The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-06-21
DEALING IN DYNAMITE.
ihiernai Machines" Arc ssude.
Wound UP and Used,
From the PAiiadeluhia Press,

Wound UP and Used.
from The Philadelphia Press.
The word "infernal machincu has
oeen buzzing in the popular ear for sew.
eral years past, and sapeuinarv dam
goGues, Communistic and Nii,itistic have
rolled the lugubrious term like a sweo, t
tho sui ... Upon the,r wagging tongues, but
ene puoiic mas been kept in utter ignor.
@Ioe as 70 tne exact nature Of these ex.
PiosiVe compounds, which are beginning
20 play such an important part in the
everyday political history of Great Brit.
am and the Continent. The nefarious
business has developed TO all unsuspect.
ca extent, but i.s growth has beea silent.
II was not until within the last twelve.
month, when this country was made the
PlinciPal basis of operations, that the
Engllsh detectives, able to see from afar
those things which had fourishcd unob.
served s.n under their very noses, grasped the
| iuli Importance Of the movement, and
published it to the world. Even all the
blatant utterances of O'Donovan Rosa,
miid-mannered man that he il, pregnant
win prophecies of huge and terrible
,Ilachlnes OF destruction, have not. queer.
~ ough, directed the attention of the
PUBIC 10 proper appreciation of the
secret work of which he is the open apos.
In New York City day, and in this
City, lnferna! machines OF every conceiy.
ao!e pattern are being ma, Il fac:,.reh. in
many instances within stones throw of
the headquarters Of the law.
INFERiAL TYPES.
The most common form of Internal
machine is that known as the "ticker. y
lo all intents and purposes it is an ordi.
nary N can, very like that in which
astra. oil is sold. The can, for such II ~
Is made of heavy galvanized iron. one.
sixteenth of an inch in thickness. II ia
one one foot high and four inches square,
This machine, as we'll as all of those now
made in this country, are filled with a
new powder, invented by George Holgate
of Philadelphia. 1t has the form Of
ordinary gun powder, is of dark brown
color, only explodes in connection with
the simultaneous application of fire and
powder, and is estimated to he 900 t;mea
rs powerful as giant gunpowder. The
0an oao .holoS' therefore, the equivalent of
9oO pounds of powder. Upon one side
and near tie top of the can is attached
clock-spring movement. Above this
movement, and connected with it, is a
small round brass wheel, about an inch
Ia diameter, having upon one portion of
the circumference a slot. or notch
spring presses npon the edge of .he
wheel, which revolves. When the slot
Is reached IN the circuit, the spring falls
lnto IL with snap, which in turn relea.
ses another spring falling upon nipple
upon which is gun cap. The nipple is
OF iron and extends down into the pow
aer, ana the explosion of the cap instan-
taneously sets off the compound in the
bottom OF the can. The machine can be
SET anywhere between one minute and
lhlrty.slx hours. When all is ready the
operator closes the lid, fastens it with an
iron locker, and deposits it where he NAV
deslre to cause the explosion. 1t can be
kicked, rolled around or hammered, but
until the spring falls into the slot and
exPlodes the cap, there is no danger in
Its handling. BY putting the ear close
20 the I'D The melancholy tick-tick of the
CLOCK can be heard, but this is not notice.
ao!e at a distance of six feet. The ma
chine is air-tight, and water or any like
huid mas no effect on the explosive COM
pound, even where it is not Theoretically
sealed. II can be securely packed in
Darrel OF lard, barrel of petroleum,
box OF tobacco, a bag of -four, or with
any OF those articles of export which are
not likely to attract attention. The
power of such a machine depends, of
course, upon the nature of the confined
space in which it is placed.
AN EIGuT.DAY MACHINE.
The most powerful Internal machine
made is what is known as an "eipht. day
machine. Like the "ticker," It can.
however, be set from one minute upwards.
A machine of this description recently
made by Holgate, of Philadelphia, was
fourteen inches high, six inches square,
and contained the equivalent of 3 900
pounds of gunpowder. 1t can, however.
have either square or spherica. shape.
1t is made of galvanized iron or stout
tin. The clock movement is go arranged
that it can be taken out and away from
the machine and connected again at mo.
ment's notice. The operator, il he desire
to divert tsuspicion, carries the empty can in
his hand and the clock movement in his
coat.tail pocket. The explosion is caus,
ed by detonation. A sliding bar of brass,
drawn by screw attached to the move
ment, when it arrives at the slot in the
small brass disk, springs upon delicate
glass phial, made of hair tube. The
phial, which contains a powerful acid,
and is hermetically sealed, in breaking
allows the acid to escape. This causes
the detonation and the explosion follows.
The wire on top of the movement, which
is held in place by rubber band con.
meets with the cap. The acid runs into
n chlorate of potash combination. This
machine can be sunk in water or secreted
in any liquor or compound. in box of
oranges, keg of nails, or loaf of bread.
The force of the explosion would be
sufficient u tear the largest building
in the world to atoms.
A most peculiar and deadly ma
chine is the Little Extermi-
nator." 1t is two inches high and four
inches square, of thin sheet brass, nick.
eled on the inside and outside, and has
no lid, only minute hole in one corner.
The machine is filled with volatile, tho
fumes Of which cause instantaneous
death. The principle is the same as that
Of the ancient Chinese stink pot" used
by them 80 effectively in warfare wi tn
pirates. A thin brass tube runs in
through the small hole in the corner,
having upon its outer end a screw. cap.
Upon the .caPi il q delicate watch Glove-