The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-04-19
GmnOMder-HOM IL is Made.
From the American Sportsman.

How do you think you would like to
live, fearing every moment to be blown
up-not daring to speak loud, to jar
anything for fear of starting an explo-
sion that would send you in an instant
10 the other world?
You don't think it would be very
of men live just in 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
equally dangerous all through the pro-
cess of making. A powder-mill is a
fearful place TO visit, and strangers are
very seldom allowed to 60 into one.
They are built far from any town, in the
woods, and each branch of the work is
done in separate building. These
houses are quite distance from each
other, so that if one blows up it won't
blow up the rest. Then the lower parts
of the buildings are made very strong,
so that if il explo6es only the roof will
suffer. But in spite of every care, some
times a whole settlement of the powder
mills will 90 off 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
very interesting process TO sec. 1t is
made, perhaps you know. of charcoal,
ssltpetre and birthstone. Each Of these
articles is prepared in a house by itself;
but the house where they are mixed Is
the first terrible one. In this building
is an immense milestone, rolling round
and round in an iron bed, and under
the stone are put the three fearful in
gradients of gunpowder. There they
are thoroughly mixed and ground to-
cether. This is very dangerous oper-
alton, because if the stone comes in
contact with its iron bed it is very
apt to strike fire, and the merest sus
picion Of spark would set OFT 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 ma
chincry 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 pow.
! der in hard Jumps or cakes.
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 20 away from this :;
they are obliged to attend TO 1t every
moment. and you may be sure no laugh
or icke is ever heard within its walls.
Every one who goes in has to take oil
his boots and put on rubbers, because
one grain of the dangerous powder,
crushed 10y the boot, would explode
the whole in an instant.
The floor Of this house is covered with
leather, and is made perfectly black
by the dust OF the gunpowder. 1t con-
tains a set of sleeves, each one smaller
than the last, through which the pow.
| der is sifted and an immense gri- ding
mill, where it is ground up, while men
shovel it in with wooden shovels. The
machinery III kes a good deal of noise
but the men are silent, as in the other
houses. The reckless crashing of the
mach merry even seems to give greater
horror, and one is very glad to get Out
OF that house.
The stoving house is the next one
on the list, and there the gunpowdel
is heated on wooden trays. 1t is very
hot, and no workmen stay there. From
there it goes to the packing house, anc
it is put up in barrels, kegs and CAMS
tiers.
Safely through all these house. i
| goes at last to the storehouse. On'
feels like drawing a long breath TO See
the fearful stuff safely packed away.
You've heard Of things being as DIR!
as powder house, but you woUldn'
think this house very dry. IT is almos
imbedded in water. The roof is on
big tank kept full of water. Instead o
steps TO GO in, there are shallow tank
of water, through which one must wall
to the door.
In none of these powder houses is any
light ever allowed except sunlight. The
wages are good, and the day. work i
short, ending always at three or fou
o'clock; but the men have serious
look, that makes one think every mo
ment of the danger and glad 70 &c
away.
Though curiosity may take a mai
once to visit a powdermill, he has NJ
desire TO 90 the second time; and n
feels all the rest of his life that he ha
for once been very near death.
HibernatiOn.