The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1875-05-13
Experiments with Nitro, Glycerine.

The manner in which nltro.glycerlne
il used to raise bodies to the surface Of
the water is described by the Dubuque
Gowa) Times in chronicling a recent ex-
pertinent in the Mississippi River Mt
that point, as follows:
The friends Of the drowned man sent
to Hazel Green, Wis, for John Drawer,
a skillful manipulation Of the dreadful
fluid known as nitro.glycerine, and the
only man in this part of the country
who can be prevailed upon to handle it.
Mr.. Drawer came, and was upon the
ground with his Gun Of fluid, tin tubes
aud fuses. The preparation for n dis
charge is very simple, but tIe liability
| OF the t%rGacherous mixture blowing tho
handler up into the skies when he
grows in tho least careless in handling
il il great. A fire was built and II wash
boiler, half full Of water, heated, and
the can Of nitro. glycerine set into 1t to
bring it to the right temperature, 80
that it would do its work, well. Apiece
of fuse three feet long was then cut and
a percussion cap placed upon each end,
pasted over with common yellow soap
"a a protection from the fluid or wator.
A tin tube, about as large around as n
~hoe-handle and nearly Il yard long, was
then filled with the dangerous fluid, by
pouring it III just IA yOn would water.
Both ends Of the fuse were now placed
into the tube and run down into the
fluid a little. Then II wooden plug, cut
to accommodate the fuse, was forced in
and soaped oyer TO keep the water ont.
A good oarsman and Mr.. Drawer took
possession Ct the skilf and moved out
on the river n rod or two, then the
double fuse was lighted, the tube drop
ped overheard, and then the skiif was
pulled away from that spot with all
speed possible, while half n dozen
men and our reporter disappeared up
the side of the hill, making frantic
efforts TO secure the protection OF somt
giant boulder or ..substantial oak. Wa
had hardly secured protection when the
charge exploded with n loud, rumbIinp
noise, shaking the trees, rocks and hills.
Tho sand and rock from the river bot
tom flew in every direction, while vol
ume after volume Of boiling, Missing
and fonming water rolled up and sport
cd in the air. The charge was but
pound and Il half and the result boil
wonderful and terrible. The second
fourth and fifth charges were let off IL
the same way Mt different points along
the bank with the same terrify ing effect
blowing up the river bottom and Mt one
time sending II large volume of water nj
of u hundred feet high in the air. The
third and sixth charges were prepared
in the same way, but instead OF being
sunk were placed upon II small raft
mlGe OF heavy plank nailed together.
In order to have n good view and bt
secure our reporter, in company Will
two others, proceeded down the rail
road track II quarter of n mile aEC
climbed the top of IA high point OF rock
From this point we could readily se'
Mons. Drawer as he went down to thu
river bank, Int the fuse and pushed tn
raft out into the river, and then hunted
the other side Of the railroad track in
hurry. The raft noated p%rettily for
moment, n carl of white smoke ascent
ing from the burning iuse-a iitfu
sputter-a Husband the charge OK
} ploded with ringing report that echoe
and re-echoed, causing the waters t
~ surge, the trees to shake and the hi
upon which We stood, a quarter OF
, mile away, to tremble NJ with the cLlcc
of an earthquake.
We are convinced that when nitro
glycerin, war estimated TO have fOul
teen times more force than powder II
. mistake was made.