The Van Buren press., 1873-08-26
HOW eUnP0wDER Is MADE.
A House Where Men Never Laugh.

housc W A5io 1Vu 0evei Auu9os
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 Le very
pleasant? Well, it isn't, yet hundreds
Of men live in just that state--work, re-
ceive pay, and live year after year in the
very sight Of death, as it wers--sll, that
the world may have gunpowder. You
may easily guess that these men go
about quietly and never laugh.
You know that gunpowder IL very
dangerous in a gun, or aear . Gre, but
perhaps you dsn'I know thnt it's cquai-
ly dangerous all through the process Of
making A powder mill is q fearful
place to visit, and strangers are very sci.
dom allowed to 60 into one. They are
built far from any town, in the woods,
and each branch Of work is done in .
separate building These houses arc
quite distance from each other, SO that
il one blows uf Il won't blow up the rest.
Then the lower parts Of the building arc
made very strong, while the roof are
very lightly set on, SO that il it explodes
only the roofs will suacr But, in spite
OF every care, sometimes whole settle
ment of the powder mills win 70 off in
an instant, aud every vestige OF the toll
Of years will be swept away in a second.
But, though you feel like holding your
breath TO look at it, it is really very in
torcsting process to see. II is made.
perhaps you know, Of charcoal, saltpeter
and brimstone. Each Of thesc articles
is prepared in house by itself, but the
house where they are mixed is the first
terrible one In this building was an i'm
mcnsc milestone, rolling round and round
in an iron bed, and under the stone are
put the three fearful ingredients Of gun
powder Thers they are thoroughly
mixed and ground together. This is n
very dangerous operation, because II the
stone comes in contact with its iron bed
it is very apt to strike frc, and the merest
suspicious Of spark would sot of tho
wole. The materials are spread three
or four inches on the bed the whole,
which goes by water, is started, aud
every man leaves the place The door
is shut, and the machinery IL left to do
i,s terrible work alone. When 1t has run
long enough, the mill is stopped, and the
men come back. This operation leaves
the powder in hard lamps or cakes.
The next house is where the cakes are
broken into grains, aud OF course 10 quito
rs dangerous as the last one. But tho
men can't SO away from this, they are
obliged to attend TO every ipiaate. and
you may be sure not lsagh OF > joke Is
ever heard within its walls.
Every one who goes In has take or
his boots and put on rubbers, bee iuss
one grain CT the dangerous powder,
crushed by the boot, would explode the
whole in au instant. ass
The floor Of this house is covered With
leather snd is made perfectly black with
the dust Of the gunpowder. II contains
a set of selves, each one smaller than the
last, through which the powder is siftcd.
and an immense ground and laboring
mill where It 10 ground up ~hilo men
shovel 1t in with wooden shoycls The
machinery makes a great deal Of noise,
but tho mon are silent, as 10 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 stoving room is next on the list,
and there the gunpowdef is heated on
wooden trays. II 10 very hot, aud work
men stay there From there it goes 10
the packing house, where 1t is put in
barrels. kegs and canistcrs. ai
Lastly, through all these houses. It
goes at last TO the store house. One
feels like drawing a long breath to see
the fearful stuff safely packed away out
Of the hands Of the men, In this curious
houae. eR s M
You have heard Of things being ~ dry
as powder house, but you would not
think this house very dry. It Is almost
imbcded In water Did you ever bear Of
water root before? Instead Of steps
to go in, there are shallow tanks OF wa
ter, through which every one 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 three or
four o'clock. But the men have q serious
look, that makes one think every mo-
mcnt Of the danger and glad to get away.
--Ameriean SporssmaS.