Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-16

How Roman Candles and Sky Rock
cts are Made

An article In the London Daily Ne,cs on fire.
works says:
visitor to one Of those case-making sheds in
which good fire may be roaring in an open
fireplace, will perhaps be rather startled to
notice number of barrels and Jars, which he
Viii be apt to assume are filled with firework-
making materials OF an explosive Character
or they would not be in a building with a
fire in it. These receptacles represent the
most modern development Of the pyrotecb
mic art. Just take dip into this barrel
and bring out a little Of its contents on the
point of knife. and hold it in the dark part
OF that gas flame. 1t is arsente of copper
and sal aInmOniac. and instantly the broad
light of noOn-day is overpowered with a blue
glare that would have fairly astOunded Friar
Bacon or the Heather Chinee, or John
Darlington. or any other artist i'm fire of
ancient days. We make another dive and
bring out little chOrate of baryta, and q
dazzling Outburst Of green is the result when
placed in the flame. Here is a barrel of sal
ammoniac. which Is combined with color
giving substances to give depth and inten-
sity Another receptacle holds chorate Of
potash. source OF oxygen gas. without good
supply OF which neither fireworks nor those for
whose enjoyment they are made can be expected
to be very bright. Some of the coIOring sub
stances are very perilous. If. for instance. q
little of a compound of nitrate of strOntia and
sulphur and pOtash-the source of the most
vivid red color known to chemists-ifa little OF
this should be left after display at the CRYSTAL
Palace. it Is always either fired or buried 1t Is
too DANGEROUS to attempt to store. All this
branch OF pyrOtechny is OF quite recent develop
ment. Forty or fifty years ago colored fire.
works were unknown. or nearly so.
Perhaps the most delicate and interesting fea-
ture of modern firework making is the charging
OF Roman candles-thOse c0i0.ed balls which
are pulled out softly into the air one after the
n a rNpy ara
recognized as such pretty feature of the Sy.
denhan displays The public like to see these
balls thrown out with exactly an equal force so
as to play just within the same sphere. In or
der to secure this very careful adjustment is
necessary. The fiery balls of color are little
Jumps of composition filled into the case, and
separated from each 6ther by layer of dark
IRE. little charge of gunpowder being Just
underneath each 1t is this little charge of pow
der which blows them into the air, and If all the
charges were alike, every ball would be thrown
out little further than its predecessor because
the deeper down in the case an explosion takes
place the more violent it is, the resistance being
greater TO Obviate this the charge of powder
Is made to inc'ese as the tube Is filed up. The
workman who fills Roman candle. therefore,
has before him series of little scoops of differ
ent sizes for measuring the powder and uses
them in succession. the smallest being used
for the first ball put in, and the largest one for
the ball at the mouth OF the tube The dark
IRE Is composition which only shoulders
and which. therefore. does not burn down to
a second ball until the first has performed its
graceful progress through the air. OF all fire.
works the rocket is perhaps the most beautiful,
and it certainly is the most curious in it's struc-
ture. Some fthe best of them are said to rise
to height of more than third of mile, and
this amazing power of flight is secured by run
ming in very tightly into the rocket-case a COM
position which burns fiercey. and generates gas
very rapidly when once lighted. but which has
only a very small vent for its fury at the lower
end OF the case. The gas generated inside rushes
out with such violence against the air
outside that the rocket is driven up
wards by. it. the tail Ct the comet
consisting OF the sparks of the fire
burning within. ROcket-making of course forms
large part of the work of any re-work fac
tory. In one shed the cases are being made; in
another building sticks are being split up and
rounded at the head so as to fit into the rocket
case. In third all sorts OF curious burdens are
being prepared for the fiery messengers whose
heads are hollow chambers capable of holding
tail stars" comets, cOlOred stars. golden rain,
floating lights. and score OF other surprises
when the rocket can rise no higher These
floating lights, by the way are well worth
passing notice. They are produced by little
tubes of o'lor borne aoft by small silken
parachut which. together with the tube, is
Skiiliuliy packed into the head of the rocket