged through the carelessness of some of the train hands. There was no damage whatever done to lives or property or anything of that kind, and no claim has ever been made. That was within a year. Gen. CoMSTOCK. Is there any gentleman present who has seen an explosion of high explosives ? Mr. Van Tyne. I can give an account of an explosion of 2,000 pounds of nitro- glycerine. It did not destroy a frail building not over 150 feet away. That was 23 at Bay Chester, on the Sound. It merely tore up the earth some. It was in a building, and trees that were about 100 feet away were simply scratched at the upper part, the hig-h trees. Col. Gillespie. What kind of a building was it? Mr. Van Tyne. A common frame building. Buildings not 150 feet away were not seriously injured ; only by some of the pieces of metal flying around. Mr. Greene. The efiects are various. I have seen kegs of powder explode, and the force was tremendous, yet buildings 150 feet away were very little in- jured : just smashed in the sid:: a little. The AmericanFowder Mills had their mills struck by lightning, and a building w^hich stood within 300 feet of it had not a glass broken. Men who were sleeping three-quarters of a mile away were not awakened. Gen. COMSTOCK. You would feel perfectly safe in a building three-quarters of a mile away ? Mr. Greene. I should not select that for a residence. Gen. Abbot. Capt. Congdon, have you any questions to ask which would throw light on this matter y Capt. Congdon. There is one subject that has been spoken of here ; the burn- ing of the boat loaded with dynamite ; not even the daily papers were aware of the fact. A person told me that he left his vessel and called out to the crews on the other powder boats, expecting to see the whole thing blown up, yet this matter made t-o little notice that the daily papers did not mention it. There is another question that has come up here. The watchmen state that they go to their offices to report. Where there is more than one watchman on board there is some one on board when he goes. But when there is only one watchman, what is to prevent one of the pirates which travel the Jersey shore from going on board during his absence and blowing the vessel up? Mr. Weightman. The Hazard Powder Company has some one on board their targes all the time, and they are built specially for the storage of powder. Col. Gillispie. Are there any other permanent magazines in the vicinity of New York, except at the Palisades ? Mr. Greene. The Laftlin & Rand Company has one about 16 miles up the river, under the Palisades, Gen. COMSTOCK. I would like to get your idea as to what would be a safe dis- tance, so far as the danger to life is concerned, in the case of an explosion of one or two tons of gunpowder ? Mr. Greene. That is hard to say. We none of us know of such a large explo- sion, and can not therefore sp-ak of the effect. I really do not believe that one man has lost his life w^ho was half a mile away, unless it was from debris coming down. Mr. Detmold. T know of men who have been within 100 yards of dynamite explosion and they were not hurt in the least. That was at Binghamton, when there was an explosion there. There were some men, personal acquaintances of mine, who were within 10*) yards who were not hurt. Gen. COMSTOCK. You would not take that as a safe example. What would be a safe distance ? Mr. Detmold. I believe 600 feet would be safe, unless a man was struck by flying bricks or metal. I don't think that the air pressure would kill or injure within 100 or 200 yards from the explosion unless the person was struck by flying fragments. Mr. Weightman. We only know from what happens through the manufac- ture of powder. I was at our mills on Tuesday last. At one of our engine works we had an explosion, and I took occasion then to look about and see what had happened. That mill had gone up with some 100 pounds in it. Not far from it was our brimstone and saltpetre works. There were no fences whatever be- tween, but no harm was done. The men, as you may know, start the mill and leave it. They are not there all the time that the powder is being made. The only danger is when the men start the charge or take it otT. Gen. COMSTOCK. Do they leave the mill for the s^ake of safety? Mr. Weightman. Yes, sir. In the manufactory of the Hazard Powder Com- pany I can say to you officially that for sixteen years we have not killed a man at our works. Col. Gillespie. I understand all the gentlemen present to say that no com- plaints have ever been made in any way. Mr. Weightman. I can say very frankly that nothing has ever come to us direct. Mr. Greene. The papers have had something to say about it, but we have had nothing individually. 24 Mr. Van Tyne. In my investigation around the shore there, it was a matter of general comment as to where that complaint could come from. Gen. COMSTOCK. What was its origin? Mr. Van Tyne. We can not imagine the origin. The people along the shore had no complaint to make, and they say there is no cause for complaint. Gen. Abbot. Can you take us ovo* next Monday to look at the site? Capt. CONGDON. Yes, sir. The public meeting was then closed (1:20 p. m.). 0. Record of 'proceedings of a meeting of the Board of Engineers held June 13, 1892, embracing an inspection of the barges containing powder and high explosives anchored near Ellis and Bedloe's Island, in the harbor of Neiv York. The Board met at 12:45 p. m., pursuant to adjournment. Present: Cols. Abbot and Comstock and Lieut. Col. Gillespie. The Board boarded the U. S. Revenue Steamer Manhattan^ at the United States Barge Office dock, Mr. Stone being in attendance, and at 1 p. m. left the eity, arriving !at the dock at Communipaw at 1:15 p. m. From this point the Board took a row-boat, and in company with Capt. J. W.Congdon, commanding the Manhattan, proceeded to inspect the powdef barges in the anchorage grounds in the following order: 1. The V. L. Detmold, of New York (firm of Von Lengercke & Detmold), had 50 cases of black and smokeless powder on board — a very small proportion of black powder — the cases holding about 50 pounds each. The only regulation displayed was a sign : " Notice — Smoking strictly prohibited in any part of this boat," The man in charge has his family on board — wife and three boys, two of whom attend school. He understands the rules to be, not to use any light or fire where the powder is. All the cases are handled by hand and always dur- ing the daytime. Was in charge of the boat when it belonged to a boat specu- lator named Hammill, about six months, and since then, about two years, for the firm. Never leaves the anchorage except occasionally to get alongside a ship, when a tug is employed. Practically the anchorage has not been changed for two years. There may be a slight change of a few fathoms when her anchor is lifted. Has no rules about matches. Must use them. Does not carry them in his pocket. When he goes to the office to report there is no one but his wife on board. Has good watch dog, who would keep off intruders. No visitors are al- lowed, although he says he would not stop people from coming on board. All the powder is stored in the hold forward. The largest amount at any one time aboard is 400 cases, but this does not remain above three or four days. 2. PalinuTUS (High Explosive Company). This is an old hulk of a Government survey boat. A heap of rope and rags and several pots and pails of paint and oil were found on board in the same compartment with the explosive. Mr. Van Tyne said that the hulk was being repaired and repainted, and that the paiht and pots would be removed in a few days. In the cabin, separated from the compartment where the explosive is stored only by board partition, a lamp filled with kerosene was found standing on the table. The vessel has a steel frame all the way through. There is nothing but dynamite on board. There are 457 cases, 50 pounds to the case, but 120 of these are to be shipped to-morrow morning. The kitchen has a cooking stove with sheet iron on fioor and woodwork about it. Fire is said to be used at meal times only. Only a man and his wife are on board. An additional man is now temporarily employed on account of the illness of the regular watchman. There are two cables and large anchors : one is buoyed off, and in case of a storm the other is put on. The boat is strong and can ride in any storm. She is perfectly sound and has been lying in her present location since last September. She has not moved at all. 3. The iif.ssic (Repauno Chemical Company). Has between 400 and 500 cases of Atlas powder on board, 50 pounds to the case. The hold was examined and the sizes of the boxes was found to vary. Within sight were 8 cases of 100 pounds to the case. There were also some oblong-shaped boxes ; these the watchman said did not belong to the company but to W. R. Grace. They were marked ' 'Callao,'* 25 and were said to contain "^^tna'" powder. The general store on board is from 250 to 300 cases of 50 poands each. On the deck, covered with a tarpaulin, with one end exposed, were 45 cases of Atlas powder of 50 pounds each. The man said that they were to be shipped this morning", but that the vessel had. not ar- rived. Between the hold where the powder is stored and the kitchen there is only a thin wooden partition. An ordinary kitchen stove is used for cooking. There are two men on board ; the boat is never alone. Sometimes there are orders for 1.000 cases, but they are left on shore until such an order comes. The man has been on board since 18.S1. The heaviest shipments are made to South and Central American ports. The greatest amount is used for the home market. Has never had an accident on board. At the time of the burning of the powder boat recently in the vicin- ity, neither his nor any of the other powder boats were moved. Has no rules or regulations except that no smoking or drinking is allowed. Visitors never come aboard. Has t .vo anchors, one 550 and the other 350 pounds weight. There is a 30-fathom chain on each. Neither ever broke adrift. 4. The Joseph \V . Fuller (l.9,^m & Rand Powder Company). Has from 10,000 to 15,000 kegs of powder on board, of 25 pounds each. This is common blast- ing powder, some packed in iron and some in wood. Handles neither dyna- mite nor other high explosives. Is unusually full now on account of having just unloaded two boats and waiting to ship. Waiting for a vessel to take 1,000 kegs to Valparaiso. Has to wait for the tides, as the water is very low there. Has two sloops which go back and forward. Does a heavy trade in Pennsylvania in the mining, coal, and iron regions. Ship most everywhere East and West and South, and as far as New Mexico. The powder is bi-ought here from their mills because in making shipments an assortment of grades is required. Where a large order of any one grade is received, it is shipped direct from their mills. Each mill makes a dilTerent grade. They have a mill at Rondout and one at Schaghticoke ; have a magazine at the Palisades opposite Fort Lee. The Haz- ard and Du Pont companies also have magazines at Fort Lee, but they can get to their magazines : tliis company can not. His barge remains here all the time and he has been in charge twelve years. Always three persons on board. He goes to the olhce for his orders daily and then returns. He is always on board four or five hours a day. Six people in all on board, and they all sleep there. There is a pilot house: two anchors, one 1,80) pounds and the other half that weight. Powder is stored in the hold and in deck compartment. Cabin, living room, and kitchen on one end. Cooking stove rests on zinc. Two partitions between kitchen and deck store- room. There are four sleeping bunks in the pilot house. There is an office in the living room. There is an airhole in the partition separating living rooms and the deck storeroom covered with gauze, but no door. Has rules, but not printed ones. Has none but sober men on board. No smoking and fire of any kind except for cooking is allowed, except in cold weather. Any man found misconducting himself is immediately discharged. The men who are now with him had been in the company's employ for a long while and have families. There is never any night work. Has never had an accident of any kind. 5. The Electric of New York. (Hazard Powder Company.) The storeroom on deck and the kitchen has two partitions a foot apart, the cooking end being lined with sheet iron on side and fioor. No door communicates with powder compartment. Man has been in charge twenty-five years. There is on board 1,200 kegs, 25 pounds each, of rifle powder. Watchman lives on board. Two men come on board every morning and assist in delivering. Has never left the boat alone. Nothing but black powder aboard ; all stored on deck and in hold. Is married but does not keep his wife on board. Says the company objects on the ground that women are not so careful a-^ men. 6. The Sally and ISojjIu'e. (E. I. Du Pout, Do Nemours & Co.) This is a schooner ; the others, except the Palimirusheing barges, has an average of 1,000 kegs of black powder of 25 pounds to the keg on board. Has also cartridge shells (small arms) on board. All powder is stored under the deck in the hold, loaded fore and aft, the loaded shells being between the powders. The cabin has a sin- gle bulkhead, and the stove is protected with a narrow strip of zinc 3 inches from bulkhead and a small piece on floor. The watchman has been in the busi- ness thirty-one years and has never had an accident. Ice gives some trouble in the winter. Has two anchors. Never has had collisions from other vessels. There is never over 18 inches of water at low tide. The vessel is over forty years old. Three men on board. There is always one man on board night and day. This is the vessel nearest to Ellis Island, about 400 yards. Has been anchored about in the same spot about seven years. 26 Tho powder is loaded from the Jersey Central Railroad decks atCommuni- paw. Nobody has ever made complaint to him that the vessel is dang-erous to life or property. Each of the powder barges keeps its own anchorag-e. Has not a very definite idea as to the other barges. Knows of the two barges to his rijjht, but the others are strangers to him. They are all, however, in sight of each other, and knows of no others than those in sight now. They are perma- nent. Says that the Government survey officers located him within 50 yards of where he is now, and also located the others. At high water there is never more than 8 feet. When asked what he would do if some other vessels should occupy his ground, he replied that he would take that vessel's ground for the time being. He says that that does not happen, as they are bound to keep a certain distance apart. Their anchors hold them, and they are to heavy to allow dragging. Capt. Congdon stated that the space between the Communipaw docks and powder barges is often thickly occupied by vessels, especially in wint time, when one man has charge of several of them — there is no regulation to prevent such vessels from anchoring among the powder barges if they should elect so to do. The Board then returned to New York City on the Manhattan, arriving there at 3 p. m., and adjourned to meet at the call of the president. Henry L. Abbot, Colonel of JSnyimers, Bvt, Brig. Gen., U. 8. A., Fresident of tlie Board, D. Transcript of stenographer's notes of a public hearing of the Board of En- gineers held in the Army Buildiiig^ New Yorlc City, July 14, 1892, in the matter of complaints relative to the storage of high explosives in barges at the anchorage grounds near Ellis and Bedloe's Islands, New Yorh Harbor, Present : Cols. Abbot and Houston and Lieut. Col. Gillespie, Mr. Jay Stone, chief clerk and stenographer, Mr. P. F. Wanser, mayor of Jersey City, W. D. Edwards, citv attorney of Jersey City ; Joseph A. Dear, president Board of Trade of Jersey City ; W. J. Tate, secretary Board of Trade of Jersey City ; Jacob Ringle, J. E. Banks, H. W. Carr, members of Board of Trade, Jersey City ; A. J. Cor- coran, manufacturer, Jersey City ; George Weightman, Hazard Powder Com- pan}^ ; Arthur Hyndman, of E. 1. Du Pont, De Nemours & Co.; Capt. A. W. Money, E. C. Powder Company : Detmold & Van Langercke, powder dealers. Gen. Abbot. The meeting will come to order. This meeting has been called in consequence of the receipt of certain communications which I will indicate. The first is a paper addressed to the Treasury Department dated June 1, 1892, by the Board of Trade. That was simply inviting attention to the danger to the public which might result from the storage of large quantities of powder, and particularly high explosives at the anchorage off Communipaw Point. The action on that was the following letter addressed by the Treasury Department to the Secretary of War, dated June 1, 1892 : " I have respectfully to state that complaints have been made to this Depart- ment that the large quantity of explosive materials stored in the barges anchored in the vicinity of Ellis Island and Bedloe's Island is a constant menace to the lives and property of the citizens of New Jersey located near that point. " I have the honor to request that in order to ascertain whether or not there are good grounds for the complaints that a Board, to be composed of officers of the Army, be designated to examine into the matter and report whether in their opinion the present anchorage near the islands mentioned for vessels and barges with explosives stored on board is, as claimed, a menac3 to the lives and prop- erty of the citizens referred to. "Ca])t. J. W. Congdon, commanding the Revenue St3amer Manhattan, which vessel is on anchorage duty at the port of New York, will be instructed to con- vey the board to such points as they may desire to visit, upon application. Capt. Congdon has been engaged upon this special work for some time, and is well informed upon the subject and may be able to assist the Board in their labors." 27 That document was referred to the Engineer Department and was returned under date of June 2, 1892, with the following indorsement: " Respjctfully returned to the Secretary of War, recommending that this paper be referred by me to the Board of Engineers for examination and report. Thos. Lincoln Casey, ^^Briy. Gen. , Chief of Engineers.''^ The War Department on June 4, 1892, took action approving this -recommen- dation, and the matter was therefore sent to our Board. We have received and have on hand all the information possessed by the Treasury Depariment about the conditions which govern the anchorage grounds, and also the history of it. We made a personal inspection of all the powder barges so as to form a clear idea, and this meeeting is called with a view to get- ting a full statement of any facts which either side may think should be brought to the notice of the Board before making our decision. We will be glad to hear from the representatives of the Board of Trade of Jersey City. We have here a map showing the location of the anchorage grounds marked in blue, which is subject to the examination of those present. Mr. Dear. I wish to say that we feel at a disadvantage in appearing before you this morning, b^icause it is impossible for us to contribute any exact information to this Board which they could make the basis of any decision. We know that within a short distance of the shores of a portion of Jersey City a comparatively largvi number of barges are anchored, containing very great quantities of explo- sives. Thoy receive, they transship, they load, and they unload. On those barges people live and have their families. Their cooking operations are done there, and in winter they require warmth. They always have fire aboard. We feel that all this is a source of great risk to the property in Jersey City lying contigu- ous to the barges. It has still more gravity from the fact that within a short distance from this an(;hoi age are theyairds of the Standard Oil Company, where large quantities of petroleum, raw and refined, ai e stored. Gen. Abbot. Can you point out on this map where it is stored? Mr. Dear. Here at Cavan Point, between this place [pointing] and the docks of the National Storage Company, are thirteen oil tanks. There are a great many of them all around there, and they are being constantly added to. We feel that there are three sources of danger coming from that storage there. First, the direct danger to property arising from the possibility of explosion. I have had a little experience of that in Jersey City. Some years ago the Dela- ware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad were constructing a tunnel. On the side of a hill they had put a ton of explosive matter. One Saturday evening it went off and broke the windows in hundreds of houses in the lower part of Jersey City, and right across in New York City it also did some damage. In that case Jersey City was protected by the hill, but New York houses received the full force of the explosion. Gen. ABfiOT. I would be glad to have some facts with reference to that^explo- sion. Can you inform me as to the extent of that accident V It took place be- fore the Hallets Point explosion. If you have any of the details I would like to have them. Mr. Edwards. It was the subject of a very extended litigation in our city. I think I can get you the information on the subject. The hies of the newspa- pers and the findings of the court will give it. There was a suit brought in the case of the contractor. Mr. Dear. Besides the accident I referred to, the recent explosion at Oak- land did great damage in San Francisco, 15 miles oft". That took place last Saturday. There is another source of danger that was illustrated most signally in an explosion that took place some three years ago in Scotland. At one of the quarries there, the company were desirous of dislodging a great ledge of rock. They used about 30 or 40 tons of giant powder for the purpose. It was expected to be an enormous explosion and expected to be a great Spectacle, like the blow- ing up at Hell Gate. Excursions were made to see it, and some of the favored ones had gotten on board of a boat chartered by the contractors. It was a great success, but not so much of a spectacle as was expected. Everybody was anxious to see the effects of the explosion, and about two hours afterwards the party on the boat landed and over thirteen persons were killed by the deadly gases that remained in that quarry and in the valley in which the explosion took place. Over ninety-six people, as I understand it, were rendered insensible. The party incautiously went there too soon. Here is a new danger, 28 something that was not known of with the ordinary gunpowder that was used. These and the new explosives generate deadly gases, and there could not be an explosion of the great quantities of explosives stored at the anchorage without • deadly effects from that cause. Add to this the danger which they present to the enormous establishment of the Standard Oil Company. All along that shore from here to Constable Hook it is possible to have a rag- ing sea of flame as a result of an explosion which would destroy thos3 works. We had an explosion of one of those tanks in Jersey City. The fire department was called out and lives were lost. They eventually were able to confine the explosion to the tank, but imagine an explosion of the great number of tanks which will b3 there in three or four years. It would rival the scenes which re- sulted from the flood and fire in Oil City a few weeks ago, when a raging str'eam of fire came down the water, caused by the accidental overturning of an oil tank. We feel that it is a serious danger to Jersey City. Of course wo feel that this danger ought to bo removed. Now, the question comes, what should be expected of the Board ? We ask you to insist upon its removal, and its removal to a safe and proper anchorage in the Lower Bay, where it would b3 far enough from habitations and pi'Oi)ei'ty, and where the nature of the anchorage would permit these vessels to lie in safety. I believe such points can be found in the Lower Bay and on the Raritan. Ceiv tainly that locality would not be open to anything like the objection that is now made or can now be made against the crowding together of such enormous amounts of explosives in such a narrow space. Col. Gillespie. Have you thought of any such places? Mr. Dear. I suppose it could easily be found in the Lower Bay. I did not feel that it was my duty to make suggestions of that kind. We naturally turn to the open water space about hero. Tne quarantine station in the Lower Bay — I think it is certain that in that neighborhood the water and the distance from property would concur to make it a desirable anchorage. Mr. Van Langercke. We all know tTiat the neighborhood of a powder stor- age is not very desirable. Yet we must have a place to store our powder, and there must be some neighborhood not too far away to prevent us from doing our traffic in it — to sell, ship, and handle it. Every civilized country in the world gives the powder manufacturer and the powder dealer a place where they can handle the powder, and they naturally make it just as safe as possible. It is the duty of the Government to make it so. I believe that a rec 3rd of our powder anchorage is as good as any powder-anchor- age record in the world. They have been lying there for thirty years or longer. There has never been a life lost, or aay accident save the burning of a small boat, as the rumor goes, with some powder on it, which was run down by one of the tug boats. These gentleman are giving us proof against the danger by giv- ing instances of powder explosions on land. We all know, and the records show by extensive experiments made at Wilhelmshafen and Kiel, the principal naval places of Germany, that the horizontal force on water is less than one- tenth that on land. If you explode a large amount of powder on water, it sends the water up to various heights and in the shape of a wall, making a division be- tween the boats that would be lying there, thus preventing more explosions and sending the force upwards and breaking the force of the explosion. Moreover, the tamping of the water and breaking the force of the explosion was never better shown than at Hell Gate. People couple the name of powder with every horrible explosion that has taken place. Tliis may be at places where the powder is actually handled and made and handled carelessly in an open state, but not as it is handled and stored on our boats. This fear of pow- der had its effect at the time of the Hell Gate explosion, and some thought that the whole of New York would go down. I know that friends of mine wont away from there because they thought that something awful would happon, but it was only the skill and knowledge of our engineers that told the people that the danger would not happen. What was the result ? Thousands of pounds of pow- der was exploded, but the tamr)ing of the wafc ^r broke the force, so that there actually was nothing but a rumbling noise heard on land. There was not a pane of glass broken. That accident on the hill in Jerssy City near the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western tunnel shows how dangerous it would be to put the powder on land. There were 60Ol3r 700 pounds of high explosive exploded there on the side of the hill, and there were houses with solid brick w^iUs, which would give more force to the explosion, 40 yards from there, and yet there was not a life lost. Glass was broken along Palisade avenue within a few blocks and every farmer who 29 had a broken pane of glass in his house laid it to the explosion, which had noth- ing- to do with the breakage. Everybody admits that there is a superstitious fear of powder and that is the reason probably why some of the men over there object, to the powdei* storage. i believe in having rules and regulations on the powder boats and that the Government should look to it. Powder manufacturers consider that powder is nowhere safer than in magazines. If you intend to move the powder boats away and give us another water storage, I think there is none in the neighborhood of New York that is as safe as this. What can happen there on the boats out- side of an accident which may be caused by neglect on the part of the handlers there? Nothing. It is reduced to that and no more. An accidental collision by the running in, in a fog, of a steamer or sailing vessel is simply impossible there, because we have to go out at high tide with a tug. It is a narrow and very small channel, and there is only one hour of high tide when we can get in there. Any boat that could do us any damage would run into the mud. It is a deep mud bottom, which would be all the more favorable in case of an explosion. If you put us out we get a rocky bottom. Let us get a westerly wind and bump one of these powder boats on rocky bottom, and the upsetting of a lamp or a stove or a box of safety matches would then make it possible. The greatest danger to ])Owdef boats is the chances of collision by a boat or being bumped on a rocky bottom. Those chances are done away with by those anchorage grounds. They are the safest you can find around New York. If you put us on land the same objections could be urged as on the water, but the havoc and danger would be increased tenfold. There is no other ground so reasonable, safe, and handy around New York for the powder boats as this. Gen. Abbot. Could you refer the Board to any publication in regard to those powder matters at Wilhelmshafen and Kiel that you mentioned ? Mr. Van Langercke. I have no printed data, but have read about it and talked on the subject with government people on the other side. I shall try to get them and will take pleasure in sending them to the Board. The same prin- ciple is recognized in England. They say there that there has never been an accident with powder stored in vessels anchored in the water. Mr. Dear. 1 would like to ask the gentleman if he does not think that the proximity of the oil tanks increased the danger to the powder boats ? Mr. Van Langi:rcke. I do not, sir. Mr. Dear. I know of a case in England where a powder magazine was blown up. I am sorry that I can not give names or dates, because it struck me as very remarkable when I read it. A powder magazine was blown up owing to the fact that during very heavy , foggy weather a stream of carbonic-acid gas floated from some oil works nearly t> miles distant. The result was the explosion of the works on one side and the powder magazines on the other. Mr. Van Langercke. It is dangerous to put the barges where they are sub- ject to the tides, currents, and winds. Another source of danger is ice. There is no ice where we are now. The ice can not break up and float ther e, and that danger is removed. If you put us in deeper water we would be in danger from that cause, and it would endanger the lives of our employes on the barges. Mr. Banks. There are always from six to twelve barges moored there all the time, and they are close to each other. You can see them every day receiving and discharging. When the tides recede the barges are grounded. If one of them caught fire you could not pull it out, and if an explosion occurred with the large amount of powder there is there it would be communicated to them all. It would not only destroy every building in Jersey City, and it would kill thou- sandsof people, but the lower part of New York City and Brooklyn would also be destroyed. I saw the shanty at the Delaware and Lackawanna tunnel where the explosion occurred. It was about 15 by 20 feet, and was located on the side of a hill. The explosion did not reach the center of Jersey City, but passed over it. Neither did it reach the upper part of the city on the hill. It was merely the concussion that did the damage. Had it struck the center of the city it would have done an incalculable amount of damage. The explosion at Hallets Point is no criterion here. There there was at least 25 feet of water on top. I went there personally and saw the ]dac3. The ex- plosives were in metal tubes and placed in holes in the rocks. They were con- nected by wire. The explosion had the weight of water to protect the sm-round- ings, and even then the Government officers refused to postpone the time for the explosion, which occurred on a Sunday. The people objected to that day, but Gen. Newton said that if it was put olf until the tide receded it would destroy 30 the greatest part of Hunter's Point. Tliat was his reason for the explosion to go on when he was ready for it. The explosion of the ba'-gesmay never occur, but it may occur at any moment by an accident brought about by the people living on the barges, through the falling of a lamp or something of that kind. Those boats are ramshackle aflfairs. A stroke of lightning would destroy tliem and cause explosions. Their location is a great danger and menace to Jersey City. We are in great fear all the time for our lives and pro]x?rty. The Government should not allow them there, and should remove them somewheres a safe distance away. There are plenty of plax'es away from here. They are now but a quarter of a mile from Ellis Island and but a short distance from the storage tanks of the Standard Oil Company, and less than half a mile from the first habitations at Jersey City. So you can see at a glance that if an explosion should occur it would certainly do an awful amount of damage to us. It may be safe, as the gentleman he) e said, but I have no faith in that, and it is certainly a very great inconvenience to us. When we first spoke about this storage we did not realize how great was the danger, but we know it now and want it removed. It may be safe where there is great depth of water, but here you have no depth at all. You can only go there with boats at high tide, or with lighters that require only a small draft of water. They are right on the bottom so that in the case of a concussion we would receive the full benefit of an explosion. I think there is plenty of space down along the beach below Long Branch and Barnegat Bay. There are very few habitations there, and they could lie there with impunity. Mr. Edwakds. May it please the Board. I appear in behalf of the munici- pality of .Jersey City as contradistinguished from the Board of Trade. His honor the mayor is here with me, and I am the counsel for the city. We understand that powder has been stored at^the anchorage for many years, and that this far we have been fortunate in escaping the results of an explosion. But its location was first pointed out or selected by the Government. You must remember that Jersey City had then a population probably of 12,000 or 15,000 people. What is within the present limits of Jersej^ City has now a population of 30,000. But you are now dealing with the surrounding country which would be af- fected by an explosion and its results. That immediate neighborhood of three cities represents a population of 2(X),000. The powder barges were located at a time when Communipaw was unknown except to the lovers of Washington Irv- ing. At that time the Jersay Central Railroad depot was a thing of the future, the Standard Oil Company was unknown, and there was nothing in the way of factory or inhabitants to make powder storage there unsafe. But times have changed, and now we have a great city in that locality and constantly growing rapidly. The locality of these anchorage grounds is being rapidly taken up for manufacturing purposes. It is owned by the American Dock Company, but they are constantly selling it off. At Black Tom a great depot has been established, the National Storage Com- pany, which is a great rival to the Erie Basin. At Port Liberty we have great coal yards. They have moved there from Elizabeth, and the great anthracite combine is bringing all the coal to this point. Great companies are being started here constantly, and they are being constantly menaced by the presence of the powder barges. To the citizens this is a matter of serious concern. They may not be correct in their fears, but the fear nevertheless exists, and should be al- layed, and it is the duty of the Government to do so. The Board of Engineers may be absolutely certain that no accident will happen, yet if that is a well- grounded fear in the minds of the people that an accident may happen, and that they hurt the growth of the city, it is the duty of the Government to remove that danger. Of course we can not go into the scientific reasons for this matter, but I do say that the people of Jersey City are excited on this subject. They fear the danger of an explosion, and we insist that the Government should aid us in removing those fears. Not only are large factories being established there, ^ut we have the great oil interests which have been located at that particular point. It has been stated that there is no danger on that score. The danger to oil is, as you know, entirely confined to lightning strikes. I livedfor many years near Cavans Point, and the explosions by reason of lightning strokes were not frequent, but they occurred every two or three years, and on one or two occasions the oil has escaped to the bay and floated down towards Staten Island. You will remember some years ago that there was a strong complaint that oil was escaping in the form of sludge acid, giving a greasy appearance to the Water. I know you could see the glassy, oily substance floating over all the 31 water there. If an explosion took place, and the fire communicated to the oily substance, you can easily imaafine the disastrous effects. In what is called the Gillespie ship channel there is a current that was one of the reasons for improv- ing that channel. The existence of that channel was an argument that that current would act as a scour. There is a current there, perhaps not a strong one, but it exists, and for that reason an accident on the barges would be very dangerous to the oil tanks, which are in great numbers. There are about thirty-six in that locality. 1 know my- self of twenty having been erected in the past twelve months. The old Vreeland property has been sold for thatpurpose within the past eighteen months and the Standard Oil Company have been building tanks there that are very extensive. The Curry property is also to be acquired. The National Storage Company has also in contemplation the building of other tanks. There are also tanks to be built to the north by other companies at what is known as the old Abbott wharf prop- erty. If they build them the people of Jersey City will feel the danger of having powder stored in the vicinity. I refer to the powder stored at these anchorage grounds. It is a question, not between the Government and Jersey City, but as between the powder merchants and Jersey City. They say to this Board, you ought to be careful about the lives of the men that work on the powder boats. They un- dertake the risk of that employment, and are paid wages comintmsurate with that risk and can leave if they want to. But the peoi)le of Jersey City are there to stay, and have got to stay there. The people on the powder boats are here to-day and gone to-morrow. They say this is an important question to the powder people. That is a question which alone aftects their ])ockets, but to us it is a question of the lives of the inhabitants. Their financial interests ought not to be weighed in the scale of men's lives, not even in the scale of men's fears. We ought to be protected by reason of the fears in the mind^of the people con- cerning this powder storage. They say to us: '"Where can we go?" There are places in the harbor of New York where they would not be limited. I think I could suggest such places which would be available for a great number of years. You gentlemen are undoubtedly familiar with the locality of Newark Bay where the Lehigh Valley bridge is situated. There is a space there which has a mud bottom ; not only a mud bottom, but a place which is absolutely unvis- ited by vessels. It is away from the channels and from the great bulk of our population. The situation might be just as dangerous to Jersey City as the present grounds, but it would have theelTect of removing th(3 fears of the people. I only make that in the way of suggestion. There is quite a space there between the shore and the up end of mud property which runs back 8,0(X) or 4,000 feet. The mud is comparatively deep and I think the bottom is of the same general character. There are also places'in Newark Bay— shoals down by the light-house — where these powder barges could be located, and also places on the Raritan River. It would be a little more expensive to the powder people, but we submit to the Government of the United States represented by this Board that it is of greater importance that we should be relieved of our fears than that a few dollars should be saved in freight to the powder men. As I understand it, the powder is not owned by the Government, but by these people. It is within the boundaries of the State of New Jersey, as recently defined by the commission for that purpose. In New Jersey we do not permit people to store powder in the cities, and it is only that these people are under the strong protecting arm of the Government of the United States that they are permitted to have their storage on the barges. There is a strong feeling from people against interfering with the National Government, but think this danger should be removed. This point in Newark Bay which I suggest, is shown on this map, giving the United States there. I will mark the place. It is known as Droyers Point. It is a mile from any hab- itation. The great bulk of the people there live a mile or more back. There is absolutely no communication at that point. You will remember that draws are built there, and that there would be no connection for a vessel coming in there. The present storage ground is in the center of a population of 3,000,000 people. Gen. Abbot. Are not the people afraid of the dangers from the storage there of such large quantities of petroleum ? Mr. Edwards. Yes, sir ; there is danger, and it seems like a dispensation of Providence that there have been no lightning strokes. Supposing these powder boats were struck by lightning, what would be the result ? The insurance com* 32 paiii 'S insoft in thoir policies in .Torsoy City that if a building falls by reason ex])losivt'S th<'y shall not bo liabh^ for- losses fiom resultinj^ llres. Such a sli])is atlarhcd to tht' j)(>lifies. If a Imildinj,'- should fall during" an explosion, and a lire ensue, o\n' proi)ei ty would be destroyed and wo could not recover. C'ol. (ilLlJCSl'iK. What is the cajuicity of those tanks ? Mr. Dkar. They are 40 feet iu diameter and 20 feet high. A VOICE. About L',000,000 i^allons each. Gen. Abbot. It strikes n\o as st range that the city should allow such a great menace. Mr. Edwards. We have a gi eat fear, but the Standard Oil Company pays a largo revenue to the city and ihey are very careful. They maintain an elTective lire company of thoir own. Mr. Weightman. I have bi-en connected with the Hazard Powdei' Company both as a young man and an ofhcer for thirty-two years. When I first went int o thatoftiee the eom])aiiy"s boat was locat -d directly off where the Pennsylvania l\aili-oad docks now are. In compliance with the wishes of the people of .Jersey City we have, from time to time, moved down without one word being said to us, gnwlually and gradually, until we were located three years ago ott* the docks of the Central iiailroad of New .Jersey. In the course of the i-emarks of the gentleman who preceded me, he alluded to the fact that we had been located by the Government where we now are for over thirty years. I will say that prior to the year i sss, no me.-sage oi* complaint was received by Hazard Powder Com- pany, and I know that the company's experience in the port of New York is as large as any dealei'"s here in powder. A complaint was made by some one con- nected with one of the coal docks. It was never made to us, but to a Govern- ment officer I think. As far as our own company is concerned— and I think I can say the same for the other companies — we never have received a complaint, nor has anyone called at my office with a grievance about the powder boats. It was only in 1888 that the Government took hold of this question. You will remember that at that time the Government created the anchorage department, if that is the proper expression. That at once made it an official matter, and gentlemen fi-om the department waited on us, and we met them with all the zeal we could get up to aid them. I went with Lieut. Hunker to the floats and said to him that if that was not the proper place for the storage of powder we were ready to remove. The matter remained in abeyance, and it was finally decided that that larger place shown on this map here should be the place where the powder companies should store their powder. We, as powder men, went to Lieut. Hunker and told him that he might just as well sink our vessels as tell us to anchor in that place. He agreed with us, and by permission of the United States Government the other anchorage was ap- proved of as the official anchorage. That is why we are there to-day, and why we want to remain there. Our locatitm there has been generally known, and the Standard Oil Comjmny, located in Jersey City when they knew about our being there. We represent a very large and important commerce of this port, have a large office and employ a great many men. If you stop us from having that stoi-- age. you might as well close our office. We are entitled, as merchants and busi- ness men to the protection of your Board th 3 same as the Standard Oil Company. Why do they not direct your attention to them as well as to us? I have no personal feeling in the matter, but sim])ly come here because the Hazard Pow- der Company wants to do a legitimate, lawful business in a proper way. It stores only black powder there, and handles only as much as it can sell. AH it keeps on the barges is only what is necessary to fill the short orders received — the small orders which we get from time to time. All I ask is that you gentlemen, and the citizens of New Jersey, bear in mind that we are entitled, as merchants, to the same protection as the Standard Oil Company. I think that the very fact that we have laid there for thirty-two years with uniform freedom from ac- cident is a very strong argument why we should stay there. All the men that we employ have been with us nearly all of that time. We do not employ strangers. The business is done systematically and in a proper and legitimate mann >r, and the powder is just as much an article of commerce as the tlour and bread you eat. It is a very necessary commodity. We are mak- ing elTorts to increase the export trade of New York and to help its growth. In order to do that we have got to have proper facilities for delivering powder. If a vessel is going to sea we must have the powder where we can get it ready at once, for she will not wait for us. Fogs are liable and tides change, and this place is the very best in the port in every way. 83 Gen. Abbot. I think the Board would like to have an expression of your views as to the suj^gested location in Newark Bay. Mr. Weightman. In the first plac3, the location spoken of would be entirely inaccessible in the winter on account of ice. We could not use the first anchor- ag'e selected on account of the running ice. Bear in mind that the present place was selected on account of its freedom from that danger. Do you mean to tell -me that we could get to that Newark place in the winter? Mr. Edwards. Yes, sir. Mr. Weightman. I should say you could not get in there in the winter on ac- count of ice, and the powder business in winter is just ?.s important as in sum- mer. It is frozen over there, so that you could not get access to it. Mr. Von Lengercke. I know myself that the flow of ice in the Hackensack i& very strong. I am a good deal of a sportsman and have been there ducking, and know that in April I have crossed the Hackensack River right at the head of that point that was indicated there, and have gone half a mile from there and have found ice a foot thick. There is always a large body of ice there and when it breaks up no anchorage will hold a powder boat. As powder men and as reasonable citizens we do not acknowledge the undesirability of the powder barges at the anchorage. I believe, however, that we should meot you half way. I believe that the Government should make some rules and regulations to keep down the quantities stored there, especially in high explosives. We told the Board the other day that all of our companies have land maga- zines where we can store the bulk of our powder. We are willing — and I dare say I can speak for all the companies — to reduce the quantities and keep nothing but the low class of powders there, and then there would be no danger. This crazy fear of the name of powder does us injustice. There are no such quanti- ties thuere as is claimed, and we are willing to have the quantities reduced. Let the Government say that the boats should be kept a certain distance apart, and make regulations that are reasonable, and that will be as safe as a powder place can possibly be. If you put it on the other side of Jersey City you will have the same troubles and dangers. It would be impossible to anchor there on account of the ice, and you would simply shift the supposed danger from one place to another. Regu- late the danger and kesp it down to the minimum. That would be the most sensible thing to do. Jersey City has greater nuisances than this. People who live there are not annoyed by the powder barges. They have the tanks and odors of refineries of the Standard Oil Company, the abattoirs, and the bone and swill factories. It has been some time since I have been there, but I know about this from what I have heard and read, and they are greater dangers than the powder boats. Mr. Dear. What is your idea of the reasonable quantity of powder to be al- lowed there ? Mr. Von Lengercke. I know that the quantities there which I represent are very small. We have a smokeless powder there which will not explode; but I am now speaking of the black gunpowder. Let us keep enough there to make our shipments and give us a chance to do our business, and keep the bulk of the powder away from there. We are now under strict Government supervision. Harbor officers come in there and see that the barges are properly moored. Gen. Abbot. I should like to know the quantities which you would want to have stored there ? Mr. Von Lengercke. If you will address the different powder companies they would figure it out. If larger shipments were needed the powder companies would certainly have the privilege of applying to the Government for permis- sion to keep a larger quantity there, if it was necessary to make a special ship- ment. We have had a shipment of powder there for four or five days and could not ship it on account of the ship not being ready. It is sometimes impossible to figure for four or five days. Mr. Dear. How many companies are there there ? Gen. Abbot. I think five. Mr. Von Lengercke. Wherever you place it it will be found not desirable. People are afraid of it. There are lots of people who would not go on board of a man-of-war, but it is a necessary evil that you must have the powder some- where and in a place where trade will not be hurt, where it is available for com- merce. We live up to all the rules, but if you put us where we can not make connections you make the powder trade impossible. If you shift us around you will certainly find new dangers worse than here. I think the place suggested for a new anchorage is simply impossible. There is too much ice there. °A sud- 9017 3 34 den thaw would take the hoat down to tlie Standard oil works, and a collision would cause a disaster. We must have a place for storage. Powder is a staple article of commerce, and the trade in this port would certainly be killed. New York is a great distributing point in every direction for powder. Wo have our main storage magazines at safe i)lact'8, but in order to make our daily sales we have got to have a place near here which we can reach inside of a day. I would like to have you gentlemen ai)i)reciate our position and our willingness to meet you half way and to make the storage of powder as less dangerous as possible. Mr. Edwards. The argument of the gentleman on the other side proceeds upon the theory that, although the railroad and ferry companies should look after their own property, the powder companies should have the Govern- ment look after them and permit them to store the powder in the harbor. Ho says he does not wish the location in the Hacken.sack. I say it is better to have them there than to jeopardize the interests and lives of so many people. There they will not be within a mile of any house, and will not be within 2 miles of 10,000 people. They will be within 3 miles of the shipping. Gen. Abbot. How long does it take to make connection with a vessel ? Mr. Von Lengercke. That depends upon the tide and wind. Sometimes it will take twenty-four hours. Mr. Weightman. We transport by row boat and not by steam power. We could have saved lots of money by using steam power, but it is safer to use boats, though the expense is greater. They are the best made and cost $17.") each. The Government depends upon the Hazard and the Laflin & Rand and the DuPont companies for its powder. We are therefore entitled to your consideration. We have our business rights, and could do nothing with such a location as has been suggested here. 1 speak from an experience of thirty-two years. We gave up our resources to theGoverment during the war, and are willing to do so again. Mr. Edwards. If you want to see what Jersey City did for the Government go up to our cemetery. I guess we need not discuss that point. When this ap- plication was first made we were under the idea that it was Government powder which was stored here. But we find that it is the powder of private concerns, and that simplifies matters very much, and also simplifies the duties of this Board. We respectfully submit that any harbor regulations which would be made would simply be violated. They ask that the quantity to be stored be limited. It would not be long before all that would be forgotten and business would be done in the old way. The best way to get rid of an evil is to reject it. Thej'^say it is your duty to sacrifice the community to danger to the advantage of private in- terests. Mr. Weightman. We ask to remain there because it is for the interest of this port. Although we have always kept a limited quantity of powder there, we will reduce everything to the minimum, and before closing I want to say this : we never had any trouble in this matter until high explosives came in. I think the black powder interests of this country should be protected. Itshould not be sacrificed. I say this with all due respect to the people interested in high explosives (and we are interested financially with them), that the ordinary black powder of commerce is an entirely different thing from high explosives It has done much for the country. Gen. Abbot. I have referred to the papers to see if a distinction hasbeen made between the two characters of explosives. Mr. Dear. We understand that high explosives are stored there. Gen. Abbot. I wanted to understand whether the black powder or high ex- plosives were had in view during the course of the remarks. Mr. Dear. We fear all kinds of powder in such clos3 proximity to the prop- erty. Mr. Edwards. We are not experts, but are willing to rely entirely upon the judgment and knowledge of the United States Engineers on the subject, and think that they will make safe provisions for us. We submit the matter to this Board, and think the whole sftation should be removed. That is our position. Mr. Corcoran. I am a manufacturer of Jersey City and employ some sixty people. I look at this matter from a business standpoint. These powder people have had that place for thirty years, and now complain that they would be put to expense if they were removed to another place. Let them move, I say. There is a popular demand for it, and we ask the Government to meet this demand. Suppose they are put to more expense. If I am put to extra expanse, T increase m^ price. These powder men are few in number and can raise the price of powder without trouble. You have got to take the powder from them. This is no place for dangerous explosives. 35 I did some work for the Government at the torpedo station. I saw a lot of brown stuff there, and they told me that it was enough to destroy the whole city of Newport. I know, from talking to Government officers, what the dangers are. Let them go down below Staten Island, at Sandy Hook. Let them build a little island there and store their powder there. Their boats are a ramshackle lot. They talk about the lives of their employes. They know the danger, and they are glad to get the work and take the risk. There is nothing in this complaint that they can't ship their powder when they want. I have had experience, and know that you can get any amount of ships to take their powder at almost any time, unless it might be one of the tramp steamers. There is no use in drawing the line with regard to the quantity to be stored there. There is too much oil about here. Mr. Wanser. I did not intend to say anything, because I thought I was very ably represented by the corporation counsel. Most of the arguments here to-day have taken up a great deal of time and said nothing. Some have gone into this matter as experts, but it seems to us that this Board of Engineers understands that feature of the case better than any of us. I want to ask you in behalf of the people of Jersey City to remove those powder boats. One gentleman said the city has not grown, and on top of that he says he has not been there for a long time. But we are satisfied with our growth and satisfied that we will get your protection. If not, our legislature will give us protection. These powder barges are all within the limits of the city. It seems to me that it will cause little ex- pense to remove the barges to some safe distance. There has been something said here about a new anchorage. That is a mat- ter with which this Board will deal. You are men of military education and know what powder will do. We have nothing to do with the different grades. What we do know is that we want those powder barges removed to a more remote place, and by doing so have our rates of insurance decreased. With regard to the Standard Oil Company I will say that they are already established by author- iK of the city, but these powder people have no right to be there. Gen. Abbc)T. They have the right under the provisions of an actof Congress. Mr. Edwards. We say that they are not vessels within the intent of the law, although we do not press the legal point. They are not sailing vessels within the meaning of the act. They are simply floating islands located there. Gen. Abbot. They are located where they are under authority conferred on the Secretary of the Treasury by the act of Congress approved May 16, 1888. The position of the Treasury Department now is to get further information showing the necessity of changing the regulations heretofore made in conformity with this act. Mr. Wanser. We are in great danger on account of the situation of the tanks of the Standard Oil Company and the possibility of floating oil in case of fire reaching the barges. In case of an explosion the damage, I believe, would be very great, and we believe that the Government owes it to us to remove those barges to another place. I recognize that we have got to have powder and dy- namite, but our people are in great fear, and I, as their representative, hope that you will recommend the removal of the cause. I am willing to pay a little more for the powder I use, and we ask that the making of a little more expense to those powder people will not stand in the way of the property and lives of our people. Gen. Abbot. It is a question of utility more than anything else. The ques- tion is as to whether the quantity there could be properly limited. The point would be to prevent the possibility of accident and to so limit the storage as to insure reasonable safety. Mr. Dear. What is the usual method of shipment from those barges ? I un- derstand that almost all the shipments are made on vessels. How does the ves- sel come alongside the barge ? Mr. Von Lengercke. By lighter. Mr. Weightman. We have row boats that carry 100 kegs. Gen. Abbot. Where would those vessels lie ? Mr. Weightman. At the old powder anchorages. They can go on the outer edge into deep water. Col. Houston. Do^ou take your powder from your barges in row boats ? Mr. Weightman. It is brought down in lighters from our magazines at Fort Lee. From the barges to New York or New Jersey we take it in row boats. Gen. Abbot. In shipments to leave the port by vessel you go up to Fort Lee for your powder ? Mr. Weightman. Yes, sir. 86 Gen. AnnOT. How docs it go from the bar^e for delivery to the railroad for local 1186 ? Mr. Weightman. It goes in our row boat. Mr. Edwards. None of your foreign shipments go from this point? Mr. Wkightman. If it is in small quantities; if it is not lar^'c enoui,'-h for the lipht^r. It depends upon cirtnnnstances whether you have the right kind of powder stored here. Sometimes you are short of a few packages ; then you have to go \fi your stores. Mr. Dear. Witho\it wanting to take any advantage here I was trying to bring out the relative importance of that station. They do not use it for export? Mr. Weightman. I said we did use it for export. I said that if we were short of a few packages of powder for steamers to go to South America in a shipment of 150 or 175 kegs. If there are large shipments our lighters would go alongside and ship the powder. I mention that to show that the risk is not so great as is thought. Mr. Dear. The other point I wanted to bring out is this. If that is a distrib- uting point you are simply multiplying the points of danger in the harbor of New York by the existence of this station. If it was carried down to Staten Is- land and the Lower Bay, vessels could advantageously get there and be loaded alongside. Mr. Weightman. From a commercial point of view, in nine cases out of ten the quantity is not sufficient to let the vessel stop. Mr. Edwards. What proportion of the powder you sell is put in these powder barges ? Mr. Weightman. I am not prepared to answer that. Mr. Edwards. Is it 10 per cent, 20 per cent, or what ? Mr. Weightman. I could not state exactly. The powder business of this port is a very important one. Otherwise I would not be standing before you gentlemen and make the statement I have. Gen. Abbot. I had supposed that that was a distributing magazine from which you supplied the vessels with small quantities. When do they receive them ? Mr. Weightman. We take the row boat to the steamer at the wharf, and the laws of the port of New York and the fire department allow you to do this from sunrise to sunset. If a keg of powder is carried through the streets of New York it is put into a canvas bag. We comply with the law, and that is the Ireason why we have been so successful. Mr. Von Lengercke. The powder business is necessarily one that is irregu- lar. It runs differently from day to day and is under restrictions. A man has the right to keep 50 pounds in his store. If we get an order for 50 pounds, it goes at once, and the next day we may get a similar order. It is a running busi- ness. The powder dealers are restricted all over the land, and we never know from one hour to another what powder we may want in the afternoon. We gen- erally have a few days' notice for a large order. Say we get an order to have 200 kegs ready for Thursday. That powder has got to be within reach by that time. The black-powder people may be short of a certain grade and would have to have a few days' notice to have the order right. Everybody wants to .^ave as much labor and freight as possible, and if the order is large the shipment is made from the works. These powder boats are our distributing centers, and this is the distributing center of the powder business of the country. Gen. Abbot. You ship the powder in the same way as the other companies ? Mr. Von Lengercke. Our powder business, compared with black powder, is at present comparatively small. If we get an order on a Friday, which is rail- road powder day, we try to combine our orders as much as possible, but it is im- possible to make an arbitrary system in that respect. If we have the powder in New York City, more than the law allows, we have to get it out. Gen. Abbot. Is there any condition of tide when a vessel can go into the anchorage ? Mr. Von Lengercke. No, sir. Another point is that if you put our barges away from the distributing point, we could not get 100 ] ounds t igether to fill an order to send away if the order comes in to send it that day. If a car breaks down or there is any accident to cause delay, we would lose the sale. Mr. Edwards. Can you keep the powder in the city ? Mr. Von Lengercke. No, sir. It must be in a comparatively safe place, and the anchorage is such a place. Mr. Corcoran. It seems to me from these arguments that these storages are •imply to save freight. I do not see why they can not make these shipments 37 from Fort Lee. There is no difficuly in making shipments, and I have had an experience of thirty years in that line. It is only in the case of demurrage that there is any delay. There is generally lots of notice from shipping ves- sels. It is only from the tramp steamers that you do not get much notice. Let them be moved away, and add the additional expense to the price of the powder. The meeting then, at 1:15 p. m., was closed. E. Legal restrictions upon the potcder trade. The laws and regulations governing the storage and transportation of explo- sives in and about the harbor of New York are set forth in the following ab- stracts: LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY. The following is a summary of these laws: [Act approved March 17, 1874, laws of 1874, page 40.] Section 1 provides that no person shall deliver any explosive material for transportation without giving information as to the nature of the article; nor without plainly marking the package. Failure to comply is made a misde- meanor. Section 2 provides that transportation companies may require shippers to open suspected packages. If explosive material is found, it shall be removed to a safe place and sold, the proceeds to be appropriated by the State. Transpor- tation companies can not be required to transport explosives against their con- sent. [Act approved March 21, 1874, laws of 1874, page 59.] Prohibits the manufacture or storage of nitro-glycerin or any of its com- pounds within a quarter of a mile from any town, village, etc., or within a quar- ter of a mile from any inhabited house without a written consent from the inhab- itant of such house. [Act approved March 25, 1881, laws of 1881, page 231.] This amends the act of March 17, 1874, so as to include the manufacture and storage of nitro-naphthalene, blasting powder, or any material of which nitro- naphthalene is an essential ingredient or forms a component part. [Act approved April 12, 1886, laws of 1886, page 214.] Makes it unlawful for any railroad company doing business in the State to transport giant powder, dynamite, or nitro-glycerin upon trains carrying pas- sengers. Fine, $100 for each offense. [Act approved May 11, 1886, laws of 1886, page 358.] Prohibits the manufacture or storage of powder and high explosives within 2,000 feet from any public road. Fins not exceeding $2,000. It permits storage in fireproof magazines not exceeding 2,000 pounds within the said distance of 2,000 feet. Provided, That the prohibition in this act shall not aj^ply to any es- tablished storehouse or building heretofore erected and used for manufacturing, storing, or keeping of any of such explosives. [Act approved March 29, 1887, laws of 1887, page 68.] Makes its unlawful to carry powder or high explosives in boats on any of the ponds or lakes of the State, or those lying partly in the State, in a greater quan- tity than 50 pounds. Fine not exceeding $1,000. This does not apply to carry- ing or t'.'ansporting such explosives on any lake or pond near which the same is intended to be used for blasting purposes. 38 RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF JERSEY CITY. The followinflf rule was adopted D3ceTnb3r 27, 1882, relative to the manufac- turvi, storajji^ transportation, and sale of powder, nitroglycerin, etc.: "RuLEl. No person shall manufacture, have, keep, or give away any gun- powder, blasting powder, guncotton. niti o-glycerin, or dualin within the limits of .Jersey City, except in the quantities limited in the manner and upon the conditions herein provided, and under such regulations in special cases as this l)oard shall prescribe. Permits may be issued to persons desiring to sell gun- powder or any of the articles herein mentioned, at retail, at a particular place in said city, to be name 1 in s^il permit (provided that the same ba not in a building used in any part thereof as a dwelling, unless specially authorized by said permit), and persons having a permit from the board of fire commissioners may have on their premises, if actually kept for sale, a quantity not exceeding at any one time— of guncotton, 5 pounds; of gunpowder, 14 pounds; blasting jx>wder, 25 pounds ; and all of said articles shall be put up in tignt metallic canis- tei-s, containing or capable of containing not more thanl pound each ; and the per- sons having such i>ermit shall place on some conspicuous part of the frOnt of each of the stores or buildings in which they may ))e permitted to sell powder, or any of the articles herein named, a sign, on which shall be distinctly painted in characters legible to persons passing such stores or buildings, the words, 'Gunpowder, by permit of the board of fire commissioners.' or designating such other of the articles herein named ; and every barrel, cask, canister, bottle, can. vessel, box, or parcel, in which the same is sold or into which the same is delivered on being sold, shall be distinctly la1)eled with a printed sign or label printed upon or firmly affixed thereto, describing the articles con- tained therein, with the word 'danger ' distinctly painted before the same. No nitro-glycerin. dualin. or gunpowder, greater than above, shall be kept, car- ried, or conveyed, except that, for the p irpos ^s of distribution to oi' delivering from stores or buildings, a quantity not more than 5 quarter casks may be carried at any one time during the daytime, for the purpose of transportation from any vessel or car. or sending the same to stores or buildings, or any vessel, car, or place outside of the limits of the city : Provided, That in carrying or conveying the same it shall be protected by being completely and securely covered with a leather or canvas cover or case, and marked 'gunpowder.' " The commander, owner, or owners of any ship or other vessel arriving in the harbor, and having more than 28 pounds of gunpowder, dualin, or nitro- glycerin on board, shall within forty-eight hours after the arrival, and before such ship or vessel shall approach nearer than 300 feet of any wharf, pier, or slip, immediately give a written notice to the board of fire commissioners of the fact that such gunpowder, or nilro-glycerin, is on such vessel; but any vessel may proceed either to sea within forty-eight hours after arrival, or may trans- ship such gunpowder or nitro glycerin from one ship or vessel to another, for the purpose of immediate transportation, without landing the same : Provided, hoivever, That the provisions of the rules and regulations hereby established shall not apply to any vessel receiving gunpowder on freight on any one day, provided such vessel do not remaift at any wharf, or be within 300 feet after sun- set. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to apply to any ship or vessel of war in the service of the United States, or of any foreign government, which is lying distant 300 feet or upwards from any wharf, pier, or slip. " A greater quantity of ganpowder or any of the articles herein named, may be stored or used in such manner as the board of fire commissioners may desig- nate, under a special permit issued therefor." LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK. By section 455 of the Revised Statutes of New York (1882), ships arriving in New York Harbor having on board more than 28 pounds of gunpowder, dualin, or nitro-glycerin are required to give notice in writing to the fire commissioners within forty-eight hours' after arrival and before the vessel has approached nearer than .300 yards of any wharf, pier, or slip to the southward of a line drawn through the center of Seventy- third street. It is, however, lawful for the ship to proceed to sea within forty-eight hours after her arrival, or to transship the explosives to another vessel for immediate ti-ansportation witho it landing it. The above provisions do not apply to any vessels receiving gunpowder as freight on any one day, provided the vessel does not remain atany wharf of New 39 York City or be within 300 yards thereof after sunset. Explosives seized for violation of this section are sold without notice to the owner within three days, the proceeds going to the tire department relief fund. Nothing- contained in the above section shall b3 construed to apply to any ship or vessel of war in the service of the United States or of any foreign government while lying distant 300 yards or upwards from the wharves, piers, or slips of said city. Section 456 of the same act regulates the amount of fireworks or cartridges or other explosives which may be kept on sale. Birdbeye's Revised Statutes of New York, vol. 2, p. 2108, makes it a misde- meanor to make or keep explosives or combustible material in or carry it through a city or village in a manner prohibited by law or ordinance. Knowingly pre- senting or causing to be presented for shipment to any company engaged as a common carrier of passengers or freight, explosives of any kind dangerous to life or limb, without revealing the true nature of such an article, is made a felony. By the regulations of the hai-bor masters of the port of New York, all vessels having gunpowder on board when anchored in the harbor shall hoist and keep a red lag hoisted in the rigging during the time they are discharging or re- ceiving the same. RULES AND REGULATIONS OF THE BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS OF NEW YORK. The transportation and storage of explosives within the corporation limits of New York City is regulated by the New York board of fire commissionei's (rules established May 22, 1889). ' The following is an abstract of some of the provisions : Persons employed in the manufacture, sale, storage, and use of explosives shall not be less than 21 years old, of good habits, reliable, and able to read the English language understandingly, and shall be examined as to their knowledge of explosives. Packages of explosives on sale must be distinctly marked so as to plainly de- scribe the article it contains, with the word danger " distinctly painted below. Packages containing explosives are of three sizes, to contain, respectively, not more than 5, 10. and 50 pounds. No larger package is permitted except by spe- cial consent and under additicnal special regulations as may be prescribed by the inspector of combustibles. The explosives are required to be packed in substantial receptacles, tightly cloied to prevent the escaps of any of its contsnts. Larger quantities than 5 pounds must be in double packages, the inner pack- age to be a substantial receptacle, kept clean and free from grit ; no iron or steel to be used unless effectually covered with zinc, tin, or other material ; the outer package must be waterproof, of material other than metal, and to be so con- structed as not to be easily broken or opened while in transit. High explosives must be in perfect condition, and not older than one year. It is prohibited to convey in any vessel or conveyance used in any way for pas- &:enger service more than 5 pounds in all. Precautions must be taken to guard against fire or explosion : and it is forbidden to carry in the same conveyance at at the same time any caps or detonators, and iron or steel tools are not per- mitted in proximity to the explosives. For purix)ses of distribution and delivery , 140 pounds are permitted in vessels or conveyances not used or intended to be used for passengers, subject to the fol- lowing restrictions: The transportation not to be between sunrise and sunset. If in the hold of a vessel, the deck to be kept securely closed. If on deck, to be completely and sacurely covered with a suitable covering of leather, canvas, or rubber, to have the word "Gunpowder "'conspicuously marked thereon. If in a vehicle, the explosive to be completely inclosed on all sides, top and bottom ; if in an open vehicle, to be covered as prescribed for transportation on the deck of a vessel. No iron or steel to be near explosives so transported un- less covered with leather, wood, or textile fabric of soft or yielding material. Only safety matches, securely kept entirely separate from the explosive, are allowed on such vessels or vehicles. In stowing explosives in vessels or vehicles they must be in separated par- titions to guard against- contact with other articles forming part of the same cargo or load which may be liable to cause fire or explosion. 40 Smokiiii;- upon such vessel or vehicle is prohibited, and no intoxicated person is allowod on iKjiird: neitiier is the presenccor intci'fereiice of unauthorized pev- sons permitted. ( 'aj-elossness or recklessness in conductinfjf, driving, loading-, or unloading- is proliibitad, and when the loading or unloading is begun, it must not unnecessarily be interrui)t3d or delayed. Transportation must not Ik? commenced before all necessary arrangements to insure pr()mj)t delivery at destination have been made. The shortest route must l3e taken; if necessary to do otherwise, the lea.st populated streets to be used . Vessels carrying merchandise liable to causeor communicate fire or explosion can carry but ')(.) pounds of explosives. Vessels carrying more than 1(K) pounds of explosives shall not stop before rebelling destination unless unavoidable, especially when stopping or delaying migiit be attended with special danger. Precaution must be taken to prevent water coming in contact with any nitro-glycerin mixtures; if necessary an arti- ficial light, safely covered, constructed, and placed, and safety matches may be used. The owner, master, or driver of any vessel or vehicle transporting explosives is required to furnish his employes with copies of the above regulations, and shall conspicuously post copies of the same where they can be conveniently read. He is also required to make his employes familiar with the provisions of these regulations. But one person is permitted to b3 in charge of any such vehicle or vessel and he is to be compL'tent and reliable and in constant attendance. A person in charge of more than 100 pounds in transit thi ough the city must have a permit. This does not apply to railway cars forming a part of continuous train, if such train is in charge of a competent person. Permits are not transferable, and last one year, and are confined to but one building in any square or block. Amount to be kept on hand is limited by law. as follows: Nitro-glycerin, 5 povmds; gun cotton, 5 pounds: gunpowder, 14 pounds; blasting powder, 25 pounds. All other explosives limited to 5 pounds. Explosives are prohibited to be sold or exposed for sale on any public thor- oughfare, road, or street, and sellers are compelled to keep a record of purchases and sales of explosives, subject to inspection of the fire department authorities; also to make weekly reports of sales and deliveries of high explosives. Licenses for construction of storage magazines are issued under restrictions as to construction, etc. They must be entirely separated from what are termed " protected structures*' of the first and second class. The first class comprises buildings used for dwelling or manufacturing pur- poses, workshops, furnaces, or fireplaces for boilers, engines, or other machin- ery, occupied by the licensee; if not, he must obtain the consent of the occu- pants. The second class comprises all buildings not mentioned in the first class. The amount to be stored is limited as follows: Not less than 50 yards from the nearest structure of class 1 and 100 yards from class 2, 500 pounds of blasting powder or, in lieu thereof, one-half that quantity of high explosives. Not less than 75 yards from the nearest structure of class 1 and 150 yards from the nearest structure of class 2, 1,120 pounds of blasting powder, or, in lieu thereof, one-half of that quantity of high explosives. These allowances are subject to alteration should the conditions as to the dis- tance of the structure change. Only the explosives mentioned in the permit can be stored, and no detonators are allowed, and the interiors of the magazines must be constructed so as not to allow foreign or metallic substances to come in contact w^ith the explosive. The magazine must be i)rotected by a sufficient lightning conductor unless it is an excavation or is licensed to contain less than 500 pounds of blasting powder, etc. (its equivalent). There are other restrictions, such as smoking, entering without rubber boots, protection from moisture, posting of the rules, danger sign-boards, red flag by day and red light by night, etc. 41 F. Summary of large accidental explosions. In 1769 a square tower at Brescia, 70 feet high and 18 feet from out to out. was destro^^ed by the explosion of gunpowder stored within it. The amount of pow- der was about 175,000 pounds. Within a radius of 213 yards, 190 houses were destroyed. Within a radius of 639 yards, 500 houses were greatly injured. The walls of this tower were over 5 feet thick. It was two stories high and entirely above ground. During the siege of Almeida by the French in the Peninsular war a maga- zine exploded which contained 165,000 pounds of powder. The cathedral, dis- tant 180 yards, was destroyed. Three-quarters of the town, which lay within a radius of 220 yards from the magazine, was destroyed. The French trenches were from 650 to 875 yards distant and large masses of stone were thrown into them. At the siege of Sebastopol, a depot magazine of the French army in the Ma- melon Vert, which contained 15,40J pounds of powder, exploded. It was sunk l^elow the parade in the middle of the work, and was made bombproof by earth and logs. The explosion formed a crater extending to the limits of the terre- plein, but did no material injury to the parapet. Two batteries, distant 50 yards from the centerof the magazine, were injured. Some men were killed by the first effect of the explosion, and others by the material thrown upon them. On June 9, 1863, a magazine at Fort Lyons, in the defenses of Washington, was exploded. The floor was 9 feet below the parade. The space for powder was 64 by 7 by 7 feet, covered on top with heavy logs and 8 feet of earth. The whole amount of powder was 32,00!) pounds. The diameter of the crater was about 45 feet. The parapet of the fort, although within 80 feet and rising several feet above the terreplein. was hardly injured. Wooden buildings and tents near the magazines were entirely destroyed, but the bombproof, distant 75 feet from it, and which at the time contained most of the garrison, escaped uninjured. A house 350 yards distant had its windows blown in and its doors blown out. The walls were started in one place more than an inch, while the whole house was settled unevenly on its foundation. Several persons were lifted up and thrown to considerable distances, in one case about 150 yards, with slight injury. In October, 1864, two powder magazines and two barges loaded with powder, on the south bank of the Thames, near Erith, England, exploded. The largest magazine (Hall's) was 50 feet square on two floors, and contained 750 barrels. The smaller (Lowood^s) was 28 by 48 feet, and contained 90 barrels. The two barges contained 200 barrels, making a total quantity exploded of about 115,000 pounds. .The two magazines were but 135 feet from each other, situated on the edge of the river. The two barges were moored at wharves projecting about 120 feet into the river. Near the two magazines were three cottages. One was 71 yards from Hall's magazine, and another 70 yards ; a third was 50 yards from Lowood's magazine. All these structures were upon a tract of 20 acres of ground, and were the only buildings within a mile. There were three explosions — the first on the barges, the second in the large magazine, and the third in the smaller magazine. The barges were split into fragments, and not a stone remained. upon another in the magazines. A crater in the levee was formed 75 feet in length and 5 feet deep. The cottages were all thrown down, but little damage was done beyond the 20 acres other than the breaking of window sashes and doors and cracking of walls up to a range of If miles. The shock was felt at London, distant at the nearest point about 15 miles. Three other magazines at distances respectively of one- quarter of a mile, one-half of a mile, and 1 mile, received no injury. In the summer of 1864 a canal boat containing not less than 8 tons of powder was exploded at City Point, Va, It lay between a similar canal boat and the piled wharf. On this wharf was a wooden warehouse. About 300 feet of the wharf and the warehouse were destroyed. A loaded railroad train on the oppo- site side of the wharf was uninjured, but some light wooden buildings and tents 165 yards distant were blown down. Fragments of the boat were thrown 500 yards. No persons were injured unless struck by projectiles. • On August 11, 187] , an explosion of 13| tons of guncotton occurred at Stow- market. The first explosion took plauie almost bimultaneously in three maga- zines. This involved the nearly complete destruction of the buildings composing 42 the faotory, togfothor with injury to other striictui'es in the neig-hborliood. Some of the baiKlin«rs wore selon tiro, and a Hocond small explosion oeeiirred about three- quarters of an hour after the first, adding- to the hjssof life but not materially to the damag-e. The etTect-i of the lai-^e explosion were as follows : Some window sashes and frames were broken uj) to a distance of about 1 mile. Between one- quarter and three-quarters of a mile, some slig-ht material damag-e was done; but as a general rule serious damajje was limited to a rang-eof from 450 to 500 yards. At from 30i) to 4(K1 yards, cottages of sligiit construction were almost destroyed. The buildings of the factory, situated from 20 to 50 yards from the magazines, were completely demolished. In 1874 an explosion of about 5 tons of gimpowder occurred at Regents' Park, L )ndon. The powder was on a canal boat, in a cutting, which materially screened the neighboring buildings. Serious structural damage was limited to a radius of about 200 yards; damage to window frames extended to about 600 yards ; window glass was broken up to a range of nearly a mile. In August. 18H(), a brick magazine belonging to the Lallin & Rand Powder Company, near Chicago, III., was exploded by lightning during a thunder storm. The building contained about 150,000 pounds of assorted blasting and sporting jjowder and 12,000 pounds of dynamite. Other magazines were near by, but none of them were exploded. One belonging to the Oriental Powder Company was about 300 feet distant, and was seriously damaged in the roof and the walls were broken in to some extent. A small frame structure near by was blown down and injury to persons occurred there. At about 000 feet in another direc- tion were two other magazines belonging to other powder companies ; they also were considerably damaged. Injury to houses occurred up to 800 or 1,000 yards. On January 16, 1887, a tremendous explosion occurred on board of a small sail- ing vessel stranded near the Seal Rocks, at the entrance of San Francisco Har- bor. Her cargo included 7 tons of dynamite No. 1, 21 tons of dynamite No. 2, and 12 tons of Judson powder, or a total of about 40 tons of high explosives. The locality was wild and with few buildings in the vicinity, but the ClitT House Hotel, distant about 800 feet, at an elevation of about 84 feet above the water, with its surrounding structures, was almost completely wrecked. Windows were broken in San Francisco 5 or 6 miles away, although the city was shielded by high intervening hills. On August 11, 1887, an explosion occurred in the Giant Powder Works near San Francisco. About 2 tons of nitro-glycerin exploded in the manufacturing department. About 100 feet therefrom 2 tons more of nitroglycerin were stored in a building which was demolished, but without injury to the explosive. The foreman of the works noticed that something was wrong with the process, and after giving the alarm ran for his life. When the explosion occurred he had reached a point about 120 feet from the house, and where he was partly pro- tected by a low bank of earth, so that he did not receive the full shock of the blast. He was, however, thrown by the air currents a few feet into a deep cut, but escaped without serious injury. About 15,000 pounds of Judson powder took fire and burned without explosion. On June 28, 1888, 4,509 pounds of blasting gelatine exploded in a magazine at FortTarshyne. The structural damage done was slight, but windows and light trelliswork were shattered up to half a mile of distance. Two 6-inch guns mounted at a distance of 30 yards were quite uninjured. On September 6. 1889, one of the most serious explosions of modern times oc- curred at Antwerp. About 6 tons of gunpowder exploded in a factory for break- ing up obsolete metallic cartridges. It was situated in a populous part of the northern portion of the city. The powder was contained in two light wooden sheds situated about 30 yards from each other. About 100 persons were killed and 150 injured. An expert analysis of the results of the explosion led to the conclusion that the radius of structural damage was 370 yards ; that of minor damages, such as window frames blown out, ceilings cracked, etc., was 1,000 yards, and that of windows broken 2,000 yards. On October 7, 1890, a very large explosion occurred at the powder works of the Du Pont-De Nemours Company at Wilmington, Del. It originated in a magazine containing 50 tons of brown prismatic powder, and extended to five other buildings. One of the latter, next in order and sheltered by a hill, con- tained 25 tons of United States field artillery gunpowder; and another, also * sheltered by a hill, 5 tons of sporting powder, making a total of at least 80 tons of gunpowder. The later explosions may have occurred from fire communicated by burning grains of the brown prismatic powder, which were widely distributed. So far as could be determined the radius of serious damage to buildings was 43 limited to 100 yards, but the lack of such structures built in the vicinity made this danger radius a matter of doubt. On April 23, 1891, a tremendous explosion occurred in Rome, Italy. It orig-- inated in a magazine at Vigna Pia, 3 miles from the center of the city. This was a masonry building 48 by 18 feet, lying in a small valley. It was surrounded by a wall and consistedlof a basement, two stories, and attics. It contained 285 tons of powder and 25,000 cannon cartridges, besides large quantities of fuses, deto- nators, friction tubes, and fireworks in a separate compartment. No nitro com- pounds were present. Serious structural damage was caused in buildings at dis- tances varying from 550 to 875 yards. Roofs and interior partitions were badly damaged up to an average distance of 875 yards, and in three cases up to 1,650 yards. Broken glass was general throughout the city. At the British Embassy, 7,000 yards distance, 61 jpanes were broken. A window "built up with ma- sonry" was blown in at a distance of 5,000 yards. A barometer 4,000 yards dis- tant indicated a compression of the atmosphere measured by 0.46 inch, followed by a depression measure by 0.35 inch below the normal, showing a wave from crest to trough measured by 0.81 inch. A second waive of 0.47 and 0.18 inch, equal to. 0.6;"> inch followed; The final increase was O.Oo inch. Seismom- eters 18 miles distant recorded three distinct waves. The gunpowder was ap- parently fully consumed. His Majesty's inspectors of explosives, in the annual report for 1891, remark : " The range of structural damage caused by an amount of explosive far exceed- ing that stored in any licensed magazine in this country was. comparatively speaking, so small that it gives us every reason to feel confident that the dis- tances assigned in the licenses to be maintained between magazines and ' pro- tected buildings and works ' are amply sufficient to provide against serious struc- tural damage in the event of an explosion. Such minor damages as broken windows are practically impossible to be guaranteed against, except in the case of some magazines on exceptionally lonely and remote localities." On July 9, 1892, a notable explosion occurred at the Giant Powder Works near Berkeley, Cal. The local topography may be thus described : A narrow ridge having two summits extends about 900 feet from north to south along the eastern shore of San Francisco Bay, forming an obtuse point distant about 7 or 8 miles from this city. The northern summit rises about 100 feet and the southern summit about 80 feet above the water, with a depression between them 60 feet high. On the northern slope of the higher hill at a reference of about 80 feet was situated the nitro-glycerin factory where the explosion orig- inated. The mixing house, shop, and magazines which were exploded were situated at a reference of about 20 or 30 feet at the foot of the northern hill, ex- tending in a general* direction east and west. These buildings were individually separated from each other by earthen travei'ses. A short distance further to the eastward at reference 20 were two wooden acid manufactories, one in an excavation. Both were destroyed, the lower stories only remaining. Two dwellings were situated from 600 to 800 feet fur- ther south and at about the same reference (20 feet). The roofs of both were crushed ; whether by lifting and falling or by direct pressure is not clear. Some Chinamen's houses and stables — light shanties — at still greater distances were all badly shaken. On the ridge in the depression between the two hills and pro- tected by the northern one, was a brick house, distant say 500 feet. It was un- roofed and its gables shaken off for a few feet. On the top of the lesser hill was a high brick chimney which was badly shaken and cracked. There were five separate detonations within fifteen minutes. The first was probably in the nitro-glycerin factory, about 80 feet above the bay. The building probably contained from 1 ,000 to 2,000 pounds of that explosive. The second was in the incorporating shop at the foot of the hill, 20 feet above the bay, and adja- cent to the wash house, which was connected with the factory by a pipe to con- vey nitro-glycerin. The several cartridge shops next in line followed : and last of all, after fifteen minutes' interval, two or three magazines, which detonated sensibly at the same instant. These magazines had brick walls 15 inches thick and roofs of closely laid solid timber covered with metal. They are said to have contained dynamite and Judson powder and nitrate of soda blackr blasting pow- der. The amount is not definitely made public. Different statements of officers of the company give it as from 100 tons to 75 tons, without distinguishing grades. Another statement from expert authority is the following : " There was an explosion at one instant of 350 tons of dynamite. This, it was said, was mainly of a high grade, averaging over 40 per cent of nitro-glycerin. 44 merit:. \%ciro two other explosions, said to have been of 150 tons and 100 tons ro- 6))octively." The truth ])robably lies tetween these widely different estimates. As to the destructive effects Col. Mendell. Corps of Engineers, to whose kind- ness we are indebted for most of these details, states : "The first explosion appears to have set the wooden building's afire, which is sufficient to account for the successive detonations, except, porhai)S, the maga- zine. * * * The destruction was partly due tj fire and partly to exjilosion. * * * The roofs of all buildings standing on the track were crushed in and the walls thrown out: the windows were generally blown in, altiiough in the city, 7 or S miles distant, heavy win:low panes were blown out. * * * There is a good deal to indicate that roofs were blown in (not lifted, but depressed), but I am not sure about this. * * * No great damage — that is, no great de- struction — was done bjyond a quarter of a mile : but there are no houses to speak of within a mile. One about a half-mile off was quite badly injured ; but at 8 miles or more distint glass was broken freely and things shaken up as by a mall earthquake, which indeed it was." G. Tables shotcing distances from protected worlcs for magazines and other danger buildings. In any case where the protected work is effectively screened from the maga- zine or danger building, either by the natural features of the ground or by good and substantial artilicial mounds of earth or mine refuse of such height that a line drawn from any part of the magazine or danger building to any part of the protected work in question will pass through the intervening grounder mound, the distance from that protected work (except for quantities of 1,(X)0 pounds and under) will be reduced one-half.* Provided that when a natural hill so inter- venes as to afford a degree of protection which in the opinion of a Government inspector justifies a further reduction, the distance shown in the table will be reduced to one-quarter. 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