The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1872-05-16
HOW GUNPOWDER is MADE.
A HOUSE WHERE MEN NEVER LAUGH.

How do you think you would like to
live, fearing every moment to be blown
up ; not daring to speak loud 20 j ar any
thing 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 IN Just 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, ami never laugh.
You know that gunpoWder is very dam
! gerous IN gun, or near o fire, but per
| haps you don't know chat it is equally
dangerous all through the process Of
making. A powder mill is q fearful place
to visit, and strangers are very seldom
allowed to go into one They are built
far from any town, IN che woods, and each
branch Of the work is done in a separate
building. These houses are Quite dis.
lance from each othcr,so that ii 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 roof
will suffer. But, in spite of every care,
sometimes whole settlement Of the gun
powder mills will go off almost in an in
slant, and every Vestigo Of the toll of
years will be swept away in few seconds.
But, though you feel like holding
your breath to look at it, it is really
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 itsel
but the house where they are mixed Is
the first terrible one. In this building is
an immense milestone, rolling round AMI
round in an iroa bed and under the stone
are put the three Fearful ingredients Of
gunpoWder. There they are thoroughly
mixed and ground together. This is "a
very dangerous operation, because if the
stone comes III contact with its iron be
it is very apt TO strike ireland the merest
suspicion OF spark would set off the
whole. The materials are spread ehree
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 is left to do it.
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 are
broken into grains, and, of course, $ quite
as dangerous as the last one But the
men can't 60 away from this; they are
obliged to attend to 1t every moment, and
you may be sure no laugh or joke is heard
Wi: in &c UEO in
has o take off his boOts and put on rub
ocrs, because one grain OF the dangerous
powder, crushed by the boot, would OK
plode 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 contains
8 set Of sleves, each one smaller than the
last, through which tie powder Is slit q
and an immense ground and lab0ring mill,
where it is ground up, whlIe men shovel
IL in with wooden shovels. The machin
cry makes great 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 slowing house IS the next on the
list, and there the gunpowder Is heated
en- wooden trays. Tt is very hot, and no
workmen stay there From there 1t goes
to the packing house and IS put up ID
barrels, kegs, and canisters
Safely through all these houses, it goes
al last to the storehouse One feels Xix e
drawing q long breath to eee the fearful
stuff safely packed away, o0t OF the hands
of men in this curious house.
You've heard of things beng as dry as
2 powder house, but you wouldn't think
this house very dry. It is almost imbed
ded in water. The roof is one big tank
kept full Of water. Did you ever hear OF
water roof before Instead of steps to
90 in there are shallow tanks of water,-
through which every one must walk to
the door.
In none Of these powder houses is 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, he has no desire to
90 the second time; and he feels all the
rest of his life that for once he has been
very near death.
CALL Me GEoRGE-There is a GOOD
story afoat abor Mr.. Bancroft. The old
fellow is quite dandy, ard very fond of