The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1872-05-04
How Powder is Made.


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 ezploi
sion that would send yon in an Instant
to the other worldl
You don't think it would be very
pleasant. Well, it isn't, yet hundreds
of men live in just that state, work, re-.
ceiye pay aud live year after year ip the
very sight Of death, ns it we're; oil that
the world may have gunpowder.
You can easily guess tina: those inou
60 about quietly, aud never laugh.
You know that gunpowder is very
dangerous in gun, or rear FIRE. but
perhaps you don't know that il is equal
ly dangerous all through the process Of
making. A powder mill is fearful
place to visit, aud strangers are very
seldom allowed to 60 into one. They
are built far from any town, in the
woods, aud each branch of the work 10
done Ia separate building. These
houses are quite distance from each
other, so that if one blows up it wont
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 roof WIN
suffer. But, in spite of every care,
sometimes a whole settlement Of tho
powder.mills will 90 of in an instant,
aud every vestigc Of the toll Of years
will be swept away in few seconds.
But though you feel like holding
your brea,l to look at il, It is really
very interesting process to sec, Il is
made, perhaps you know, Of charcoal,
saltpc,re and birthstone. Each Of these
articles is prepared ia 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
in an iron bed, and under the stone are
but the three fearful Ingredients Of
guuPowder. There theyare thoroughly
mixed and ground together. This is a
very dangerous operation, because il
the stone comes 10 coalact with its iron
bed it is very apt to strike fire, and the
merest spark would set off the whole.
The materials are spread three or four
inches thick in the bed; the wheel,
which goes by water powcrs is started,
and every man leaves the place Tho
door is shut aud the machinery left To
do its own terrible work alone. When
it has run long enough tho mill is
stopped and the men come back. This
operation leaves the powder in hard
Jumps or cakes.
Tho next house is where the cakes
are broken irto grains, aud Of course il
quite as dangerous as the last one. But
the men cant go away from this; they
are obliged to attend to it every moment,
aud 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 on rubbers, because one
grain of the dangerous powder crushed
BY the boot would explode the whole iu
au instant. E&N
The floor OF this house .is covered
with leather, and is made perfectly
black BY the dust Of the gunpowder.
II contains set of sieves, each one
smaller than tho last, through which
the powder is siited; aud az immense
ground aud laboring mill. where il is
ground up, while men shovel it 10 with
wooden shoyels The machinery makes
great deal of noise, but tho men arc
silent as in the other houses. The
reckless crashing of the machinery even
seems to give greater horror, aud one
is very glad to get out Of that house.
The stoviug house is tho nexs or the
list, and there the guupowder is heated
on wooden trays. Il ia very hot, and
no workmen stay there. Rrom there il
goes to the packing house. and it is put
up in barrels, kegs aud canisters.
Safely through all these houses, il
goes at last to the store.house. Que
feels like drawing loug breath to SEQ
the fearful STUFF packed away out Of the
hands Of men 10 this curious house.
You've heard Of things being as dry
as a powder.house, but YOU wculdu't
think this house very dry 1t is al
most embodied in water. The roof il
one biz tank, kept full of water Did
you ever hear Of water roof before
Instead Of steps TO go in there are shall
low tanks Of water, through which eve.
ry one must walk 70 the door.
ln none Of these powder houses ia any
light ever allowed except sunlight The
wages are good, 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
Though curiosity may take man
once to visit powder mill, hc has no
desire to 20 the second time, and be
feels ell tue rest Of his life that for once
he has been very near death. .---Amsti.
ean Sportsman.