Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-05-25
GUNP0wDER-HOw IT Is MADE.
From the American Sportsman.

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 explosion that would
send you in an instant to the other world
You don't think it would be very pleas.
ant? Well, it isn't, yet hundreds of men
live just in that state, work, receive 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, aud never laugh. as
You know that gunpowder is very dan
gerous in gun, or near fire, but perhaps
you don't know that it is equally danger
GUS all through the process Of making. A
powder-mill is a fearful place to visit, and
strangers are very seldom allowed to 60 in
to one. They are 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,
so that if one blows up it won't blow up
the rest. Then the lower parts of the
buildings 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 whole
settlement Of the powder mills will 60 off
in an Instant, and every vestige of the toll
of years will be swept away in few Sec
onds. .,
But though you feel like holding your
breath to look at it, it is really very in
teresting process to see. 1t is made, per
haps you know, of charcoal, saltpetre and
birthstone. Each of these articles are pre-
pared in house by itself; but the house
where they are mixed is the first terrible
one. In this building is an immense mill
stone, rolling round aud round in an iron
bed, and under the stone are put the three
fearful ingredients Of gunpowder. There
they are thoroughly mixed and ground to
gether. This is very dangerous opera
ton, because if the stone comes in contact
with its iron bed it is very apt to strike
fire, aud the merest suspicion of spark
would set off the whole. The materials
are spread three or four inches thick 10
the bed; the wheel, which goes by water
power, is started, aud every man leaves
the place. The door is shut and the ma
cninery 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.
The next house is where the cakes arc
broken into grains, aud, of course, is quite
as dangerous as the last one. But the
men cant 60 away from this they are
obliged to attend to it 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 off his boots and put
on rubbers, because one grain Of the dan
gerous powder, crushed by the boot, would
explode the whole in an instant.
The floor of this house is covered with
leather, aud is made perfectly black by the
dust of the gunpowder. 1t contains set
of selves, each one smaller than the last,
through which the powder is silted; aud
an immense grinding mill, where it is
ground up, while men shovel it in with
wooden shovels. The machinery makes a
good deal of noise, but the men are silent,
as in the other houses. The reckless
crashing of the machinery 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 gunpowder is heated on
wooden trays. It is very hot, and no
workmen stay there. From there it goes
m the pacE in ~ houSe and II 10 mt II n in
barrels, kegs aud cauisters.
Safely througe all these houses it goes
at last to the storehouse. One feels like
drawing long breath to see the fearful
stuff safely packed away.
You've heard of things being as dry as
a powder house, but you wouldn't think
this house very dry. 1t is almost imbedded
10 water. The roof is one big tank kept
full Of water. Instead Of steps to go in,
there are shallow tanks of water, through
which one must walk to the door.
In none Of these powder houses is any
light ever allowed except sunlight The
wages are good, aud the days work is short
ending always at three or four o'clock; but
the men have serious look, that makes
one think every moment Of the danger and
glad to get away. Na
Though curiosity may take man once
to visit powdermii, he has no desire te
60 second time; and he feels all the resi-
of his life that he has for once been very
near death.
h6e Ol;ve To0an commepcod ono of h a,