Clarksville chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1857-1865, 1861-11-22

Notes ON Making soifpetre from th e
Ears.. OF the Caves.
TOW 10 MAKE sALrPErRr.
NJ MAJ. GEO. ". RAIss.

!
Confederacy is so simple that any Que residing
In the neighborhood Of g cave in limestone
rock-and nearly all the caves are in such rock
can without any expense make at least few
pounds of the salt every day, aud with assistance
could make IL q profitable business at the price
which Government is now paying To furnish
the practical Information required in plain Ian
guage, to such persons so as TO enable each one
to add to the production of article so ndis
pensable to the military operations of our coun
try, now struggling for its free existence, in
duces the writer to publish these note; he would
earnestly appea! to his couutrymen who may
live near any cave, to put themselves, if need be-
to some Inconvenience, in order 10 aid in the in
valuable production. Ne cannot be too thank.
full that this gigantic war was entered upon with
large supplies Of ammunition aud the materials
for its fabrication, but little of which has yet
been expended but in a contest Of such magni~
tude, where we have To supply the fiery food for
some two thousand mouths Of large dime nsions--
some of which consume not less than three
fourths Of key of powder at each charge--itl
will readily be seen that the most abundant
stores must fail sooner or later, unless care be
taken in time to replenish the demands of con-
! sumption.
Our supplies of sulphur--aud, Of COURSE char
coal-are probably ample for the entire war,
even il it be of long duration, and the amount Of
sahpetre in the earth Of the Southern caves to
be had for the washing, is abuudantly sufficient
to meet all demands for an indefinite period Of
time.
But the nitre is still in the earth and it be.
hooves US to extract it in time, before we com
mence to feel q pressure in this direction. 1t
is true we are receiving daily from a few caves
what would be considered a very large amount
in ordinary times, but the times extraordi
nary, and hence require extraordinary supplies;
thus the individual who makes pound Of salt
petre each day, contributes in fact more to the
ultimate success Of this country, than Il he
shouldered his musket and marched with all his
E sons to the tented field.
Gunpowder is made of over three fourth parts
of nitre purified saltpetre), fourteentarts Of
charcoal and ten parts sulpher, all by weight;
T hence the nitre is much the largest portion of
S gunpowder material, requiring consequently the
largest daily supply.
The crude saltpetre from the caves--called
CROUCH Sdltpetre in commerce-requires to be pu-
led before it can be used for guupowder and
5 for this purpose Government has established a
refinery at Nashville capable of refining daily
5000 pounds of CROUCH satpetre into pure nitre,
as white as snow, and ready for the powder
mills. In the extensive Government Powder
z Works now in course of rapid erection in Georgia
under the direction of the writer, over Eve tons
of sAltpetre will be refined each day if required,
and converted into gunpowder.
ARTICLES WANTED TO MAKE sALrPEYRE ON A SMALL
| SCALE.
J One ordinary iron pot, for boiling; three or
four tubs pals, or barrels cut off two or three
small troughs some coarse bags a wheelbar-
row to bring the earth from the cave, and four
strong with one head in each--empty vinegar,
D whisky or pork barrels are very good-are all
: the articles required for small satpetre manu-
. factory. To these, however, must be added some
ash barrels to make potash I've, as 1t is better
; that this should be made at the same time and
e place, the ashes from the fire under the pot for
n boiling assisting in the production.
HOW TO PROCEED.
First bore hole about the size Of the finger
through the head or end of each barrel near one
side and fit wood plug to each hole-then set
the barrels on some pieces of timber near each
other the heads down, and the hole of each pro-
jecting over the timber Put some twigs Into
the bottom of each barrel, and on these place
straw or hay about half q foot thick when pressed
: down; then, having brought some of the earth
from the cave, and broken up all the Jumps, all
each barrel full without pressing it down. Put
the plugs into the holes tightly, and fill up each
: barrel with as much water (hGt water is best in
: winter) as it will hold; allow the whole to re.
4 main until next day, then pull out the plugs,
having placed a tub or pail under each, and
pour oil the water from the first barrel into the
second barrel, and all the water or liquor which
Z drains from this barrel must be poured top of
the earth Of the third barrel, aud finally the
= liquor which drains from this last barrel must
= be poured into tub or other vessel Now hav-
= ing previously made some strong lye from wood
ashes; pour a small stream of it into the tub and
= stir il we'll Immediately the clear liquor will
\ become muddy and as long as the I've continues
!; to curdle cloud the liquor, it must be poured
% in; of course you will have to wait now and then
for the liquor to settle to if 1t requires
= I've. No more must be added than is n necessary,
for it not only wastes the lye, but is mpurity
/, which the refinery must afterwards get rid Of
- We will suppose that the proper quantity of I've
has been used and the liquor allowed TO title
;, or drain through cloth until it becomes clear il
A is then poured into the pot and boiled away
l. until drop taken up by the end Of stick be
~ comes hard solid when let fall upon cold metal
4 or upon plate.
= The liquor is now to be dipped out of the pot
? and poured into cloth placed over a TUDOR bar
= rel and allowed to strain through into the tub
below and become cold. As soon the liquor
a begins to cool, crystals of saltpetre will COM
! mence forming and when cold the liquor left
r. called mother llquor-must be poured off from
;. the saltpetre back into the pot with the fresh
N liquor for boiling, il still has considerable
~ saltpetre in it. There will be found at the bot
"a tom of the pot after the liquor is dipped out,
70 when the boiling is completed earthly salts
Ne which, after draining, can be thrown away as
impurities; If, however, some Icing needle-shaped
crystals should be seen in it when cold, il con-
tains some saltpetre, and about quart of hot
" water should be added, and then poured off af-
n Ter a time, when it will have dissolved all the
q saltpetre left among the earthly saltsI this
IN wash water can then be put back into the pot
,r after the impurities shall have been cleaned out
rs The saltpetre formed by the foregoing pro.
is cess must be hrst allowed to drain we'll, and
then placed cloths stretched before the fire
a. out in the sun to dry when the drying is com
e pleed, IL is TO be put into sacks barrels and
is ready to be transported to the Government
Of Agent at Nashville, Lieut.. NJ. II. Wright, O. S
n A., ordnance officer who will pay for the sam'
W on receiving the bills Of its shipment on tn,
"a railroad.
nv II the crystalsof saltpetre are wet and brown
e. and win not keep dry, il is because too mue
ie I've from the wood ashes has been used THU
In can be removed by nearly filling tub or bar
rel with the saltpetre and pouring cold water GU
it. as much as the tub will hold, and after re