Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1872-05-10
Gclettc0 MlisleIlanD.
How Gunpowder is Made---A House
Where Men Never Laugh.

How do you think you would like to live
fearing every moment to he blown up; not
daring 10 speak loud, to jar anything, for
fear of starting an explosion that would send
you in an instant TO the other woTld2
You don't think it would be 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, MS
it were--al that the world may have gnn-
powder.
You can easily guess that those men 60
about quietly, and never laugh.
You know that gunpowder is very danger
GUS in gun, or near fire, but perhaps you
don't know that it is equally dangerous all
through the process Of making. A powder
mill is a fearful place to visit, and strangers
are very seldom allowed TO go into one. They
are built far from any town, in the woods,
and each branch Of the work is done in sep
arate building. These houses are quite dis
lance from each other, so that if 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 set
Element of the powder mills will go offalmost
in an instant and every vestige of the toll of
years will be swept away in few seconds.
But though you feel like holding your breath
to look at it, il is really n very interesting
process to see. II is made, perhaps you know
of charcoal, saltpetre and birthstone. Each
one of these articles is prepared in 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 arc put
the three fearful ingredients Of gunpowder.- -
There they are thoroughly mixed and ground
together. This is very dangerous operation,
because if the stone comes in contact with its
iron bed ii is very apt to strike fire, and the
merest suspicion of spark would set off 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
machinery left to do its own terrible work
alone. When II has run long enough the mill
is stopped and the men come back. This ope-
ration leaves the powder in hard Jumps or
| cakes.
| The next house is where the cakes are bro
| ken into grains, and Of course is quite as dan
gerous rs the last one. But the men can't go
away from this; they are obliged TO attend to
| il 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 bis boots
and put on rubbers, because one grain OF tue
dangerous powder crushed by the boot would
explode the whole in an instant.
The floor Of this house is covered with leath-
er, and is made perfectly black by the dust Of
the gunpowdcr. 1t contains set of sieves
each one smaller than the last, through which
tie powder is sfled, and an immense ground
and laboring mill, where it is ground up,
while men shovel it in with wooden shovels.
The machinery makes great deal Of noise,
hut 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 stoying-house Is the next on the list
and there the gunpowder is heated on wooden
trays. II is very hot, and no workmen stay
there. From there it goes to the packing
house, and is put up in barrels, kegs and can
listers.
Safely through all these houses, it goes at
last TO the store-hOuse. One feels like draw
ing long breath to see the fearful stuff safely
packed away out o. the hands of men in this
curious house.
You've heard of things being as dry as a
powder house, but you wouldn't think this
house very dry. 1t is almost embedded in
water. The roof is one big tank, kept full'of
water. Did you ever hear Of a water roof be-
fore2 lnFtead Of steps TO go in there are
shallow tanks of water, through which every
one must walk to the door.
In none Of these powder-houses is any ligh,
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 a
serious look that makes one think every mo-
ment OF the danger and glad to get away.
Though curiosity may take man once TO
visit a powder-mill he has no desire TO 60
the second time, and he feels all the rest Of
his life that for once he has been very near
death .-American SpOrtsmdn.