The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-09-17

gerous in n gun or near hire, but perhaps
you don't know thatit 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 IN
10 one. They are built far from any town
in the woods, and each branch OF the work
is done in separate building. These
houses are quite distance from each other
so that if one is blown up it Will not blow
up the rest. Then the lower part OF the
! buildings are made very strong, and the
roofs are very light, set on so that IL
explodes only the roof, will suffer. Butln
spite of every care sometimes the whole
settlement Of the powder mill will 60 of in
an instant, and every vestige OF the toll OF
years will be swept away in second
But, though you feel like holding your
breath 10 look ut it tits really very interes-
ting process TO see. II is made, perhaps,
of charcoal, saltpeter and birthstone.
Each of these is prepared in house by
itself but the house where they are mixed
is a terrible one. In this building Is an
immense milestone, rolling round aud
round in an iron bed, and under the stone
are put the fearful ingredients of gunpow,,
der. Then they are thoroughly mixed
and ground together,
This is very dangerous operation,
because il the stone comes in contact with
its bed it is very apt to strike fire, and the
merest suspicion of a spark would set Oft
the whole The materials are spread three
or four inches in the bed the wheel, which
goes by water bower, is started and every
man leaves his place The door is shut
and the machinery is 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 bad
: Jumps or cakes
The next house is where the cakes are
: broken into grains, and of course Is quite
= as dangerous as the last one. But the
= men can't 90 away from this, they are
= Obliged to attend 10 it every moment anC
; YOU may be sure not laugh or Joke il
:. ever heard within tswalls.
I! Every one who goes in has to take of
his boots and put on rubbers, because on,
grain of the dangerous powder, crushed b.
30 the boot, would explode the whole in al
NJ instant
~ The floor of the house is covered witt
h leather and is made perfectly black by tn
he dust of the gunpowder. ltcoutains set o
l. selves, each one smaller than the last
r through which the powder is sifted, and al
an immense ground and laboring mill wher
a it is ground up, while men shovel it i
ba wooden shovels The machinery make
ny, great noise, but the men are silent As in tn
~ other house.
~ The reckless crashing of the machiner
he even seems to give greater horror, and on
nv is very glad TO get out of that house.
Nv, The storing room is next on the list, an
we there the gunpowder is heated on woode
~ trays. 1t Is very hot aud no workmen sta
are there From there it goes To the packin
ra. house where it is put in barrels, kegs an
-ha cauisters.
naI Lastly. through all these houses. it zoe
~ IN the atorehouSe One feels like drawin
,ar long breath to see the fearful stuff satel
f,r packed away out of the hands of men,
ont this curjou, house
,nt You have heard of things being as dl
.r r, as a powder house, but yen would n,
thc think this house very dry. 1t is almo
iJe imbedded in water Did You ever hear
49, water roof before Instead of steps To-.
20 in there are shallow tanks oi water throuq
70 which every one must walk tn the doc
de. In none of these powder houses is al
nm light ever allowed, except sunlight III
fnr wages are good the day work is Shor
! $, ending always at three or four o'cl0c
N. But the men have serious look, tn
"a makes one think every moment Of Il
.e,t danger and glad % get away.