land ▁to ▁use ▁as ▁a ▁sh ipping ▁dep ot . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 1 6 , ▁the ▁Le high ▁Valley ▁Rail road , ▁which ▁owned ▁the ▁island ▁and ▁cause way , ▁expanded ▁the ▁island ▁with ▁land ▁fill , ▁and ▁the ▁entire ▁area ▁was ▁an nex ed ▁by ▁Jersey ▁City . ▁A ▁mile - long ▁pier ▁on ▁the ▁island ▁hous ed ▁a ▁dep ot ▁and ▁w are h ouses ▁for ▁the ▁National ▁D ock ▁and ▁Storage ▁Company . ▁Black ▁Tom ▁Island ▁is ▁now ▁part ▁of ▁Liber ty ▁State ▁Park . ▁ ▁Black ▁Tom ▁was ▁a ▁major ▁m un itions ▁dep ot ▁for ▁the ▁N ort he astern ▁United ▁States . ▁Until ▁early ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁U . S . ▁m un itions ▁companies ▁could ▁sell ▁to ▁any ▁bu yer . ▁After ▁the ▁Block ade ▁of ▁Germany ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Navy , ▁however , ▁only ▁the ▁Al lied ▁powers ▁could ▁purchase ▁from ▁them . ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Imperial ▁Germany ▁sent ▁secret ▁agents ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁to ▁ob struct ▁the ▁production ▁and ▁delivery ▁of ▁war ▁m un itions ▁that ▁were ▁intended ▁to ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁its ▁enemies . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁night ▁of ▁the ▁attack , ▁about ▁ ▁of ▁small ▁arms ▁and ▁art illery ▁am mun ition ▁were ▁stored ▁at ▁the ▁dep ot ▁in ▁fre ight ▁cars ▁and ▁on ▁b arg es , ▁including ▁ ▁of ▁T NT ▁on ▁Johnson ▁Bar ge ▁No . ▁ 1 7 . ▁All ▁was ▁waiting ▁to ▁be ▁sh