Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-06-06
Balls, Shell, aud Bomb>---lIow Ihc1
are mndc.
qondence of the Springfield
Republican.


West Troy, Is as YOU douhtlcss know. the
largest arsenal for the construction aud
fabrication of military implements. other
than small arms aud cannon, ia the coun-
Try; and a visit TO its workshops at the
present time powerfully imprcsscs enc with
the strength and resources of our govern
ment. Everything i at present on war
footing and from three to four hundred
hands indirectly, in the neighboring found.
ri es, arc kept busy night and day. y
large number OF hands are engaged in IT,,
preparation OF ammunition. Sixty thou
sand bali cartridges are made daily. Most
oi these are intended for the Mimic rife,
but large numbers OF the od-!askioued
round ball cartridges are also manulactur-
ed. The rapidity with which cartridge
is made is wonderful. 4 boy sits on Il
COULTER with cylindrical stick, a pile of
creased balls ard one of prepared paper
before him; Jerk and twist al enc end, a
twist of i string, and the cartridge is
ready for filling in less time than it takes
70 read this description. They are then
taken into another room, placed open end
up in shallow boxes, and man by means
of simple instrument, fills them with an
equal and specific amount of powder, AT
the rate of thirty minute. a twist at
the open end. and the cartridge II com
?lete. The manufacture goes on - fast
that it requires neariy dozen men and
BOYS 10 pack. box aad remove tho finished
cartridges. Ia another apartment mum
Der oi men and girls are employed in the
manufacture OF cannon cartridges of all
sizes, from the mightiest cUlumbiad down
to a six FOUNDER. The materials Of which
they are made is Eind of Woolen goods
lmoreen) imported from England e.peci-
ally for the purpose Thousands Of wards
of this material were in the process of be
ng cut up and manufactured. Cannon
cartridges are not filled here, bnt at the
place where they are intended To be used
In a'ill another department. grape. canis
ter and STRAPPED ammunition are in course
Of preparation, while huge cart loads of
bomb shells and spherical shot are hourly
arriving from the neighboring ioundcrics.
The grape shot are larger than supposed.
and might more properly be called peach
shot ;han grape shot. Some six or more
of these are packed iwa sort of wire cork
screw arrangement, and fitted into n tin
case, and when thus finished have much
the appearance of jars Of preserved meats
or fruits.
The manufacture Of bomb shells is also
4 matter OF much interest. The prepara-
ton Of chose witnessed is briefly as fol
lows: The shell iSfirst filled with old fash
ioned round loaded bullets; melted sulphur
is then poured in 70 fill up the interstices
and bind the bullets in one solid mass the
SHE'LL j. then put in kind OF lathe. and
cylindrical hole oithe exact size of the orr
flee of the shell Is borc'l through the bullets
and sulphur; this cavity Is filled with pow
der, even with the interior edge OF the orr
flee, a six inch she'll of the kind described
holding about half pound; the fuse fit
ted into the orficc il recent Belgian IN
vention. made of pewter, and resembles
the screw capuscd for the patent fruit cans.
An examination Of ;iis pewter cap shows.
however, that il Il made of two helloS
discs of metal screwed together, and fllcd
with meal powder; number of fine holes
are drilled in the lower disc, while the out
ter disc j. entire, and marked with figures
in circle. /. ,. 3. {. In tlis state the
shell i water aud weather nroof When
taken for use, the gunner, IL means Of a
small steel instrument. scoops out 4 po-
ton of the outer soft metal surface, and
laws bare tie charge Of composition pow
der below il. Ii the shell il desired 70 ex-
plode in onesecond after leaving the gun.
'''O N''.'i" - maui III tHV h1N' 2 'i'' IL
in two seconds. on the figure one; If in
two seconds, on the figure Two, and 90 on
the idea being that the shells Of this des
criptiou shall first strike the object aimed
~ and DO execution ~ ball AID then ex-
plode. sending the brllets forward as if
from another cannon located A. the point
where the fight of the shell l. arrested
Large shells Of eight or ten inches are filled
with powder only, and, bursting. DO exc
cution by means of their fragments. These
iarSe shells are generally fred bv means Of
fuse Of meal powder extending through
brass plug screwed into the mouth of
the she'll in both eases the fuse is fred by
Z - Il