The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1873-10-11
HOW GUNPOWDEk Is MADE,
A House where Men Never Laugh.
From the American Sportsman.

A House where Men Never Laugh
From the American Sportsman.
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 explo-
sion that would send you In an Instant
to the other world
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, as it were-all
that the world may have gunpowder.
You can easily guess that these men go
about quietly and never laugh.
You know that gunpowder is very
dangerous in a gun or near a fire, but
perhaps you don't know that it is
equally dangerous all through the pro-
cess of making. A powder mill is
| fearful place to visit, and strangers are
| very seldom allowed to go into one.
They are built far from any town, ia
| the woods, and each branch of the
work is done in a separate building.
These houses are quite distance 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 settle
ment of the powder mills will go off
almost imam instant, and every vettige
of the tofrof years will be swept away
in cloud
| But, though you feel like holding
your breath to look at it, it is really a
very interesting process to see. 1t Is
made. perhaps you know, of charcoal,
saltpetre and birthstone. Each 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, roll
ing round and round In an iron bed,
and under the stone are put the three
fearful ingredients of gunpowder
There they are thoroughly mixed and
ground together. This is very dan
gerous operation, because if the stone
comes in contact with it's iron bed it is
very apt to strike fire, and the merest
suspicion of a spark would set off the
| whole. The materials are spread three
or four inches 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's terrible work alone. When it
has run long enough, the mill is stopped
and the men come back. This opera
ton leaves the powder in hard Jumps
or cakes.
The next house is where the cakes
are broken into grains, and of course
it is quite as dangerous as 5he last one.
But the men can't go away from this.
They are obliged to attend to it every
moment, and you may be sure not a
laugh or joke is ever heard within its
walls.
Every one who goes in has to take
off his boots and put on rubbers, be-
cause one grain of the dangerous pow.
der, crushed by the boot, would ex-
plode the whole In moment.
The floor OF this house is covered
with leather, and is made perfectly
black with the dust of the gunpOwder.
| 1t contains a set of sleeves, each one
smaller than the other, through which
the powder is slfted, and an immense
ground and laboring MILL where it is
ground up, while men shovel it in
wooden shovels. The machinery makes
a 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 room Is next on the list
aad there the gunpowder is heated on
wooden trays. 1t is very hot, and no
workmen stay there. From there it
goes to the packing house, where it is
put i'll barrels, kegs, and canisters.
Lastly, through all these houses, 1t
goes at last to the storehouse One
feels like drawing a long breath to see
the fearful stuff safely packed away out
of the hands of men, III this curious
| house.
You've heard of things being as dry
as powder house, but you would not
think this house very dry. 1t IS almost
Embedded III water. Did you ever hear
of water roof before Instead OF steps
to 90 in, there are shallow tanks of
water, through which everyone 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 3 or 4 o'clock.
But the men have a serious look, that
makes one think every moment of the
danger, and glad to get away.