The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-10-23
HOW GUNpowDER rs MADE
A House where Men never Laugh

HOW GUNPoWDER rs MADE
A House where Men never Laugh
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
J explosion 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 hun
dreds Of men live in just that state
work, receive pay, aud 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 60 about quietly, and
never laugh.
You know that gunpowder is very
dangerous in gun, or near fire
but perhaps you don't know that it is
equally dangerous all through the pro-
cess Of making. A powder-mili is
fearful place to visit, and strangers are
very seldom allowed to 60 into 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 il one blows up il
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 il it explodes
only the roof will suffer. But, in spite
Of every care, sometimes u whole set
tlement Of the powder mills will go
Oft almost In al instant, aud every
vestige OF the toll Of years will be
swept away in second.
But, though you feel like holding
your breath to look at it, it is really u
very interesting process 10 see. Pow
der is made, perhaps you know, Of
charchal. saltpetre and birthstone.
Each Of these articles is prepared in
house by itself, but the house where
they are mixed IL the first terrible one.
In this building 10 All immense mill
stone, rolling round and round in an
iron bed. and under the stone are put
the three fearful ingredients of gun
powder. There they are thoroughly
mixed aud ground together. This is
very dangerous operation, because
Ii the stone comes In contact with its
iron bed it is very apt to strike fire,
and the merest suspicious OF q spark
would set off the whole. The ma.
terials are spread three or four inches
in the bed the wheel, which goes by
waterpower. is started, and every man
leaves the place. The door is shut,
and the machinery is left to do its ter
rible 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. aud, Of course
Is quite as dangerous as the last one
But the men can't go away from this,
they are obliged to attend to 1t every
moment; and you may be sure not
laugh or Joke Is ever heard within
its walls.
Every one who goes in has to take
of his boots and put on rubbeIs, be-
cause one grain Of tire dangerous pow
der. crushed by the boot, would ex-
plode the whole in an instant.
The floor of this house is covered
with leather, aud is made perfectly
black by the dust Of the gunpowder.
1t contains set oe selves, each one
smaller than the last, through which
the powder is siftei; and All immense
ground and laboring-m mill, where 1t is
ground up, while men shovel it in
wooden shovels. The machinery
makes great deal OF noise, but the
men are silent, as in the other houses.
The reck less crashing Of the machin-
cry even seems TO give greater horror,
and one is very glad to get out of that
house.
The stoving-room il next on the
list, aud there the gunpowder is heat
ed on wooden trays. 1t is very hot,
and no workmen stay there. From
there 1t goes to the packing-house,
where it is put in barrels, kegs, and
canisters.
Lastly, through all these houses, it
goes ut last to the store house. One
feels like drawing long breath to see
the fearful stuff safely packed away
out Of the hands of men, in this cur
iOus house
lon've heard Of things being as dry
as n powder-house, but you would not
think this house very dry. 1t Is al
most imbedded in water. Did you
ever hear OF u water-roof before? In
stead Of steps to go in, there are shall
low tanks Of water, through which
every one must walk to the door.
In none Of these powder-houses Is
any light ever allowed except sun
light. 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 moment Of the danger, and
glad to get away Sports
man.
! Prof Mead of Andover leads off in
| the independent with an article on
the Right Of Bolting, which shows
that Seminary Hill commands the
political field, and that the eyes Of the
theolgians upon it are not Indifferent
to the view. The Professor is indig-
nant at the restrictions which are
placed upon this right, and insists
that the obligation to abide by the
action Of party caucus is pure fig
ment "When and how" he asks,
docs u man bind himself to submit
to the authority of such q political
gathering ?" Neither political par
ty nor q political caucus ia an organ