The Democratic advocate., 1876-02-05
Our Oliu.
DYNAMITE AS AN EXPLOSIVE.

b DYNAMITE AS AN EXPLOSIVE.
81. Louis has magazine Of this great
explosive situated in the suburbs. A
Globe Democrat reporter visited the place,
the other day, and gives some interesting
notes Mr., Fred. Julian, the agent,
showed the reporter that there was not the
least danger of premature explosion.
The house where the dynamite is slowed
d nbout fifteen feet square, of course has
no windows, aud but one metal door, sew
eral feet from the ground
Mr. Julian unlocked the iron magazine
door and proceeded to scramble in with
lighted cigar in his mouth. ....-
This proceeding was viewed with no lit
tic misgivings by tho knight of the Fabcr,
who was, however, by no means rcassured
BY the carelessncss with which he knocked
the boxes of the awful substance to and
fro, with the most reckless disregard of
common Impressions concerning dynamite.
Finally, selecting twenty-five pound box,
he pitched it out of the door, down to the
ground, a distance of six or eight feet,
without the least ceremony. Visions of
the Mosel and careless handling of the
fatal freight on that dreadful day of her
disaster, came before the eyes of the Globe.
Democrat man as that box fell to the fro
sen ground with sharp rattle, and rolled
over two or three times, as if specially to
provoke Providence, but nothing startling
occurred. The box fell, and that was all.
The scene of the Mosel was not repeated,
and no remains had to be gathered up with
shoyels. Clambering down, and taking
the box and an AK, a procession was form.
"a to the bank of the river, close by, where
4 high bank presented favorable spot
for experiments. The theory that dyna-
mite can be exploded by sudden jar or
eoneussion, is utterly secuted by MIR. Ju.
Hsn, and in proof Of his earnest belief in
~ assertion that it would not explode un-
}IGr such circumstances, he took the box
and threw it over the bank on some stones
at the bottom. The box was shattered,
<he dynamite flew in all directions, and
was scattered here and there over the
rocks but no explosion took place.
/ propose to show you that the theory
Of dynsmite becoming dangerous by dis
Indignation, in freezing, is utterly absurd.
I have given the dynamite as severe jar
Is Is necessary to have exploded it, had it
becn possible to explode it in that way.
When frozen, it is impossible to explode
Il d all, and even when thawed and in u
plable state, it can be exploded only by
The use Of a suitable percussion cap and
fuse
The man of giant powder then descend
ID, and gathered up oil the dynamite that
had NOT fallen into the river, and laying it
on one of tile shattered sides of the box,
brought Il up, and for the first time the
press man gaxed on the dreaded compound.
Il looked harmless enough then, being
eort Of ! grayish yellow material in cylin-
dfical ticks, eight inches long, and one
anoh and a quarter in diameter. Encour-
>ged BY The boldness of Julian, his guests
began 70 pick up pieces Of the powder and
Examine it,
What is it made OFF,
Nitro-glycerine and infusorial earth.
2 n what proportions2"
W. usually use about seventy five per
cent. Of nitro-glycerine, though OCCASION
aIIy nny one wants more, seventy-eight
per cent, is put 10, and the powder ship
Nd ID him at once. Powder made with
more than seventy.fvc per cent. nitro
ydefIne is never stored"
Vlerc do ysu get the carth2'
h tomcs from Germany. Occasionally
IS w. California earth, and sometimes
1aHdusl, in manufacturing the second
HoH many qualities are there ?"
1AI1 but the only difference between
~ a<t md second is'in the quantity of
I@
o<8zr Instances. The third grade is
'al1 q nitro-glyccrine aud saw-dust.'
q An< Is there no danger OF this pile
<<1| l||4 is long as It is frozen y
parfaetly impossible for il to cx-
[p|ode <6'le 1t is frozen, and after it is
Iha4ed 4 can be fired only with cap and
N'|l percussion .cxpiads jty'
u ehow you" .yZlIl lsg. j 3.i
ling the ak, Mr.. Julian proceeded 70