The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-05-09
MACHINES.
An interesting Talk with George
Holgate, a Manufacturer-His
New Explosive Six Times
More Effective than
~Nitro-Glycerine.

More Effective than
Nitro-Glycerine.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
George Holgate. the great and only
cOncOcter of dynamite SCHEMES in
this country, and the inventor and
maker of half of the mysterious ex-
plosive machines that find their way
across the ocean and the one deposit
ed by the came unaccountable pro-
cess under the English government
| buildings, left Philadelphia this
morning by the express for the
Rocky mountains. His object in go
ing to the Rocky mountains is to
find a lonely spot. His purpose in
finding a lonely spot is to seclude
himself from inqusitive observation,
and bis idea in sequestering himself Il
where the eye Of the curious snail
not dwell upon him is to perform
certain experiments. A reporter
found him at the laboratory yester-
day afternoon.
II have discovered" said he, san
explosive far more powerful than
powder or nitro-glycerine, and not
half so dangerous 10 handle. 1t is
in the shape of a powder of a dark
color and somewhat resembling gun
powder, although of much finer tex
ture. It explodes the same IS any
other similar compound, powder or
e~lycerine. It can be used in a gun
with a cap or in an infernalmachine.
AS near as I have been able to calcu-
late my powder, which [ have not
vet named, is about six times as
powerful as n1tro-glycerine and can
be manufactured for less than halt
the price. My object in making the
powder, however, was to get an
plosive which could be used in mines
for blasting purposes OR for blowing
up whatever may be desired"
"Are you going to send any of this
powder to England or Russia"
II shall sell it, and perhaps some
of it may go across the ocean. Who
can tell? But I shall not know
where it goes or who buys it,"
Have you ever disposed of fanny in
fernal machines directly to the Irish
nationalist"
my dear sir, I eve deal with
corporations or associations. My
business is conducted altogether
with one individual-some times
two. I never ask after any of my
machines after I have sold them to
observation-disclosures. It is none of my
business where they 60. TO inquire
might be troublesome, you know"
and the inventor smiled in an appre-
ciative way.
"Do you make o than one kind
of internal machincs??"
Eyes, lots Of kinds. They are all
easy to make. I smiled the other
day when I saw how the papers de-
scribed the machines found in Nor
way as being of extremely ingenious
make. / could have made any of
them"
"What do internal machines cost
on an average?"
"About Sc. That is what those in
England sell for"
"Had you ever seen the Birming-
ham factory recently discovered and
by the police??"
II know its location well. The
think they have found all the
places where these Internal machines
are manufactured. They are badly
1 learned my trade in
Birmingham. There have been
shops Of this sort there for thirty |
years unknown to the authorities. |
The city is now swarming with
them. I can put my fingers OH a
The country around there is
full of them"
"What do you think of O'Donovan
Rossa?"
Personally, lie is a nice fellow.
head is level, [ guess, but his
schemes I can't say so much for.
Some of them are very queerly got
ten up"
"Are the Irish nationalist in this
city displaying any unusual &C
tivity?"
II don't know. If they buy my
they don't get them direct
rom me, so [ can't really say what
hey are doing"
"Do you approve of the course of
he Fenians and nationalist RI
he seas?"
IL do not think they are rash. 1t
true some of their schemes have
aot succeeded, but I think they are
proceeding in the right direction"
"Don't you sometimes wonder,
when you read of explosions in
europe, whether they were caused
~ your machines"
Eyes, but I don't think it would
,e profitable to inquire
"You have said your new powder
s six times as powerful as nitro
,lycerine. Give me an example"
"Well, if an ounce were centered
All iron box two inches in diameter
placed in the new city postoffice, not
stone would be left standing after
he explosion. A pound would shat
er Gle .tnut street from the river to
Broad street. A can full would de-
troy the city as Ly an earthquake"
"You will have lots of powder
made in time for the coronat ion,
Won't you?"
Eyes; lots of it,"
Howgate does not seem to fear the
DthOritips. and saws he will return