The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-10-31
How They Make Gunpowder.


Tribune, in letter from Wilmington,
Delaware, gives the following interesting
sketch Of the process by which powder is
made at the celebrated mills Of Du Pont
in that city:
"Of course, Of the details Of the busi-
ness of the Messrs Du Pont even if known
| TO me, | could not make mention, unless
by their consent; but the process Of man
ufacture is in reality 10 secret; every book
Of chemistry treating Of it to some cx-
tent. All know that gunpowder is com
posed of saltpetre, birthstone and char
coal, though brt few have any idea OF the
trouble and labor gone through to have
those materials Of a proper quality. The
saltpetre is received At the yards, has the
appearance of dirty coarse salt, filed with
a short hbrous matter. By q process of
refining, two or three times repeated, it
assumes the appearance somewhat of fine
table salt, in which state it is fit for the
powder mill. Great care is also taken to
have the sulphur pure. But the most Ia
nor and forethought seems to be necessary
in procuring the charcoal, which is made
Of the willow and poplar, the former being
used for the best kinds of powder. To
procure supplies of these woods, the pro-
prietors set out yearly, in every nook and
corner trees which are hewn down every
three years, and the branches are converted
into charcoal. The method of procuring
the wood gives singular appearance to
the country; for in many places alongside
the roads, or by the streams may be seen
Old tree trunks, standing but little higher
than mans head, and topped only with
9 bunch of small branches I SAW some
trunks that appeared TO he forty or sfty
years Old, without a limb thicker than my
wrist.
The mill buildings in which the materi-
ais are ground or mixed, are scattered
along the banks Of the stream esch one
containing a mill. They are built Of stone
on three sides, with heavy walls strength
ened with piers; the other side fScins the
stream, is of wood and the roof also slopes
toward the stream. The plan Of consiruc-
ton is TO lessen the damage from expo
sions; for shouhl an explosion take place,
the force would be diverted toward the
stream. The mills consist Of two heavy
rollers on wheels, moving in s. trough. |
saw one pair, each of which weighed I5,
600 pounds--about seven tuhs The
materials being we'll mixed up and pulver-
lied in these mills, is slightly Roist.ned,
when it is pressed into cakes till it BE-
comes almost as hard as plaster of Paris
These cakes are then broken mp into small
4 pieces, and taken to the granulation mill,
an operation which on account Of its dan
Egcr, was not permitted to see After
agranulation, the powder is taken to the
/ glazing MILL Here 500 or 100 pounds
are put into a wooden eask, revolving
moderately fast for twenty -four hours,
there being six or eight Of these casks
and close by each were 100 pounds more
ready for another charge. From the giaz-
ing mill the powder is taken TO the drying
: house. Here, at the time of my visit
were nearly four tins of powder, spread
out on trays, while close by were two fur.
naces roaring away at the rate of tun Of
coal each twenty-four hours DANCE,
there was not yet | could not but think
of Sebastopol and the story of its mines
From the drying house the powder is ia
| ken to the packing house, where it is put
t in barrels or canisters, and thence taker
| to a magazine, of which there are several
built with the same regard to nom damage
in case of explosion, as the grinding mills
9 While standing in one of the packin;
a houses, and just as | kicked hundre'
: pound keg of powder, intended for hi
exceilency Santa Anna, Mr.. Du Pom
called to a man to bring him some powde
in scoop shovel, aud therein / inspected
a about half peek of powder destined t.
: knock out of this world some enemy O
: his said excellency. Great care is exer
: cised, the yards and buildings being unde
: the direct and constant supervision @
r some of the firm, aud to such an extent
h this supervision carried, that one of then
!; visits the yard every night at one O'Clock
n the discipline is more efficient than in tn
S army or navy.