Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1872-04-25
HOW GUNPowDEe is MADE.
A House Where Men Never
= Laugh.


How do you think you would like tC
live, fearing every moment to be blowI
up; not daring to speak aloud, to jal
anything, for fear of starting an explo
sion that would send you in an instant
to the other world?
You don't think it would be very
pleasant? Well, it isn't; yet hundreds
OF men live in just that state-work, re.
ceive pay and live year after year in
the very sight of death, as it were; all
that the world may have gunpowder.
:; You can easily guess that those. men
go about quietly, and never laugh.
You know that gunpowder is very
dangerous in a gun, or near a fire, but
perhaps you don't know that it is equal
ly dangerous all through the process OF
making. A powder mill is fearful
place to visit, and strangers are very
seldom allowed to go into one. They
are built far from any town, in the
woods, and each branch of the work is
done in q separate building. These
houses are quite a distance from each
other, so that if one blows up it won't
blow up the rest. Then the lower parts
of the buileing are made very strong,
while the roofs are very lightly set on,
SO that if it explodes, only the roof will
suffer. But, in spite of every care,
sometimes a whole settlement of the
powder mills viii go off almost in an
Instant, and every vestige of the toll Of
years will be swept away in a few
seconds. -,
But though you feel like holding
your breath to look at it. it is really a
very interesting process to see. 1t is
made. perhaps you know, OF charcoal,
saltpeter and birthstone. Each OF these.
articles is prepared in house by it
self; but the house where they are mix
ed is the first tearible one. In this
building an immense milestone, rolling
round and round in an iron bed, and
under the stone aae put the three fear
full ingredients of gunpowder. There
they are thoroughly mixed and ground
together. This is avery dangerous Ope-
ration, because if the stone comes in
contact with the iron bed it is very apt
to strike fire, and the nlerest suspicion
of spark would set off the whole. The
materials are spread three or four inches
thick in the bed; the wheel, which goes
by water power, is started, and every
man leaves the place. The door is
shut and the machinery left to do its
terrible work alone. When it has run
long enough, the mill is stopped and
the men come back. This operation
leaves the powder in hard Jumps or
cakes. Is 100.
The next house is where the cakes
are broken into grains, and, OF course,
Is quite as dangerous as the last one.
But the men can't 90 away from this;
hey are obliged to attend to it every
and you may besure no laugh 1
)r Joke is ever heard within its walls. 4
Every one who goes in has to take off
ais boots and put on rubbers, because
,ne grain OF the dangerous powder,
crushed by the boot, would explode
he wholsin an instant. -
The floor of this house is covered
With leather, and is made perfectly
black by the dust Of the .glnpowder. 1t
contains set of selves, each one sinall-
n than the last. through which the
is sifted; and an immense
,round and laboring mill, where it is
,round up, while men shovel it IN with |
wooden shoyels. The machinery ma kes
great deal ofnoise, but the men are
ilent, as In the other houses. The
eckless crashing ofthe machinery even
GEMS to give greater horror, and one !
s very glad TO get out Of that house.
The slowing house is the next on the
ist, and there the guupowder is heat
ID on wooden trays. 1t is very. hot,
nd nc workmen stay there. From
here it goes to the packing house, and
is put up in barrels, kegs, and can
sters. - 60. - u - 80 p ~
Safely through all these houses, it |
.oes at last to the storc house. One feels
ike drawing a long breath to see the I
earful stuff safely packed away, out of
he hands of men iH this curious house.
You've heard Of things being as dry
s powdea-house, but, you wouldn't /
hink this house very dry. 1t is almost
in water. The roof is one
Jig tank kept full Of water. Did You
yer hear of a WATERPROOF before? n-
tead of steps to 60 in there are shallow
anks of water, through which every |
ne must walk to the door. oii,'i.'i'i-.
In none of these powder houses isauy I
ight ever allowed except sunlight. I
he wagesare good, the days work is,
hort, ending always at three or four
clock. But the men have a serious
ook, that makes one think every mo
nent of the danger and glad to get
way. ...,..i...'.s ii
Though curiosity may take a man
nee to visit powder mill he has no
esire TO go the second time; and he
eels all the rest of his life that for once
e has been very near death - Anie7T- |
an SPORTSMAN. 1q6 , - '' ~,
The Library of the late Hon, Thad=