The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1871-11-29
DUAlIN.
Experiments with the Compound
at New York-A Powerful Prepara-

experiments with tho
at New rork-A Powerful Prepara-
ton.
A series O. interesting experiments with
called sdualin,'' were made yesterday on
a section of the New York and Boston
Railroad, near Tarrytown, Westminster
County. The various tests instituted for
the purpose of evolving the properties of
this latest chemical achievement, and its rel
alive force as compared with gunpowder,
were conducted under the direction of Mr..
A. G. Rand representing the Latin & Rand
Powder Company, Of New York;, in pres
ence of several gentlemen, who included
among their number, representatives from
the iron mining districts of Pennsylvania
and some prominent railroad contractors.
As a result Of the numerous and varied tests
which were applied, 1t was apparent that the
new blasting agent named possesses all the
terrific force of nitro-glycerine, while denu-
ded of the highly dangerous properties
which have rendered the latter so fearfully
destructive to human life.
In order to demonstrate the noh explosive
nature of the compound indicated, without
the aid Of a fulminator, q key packed with
the material was elevated by derrick to a
height of about sixty feet, and then allow
ed to fall OH a rocky surface. The concus-
SIGN produced no more effect than would
have followed had the key been filled with
common earth. AS an evidence of its ex-
~traordinary utility in Submarine work, a
broken package was thrown carelessly into
a pond of water, and sunk with the aid of a
large stone, having first been connected by
means of a wire with a powerful electric
battery. On being fired it exploded with
tremendous force. almost completely lifting
the entire body of water INTO the air, and
tearing away the earth for a distance
of several feet at the bottom, where
the. package, containing not more than
half a pound OF the "dualin," had
been deposited. A similar quantity,
when placed on the surface Of an immense
boulder, having been first covered with a
little earth, was exploded with the fulmi-
Mating cap by electricity. blowing the ada
mantine rock TO atoms. A moderate caargc
of powder, stamped into a hole six inches
deep. had previously blown out without a.
fcctin@ the solidity of the stone. Other sat
istactory experiments resulted in a similar
tanner. Tho effectiveness Ofth ''dualin,'
as compared with powder, was fully proved
by placing an ounce of the latter in a NOR
tar loaded with a ball weighing over fifty
pounds. On the charge being iiced, the ball
rose laZily in the air to q hight of perhaps
not more than twenty-five feet. An
of "dualin' was then carefully weighed
and placed in the mortar underneath the
ball. The battery having been applied, the
iron missile was sent flying toward the
clouds, reaching an altitude of at least four
hundred feet.
The 'dualm " in appearance resembles
pulyeriZed vegetable matter. AID is a re-
markably light substance. Ga coming in
contact with fire, whether the quantity OF
"dualin" be large orsmall. it burns rapidly,
rr-tth n tsnrro flnn,n nrtpnt,ar NO a~rI xn
features whatever. A box tillcl with the
compound was thrown into a bonfire, and
on being ignited, passed off in 4 volume Of
tfama, leaving the receptacle almost intact.
An object OF much interest to those present
was a powerful drill, which can be driven
either by steam or compressed air. This
wonderful machine is capable OF drilling n
hole five inches in diameter in the hardest
rock, at the rate OF eight feet per hour. An
important feature Of this machine is the air
cushion, which takes the recoil of the blow
struck against the rock, thus avoiding the
terrible wear of the mechanism developed
in the use of other percussion drilling ma
chimes. With such agents as "dualin' and
the drill alluded to, the remOval..of rock can
not fail to b" materially facilitatcd.-N. J..
Herald.
Here's another story about a ca.. 1t was
related by Sergt. Crooker. of the sixth sts-
ton, Boston, an old and truthful officer,
who was an eyewitness {" the whole trans
action. lie says that some weeks q he
was visiting a family at Plymouth, who were
proud Of q large, doub!c-tOed car that had
been in the family formany years and raised
several filters of kittens. When list con-
fined she gave birth only TO one "puny,
GwariislI. sickly and goed-for-nothing little
kitten But she tended it carefully for some
SIX weeks. when the family expressed Il de-
sire to get rid of it, the kitten all this time
being housedin a flour barrel out in the shed.
One night after supper, and while the old cat
was costly lying down OIL the hearth stone,
the subject Of killing the kitten was brOach-
ed, the Sergeant being solicited to kill ii.
No, he did not care to do it, but remarked
that his son George would he there the next
day at ECON, and that he would kill it. Well,
George came rs expectcj, the next noon. In
the meantime the old cat had not been seen
since the night before. At the dinner table
the slaughter of the kitten wa spoken of
again, and dinner being over. George went
after it, but soon returned. saying there was
no kitten in the barrel. This created great
surprise and all hands went out to look, but
no kitten could be found. A careful search
was then made and in a short time the old
cat and the puny kitten were discovered i'm
a box up in a loft ten feet above the floor
where the barrel stood. They were taken
down, and when George went 10 put his
hand on the head of the old cat to pat her,
she gave him 4 slap with n OF her fore
paws, sinking her claws clear into the bone.
If that is What You call instinct, where does
reason begin.-Boston Herald.
~ "
A CURIOSITY OF Observation-Disclosures
a mile of the city of Concord, New ilamp-