Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, December 06, 1956, Page 49, Image 49

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Salem, Oregon, Thursday, December 6, 1956
Firm Disputes
Cha
rge Fuses
Sent Illegally
N. Y. Fire Chief Claims
7-Ton Shipment Not
Tagged Explosive
NEW YORK wi-A Cor.r.eclicut
firm says almost seven tons ot
detonating' fuses which some
officials contend may have caused
the terrific blast during a Brook
lyn pier fire were shipped "in
strict conformity with all regula
tory requirements."
The blaze and explosion last
Monday killed 10 persons, injured
2 and caused damage estimated
by city officials at 15 million dol
lars. A probe of the disaster con
tinues including the cause of
the fire.
The Ensign Bickford Co. of
Simsbury, Conn., said last night
it shipped 1.950 cases of "Prima
cord" fuses to its West Coast dis
tributor. 1
Stoughton S. Ellsworth, a com
pany vice president, said "Prima
cord" is designated by the Inter
state Commerce Commission as a
Class C or minimum-hazard ex
plosive. He said the fuse also has
been approved by the Federal
Bureau of Aeronautics for ship
ment via air freight.
City Fire Commissioner Edward
F. Cavanagh Jr., however, said
yesterday that shipment of such
a quantity of this material was
of a hazardous character."
Cavanagh also said the bill of
lading was not marked ""explo
sive" and carried only the warn
ing sign, "Store away from heat."
He added that no more than 1,000
pounds of explosive material may
be stored here without notification
to the Fire Department.
Robert W. Withers, a lop Fire
Department official, says such
fuses constitute a high explosive
of a type banned from shipment
here eight years ago.
Cavanagh declined to say def
initely that the fuses caused the
blast on" the Luckenbach Steam
ship Line pier. But he said experts
had told him the amount on the
pier could have caused it.
Ellsworth said the fuses would
be explosive only when set off by
an 'outside force," adding: "If
acrlylenc gas blew, it could be set
off."
Seven drums of carbide were
found in the middle of (lie 1,700
foot pier, biggest in New York
Harbor, the night of the fire. Car
bide mixed with water creates
acetylene gas which explodes un
der contained conditions.
Tolerance of the "Primacord"
fuse, used in commercial demoli
tion work, was said to be 260 de
grees centigrade (500 degrees
Fahrenheit).
The fuses had been consigned to
the Coast Manufacturing Co. of
Traverno, Calif.
The bill of lading on the ship
ment was found yesterday among
blackened debris on the wrecked
pier.
DemoAdvisery
Unit Includes
Adlai, Truman
WASHINGTON (UP)- Twenty
top Democrats, including former
President Truman and Adlai E.
Stevenson, were named today to
fln advisory committee to help
chart the Democratic program
during the next four years.
The committee was appointed
by Chairman Paul Butler of the
Democratic National Committee
under terms of a resolution adopt
ed last month by the committee's
executive group.
The 2(1 include Democratic lead
ers of the House and Senate, five
"at large" members, and five
members to represent Democratic
governors and mayors.
In addition to Mr. Truman and
Stevenson, the defeated 1952 and
11156 presidential nominee who an
nounced Tuesday he would not run
again, ' the at-large members in
elude Sen. Esles Kefauver of
Tennessee, this year's vice prcsi
donlial candidate: Mrs. Franklin
D. Roosevelt, widow of the late
President, and former Gov. John
S. Battle of Virginia.
Congressional members of the
committee include Speaker Sam
Ray burn: Senate Democratic
Leader Lvndon B. Johnson: House
Democratic Leader John W. Mc
Cormaek; and Rep. Edith Green
of Oregon.
Other members appointed by
Ruller included Gov. Averell liar
riman of New York. Gov. G.
Mennen Williams of Michigan,
and Gov. Ernest V. McFarland
of Arizona.
Stevenson removed himsrlf from
future presidential consideration
in a one-page statement issued
Tuesday night.
OSC (iivrn (Irani
To Train Teachers
CORVALL1S ifi - Oregon Stale
College has a $253,000 grant under
which it is to conduct a 10-month
training course next year for 50
high school science and mathe
matics teachers.
The grant li one of Ifi the Na
tional Science Foundation has
made tncnllegcs in (he country
in a program which the Founda
tion is launching in the hope of
increasing he number of "top
quaity scientists and engineers',"
mffep breUifrs convene
CORVALI.1S f - The Oregon
Purehred Sheep Breeders ssn.
opens its annual mer'ing here
M nday. During the session. S.S
nr will be innouneed in the 195
heep production contett. 8
f
I
85W
STARTING THIS FRIDAY OPEN
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TO 9 P.M.
SATURDAY 9:30 A.M. TO 5:30 P.M.
FREE STORE-SIDE PARKING
FOR OVER 1,000 CARS
$
27.50
Meier & Frank s -Salem, Salem, Oregon
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Page II