The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-04-20
3irhmond Aispatrlr,
The Nitro.Glyccrinc Explosion mt san Fran.

cisco.
In addition 10 the informal ton already pub
iished In this paper in relation to the nitro
giycerine explosion at San Francisco on the
10th April, we learn by later advices that fif
teen or twenty persons were killed instantly,
While many others were dreadfully injured,
and that the value of the buildings destroyed
by the explosion is at least two hundred
thousand dollars.
The New \ ork papers state that the super
intendent of a New York mining company sent,
some weeks ago, to San Francisco by the Paci-
fic Mail Steamship Company, several boxes of
nitro -giycerine, weighing about two hundred
pounds, imported from the factory of Mr..
ALFRED NOBEL, of Hamburg, Germany, the
inventor and patcntce end this was, in all
probability, the destructive agent which
caused the terrible loss of life which we have
now recorded.
In 1860, when attention was first called 10
the new explosive agent, it was argued that it's
danger; and it was shown that in case of
shipment, one pound exploding by some un-
foreseen accidcn on board of Il two-hundred-
ton vessel, would tear the vessel 10 pieces " !;
and we reflect with terror, that the explosion
/
two hundred pounds of nitro glycerine-an
explosion which took place without apparent
cause at san Francisco-could but have torn
the vessel 10 pieces and caused the death OF her
seven hundred or eight hundred passengers.
The inventor and advocates of the nitro
glycerine contended that it might be used wi h
perfect safety, that it was without danger of
elf-igniton, and, requiring n special ignitor,
would not even take fire if placed in contact
with 4 burning match. But it must be remem-
bered that it may be dccomposed by contact
with the vessels in which ii is carried-that it
may be affected by other chemicals or chemi.
cal vapors of goods stored near it, and that
even its manufacture is subject TO accidents
altogether beyond the control of the manufac-
turer.
An explosion of this liquid took place in the
Wyoming Hotel, Greenwich street, New York,
on the 9TH OF November tGCY FAwKEs : gun.
powder day. last. The small quantity eX-
ploded caused no great damage.
Two other instances will suffice TO show the
perl that all incur who deal in any way with
nitro glycerine:
I'm the small city of Bochum, in Westpha.
liza. Germany, a StOrekeeper kept some STOCK OF
Nobel's nitro glycerine. One morning Il miner
came to buy two POUNDS, ana brought lth
him a tin can 10 carry ii, the glass bottles III
which it was sold being lnconHenlent Tor hlm.
The clerk opened the bottles, and poured the
oil in the tin can; but III the same moment
il explored tearing 10 pieces the poor clerk,
killing the miner and destroying the store.
The PrusSan Government appointed COM
mission 10 investigate the matter, and II was
found that the tin can had contained turpen-
tine oil, and that turpentlne OIL IN contact
with nitro -glycerine possibly would occasion
n sudden explosion.
"Near GlatZ in SilcSia, Il laborcr who was
occupied i'll blasting away some rocks on Inc
railroad track came very early IN th' morning
January g. 1866 to his work He was to pour
oil in his drill hole. but found it hard frozen
over night-the oil having the peculiar quality
of freezing six degrees above the water freeZ-
ing pout. The oil was ina guttt- percha flask,
and little being left, the unfortunate workman
Ont omen the flask and took Il hatchct to cut
OF \ niece of the frozen oil. The moment the
hatchet touched the frozen lump 1T exploded,
killing instantly the poor man, whose limbs
were scattered in fragments, and found two
miles distant from the place where the accident
happened
1t is not necessary TO multiply such eA-
amples rs these, and enough has already been
! said TO prove the necessity of imposing legal
restrictions upon the transportation OF nitro
clvcerine by public carriers. This must be
done for the safety and well being Of the pub
lie 10 secure which should be considered Tar
more important than the profitable use OF a
new blasting oil. Yet science and experience
NAV make it AS safe rs gunpowder when han
died under similar safeguards.