National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-14
now auNrowDER Is MADE.


A House where Men Never LnuGh.
How do you think you would like TO live
fearing every moment TO be blown up, none
daring TO speak aloud to jar anything for
fear Of starting an explosion that would send
you In an instant to the other world7
You don't think II would be very pleasant
Well, II isn't, yet hundreds Of men live In
just that stato-work, receive pay, and live
year after year In the very sight Of death, rs
II werc-all, that the world may have gun
powder. You may easily guess that these
men 60 about quietly and never laugh;
You know that gunpowdcr Is very danger
Gus In gun or near FIRE, but perhaps You
don't know that II is equally dangerous al
through the process Of making. A powder
mill Is fearful place to visit, and strangers
are very seldom allowed 10 go lnto one.
They arc built far from any town, In the
woods. and each branch Of work ID done In
separate building. These houses are quite q
distance from each other, so that u one
blows mn II won't blow mp the rest. Then
the lower parts OF the building are made very
strong, while tho roofs are very lightly set
on, 20 that II II eIplodes only the roofs will
times a whole settlement Of the powder mills
will 20 OIL almost In an instant, and every
vestige Of the toi, Of years will be swept away
In second.
But though you feel like holding your
breath TO look At II, It Is really q very Inter
0sting process to see. Il Is made, perhaps
you know, OF charcoal, saltpetro and brlm-
stone. Each OF these articles Is prepared in
q house by Itself, but the house where they
are mixed Is the FIRST terrible one. In this
building was an immense milestone; rolling
round and round In an iron led, and under
the stone are put the three fearful Ingredients
Of gunpowdcr. There they are thoroughly
mixed and ground together. This J. very
dangerous operation, because u the stone
comes In contact with Its iron bed IL Ia very
apt to strike fire, and the merest Suspicion
Oh spark would set Oh the whole. The ma
terials are spread three or four inches on the
bed; the whole, which goes BY water power,
ID started, and every man leaves the place.
The door IL shut, and the machinery V left
run long enough Che mill Is stopped, and the
mon come back. This operation leaves the
powder In hard Jumps or cakes.
The next house "a where the cakes are
broken Into grains, and Of course Ia quite As
dangerous as the last one. But the men can't
20 away from this; they are obliged 10 at
tend to 1t every minute, and you may DO sure
not laugh or Q joke Is ever heard within Its
walls. .-sl-
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 10 an Instant.
Tho floor OF this house Is covered with
leather, and Is made perfectly black by the
dust OF the gunpowder, Il contains q set of
selves each one smaller than the last, through
which the powder IL sifted, and an immense
ground and laboring mill where Il is ground
up, while men shovel II In wooden shovels.
Tho machinery makesa great deal Of noise,
but the men are silent, as In other houses.
The reckless crashing Of the machinery even
saa,,,s IN, srtxvo uroa tar h0rror and nna Ia
CHAD to get out Of that house.
The slowing room Ia next on tho list, and
there the gunpowder Is heated on wooden
trays. Il Is very hot, and no workmcn stay
there. From there II goes to the packing
house, where 1t Is put In barrels, kegs and
eaulsters. .. .... ..f ... ...I.u
Lastly, through all these houses, It goes at
last 10 the storehouse. One feels like draw
Ing q long breath to see the fearful stuff
safely packed away out Of the hands OF the
men, In this curious house.
You have heard OF things being as dry as
powder-house, but you would not think this
house very dry. Il is almost imbedded in
water. Did you ever hear Of water roof
beforea Instead 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 light ever allowed ex-
cept sunlight. The wages are good, the days
work is short, ending always al 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.-Americdn
HDOrfsmdn