Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1872-01-17
For the 1gnnng.


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A House where Men never Laugh.
How do you think you would like to live,
fearing every minute to be blown up not
daring to spcaL loud, to jar anything for
fear OF starting an explosion that would send
you in an instant to the other world7
You don't think it would bo very pleasant ?
Well, it isn't yet hundreds Of men live in
just that state work. receive pay, and live,
year after year, in the very sight OF death,
as 1t were; all, that the world may have gun
powder
You eau easily guess that those men 60
about very quietly, and never laugh.
You know that gunpowler is very danger
Gus in a gun, or near FIRE, but perhaps you
don't know that it is equally dangerous all
through the process Of making.
4 powder mill is fearful place to visit,
aud strangers are very seldom allowed to 60
into one. They arc built far from any town,
in the woods, and each branch Of the work is
done in a separate building These houses
are quite distance from each other, 80 that
il one blows up it won't blow up the rest.
Then the lower parts Of the building are
made very strong, while the roofs are very
lightly set on. So that if it explodes, only
the root will suffer.
But in spite Of every care, sometimes
whole settlement Of the powder mills will 20
of almost in an instant, aud every ycstige Of
the work Of years will bo swept away in
few seconds
But though yon feel like holding your
breath to look at IT, it is really a very inter.
90 Ia
you know-of charcoal, saltpetcr aud brim-
stone Each Of these articles is prepared in
house by itself; hut the house where they
are mixed is the frat terrible one. Ia this
building is an immense mllstone rolling
round and round in an iron bed In this bed
and under the stone, are put the three fear
ful Ingredients of gunpowder There they
are thoroughly mixed and ground together.
This is a very dangerous operation, because
If the stone comes 10 contact with its iron
bed it is very apt to strike fire. and the
merost suspicion Of spark would set of the
whole The materials are spread three or
four inches thick in the bed the wheel, which
goes by water power is then started, and
every man leaves the place. The door is shut
aul the machinery left to do its terrible work
alone When it has run long enough, the
mill is stopped aud the men come back This
operation leaves the powder in hard Jumps or
cakes.
The next house is where these cakes are
broken mp into grain, and, Of course, is quite
as dangerous as the last one. But the men
can't go away from this, they are obliged to
attend TO &c every moment and you may be
sure no laugh or joke Is ever heard within its
walls Every one who goes in has to take of
/ his boots and put 90 rubbers, because one
/ grain Of the dangerous powder crushed by the
[ boot, would explode the whole in an instant
The Aoor Of this house Is covered with
leather and is made perfectly black by the
/ dust Of gpnpowdor. II contains a set Of
sieyes, each one smaller than the last, through
which the powder is sifted, and an immense
I groauing aud aborins mill, where it Is ground
up while men shovel it in with wooden shov-
els. The machinery makes a great deal Of
noise, but the men are silent as in the other
house. The reckless crashing Of the machin-
cry even seems to give greater horror, and
enc IS very glad to get out Of that house.
The glazing house comes next. Glazing is
done by mixing black lead with the powder
10 give it black and shining look The pow
der is put into barrels which revolye for sew
eral hours That poishes the grains by their
rubbing together. The black lead is put with
them and they reyolve several hours more.
OF course the dust flies from all these opera.
tions, aud the workmen, silent, like the rest,
look ike very black negroes, working iu the
oIaekest OF powder in room whose walls and
floors are blucker than the rest, it possible
H. I.. % ,-.rs, utut,tl.r toot 10 q vtrouror and
added TO the horrible silence, makes one feel
that the whole world has gone into mourning
Often the gunpowder revolving so rapidly in
the barrels. gets very hot so this, too, is a
dangerous operation.
The stoying house is the next on the list
and there the gunpowder is heated on wooden
trays. 1t is very hot, and no workmen stay
there From there it goes to the packing
house, aud is put up in barrels, kegs and can
i-ters
Safely through all these houses, it goes a
last 10 the storehouse. One feels like draw
ing a long breath to see the fearful stuff safe
ly packed away out Of the hands Of men, it
this curious house.
You've heard Of things being dry as
d powder house, but you wouldn't think thi
house very dry. II is almost embedded il
water. The roof is one big tank, kept ful
Of water. Did you ever hear Of a water
roof before Instead of steps to 90 in
there are shallow tanks of water througl
which every one must walk to the door.
la none of these powder houses is any ligh
ever allowed except sunlight The wages ar
good, the days work is short, ending away
at three or four O'Clock. But the men hav