Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-05-19
Dynamite.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
''You want to know something about dyna.
mite?" said Sc. Rosengarten, looking at the re-
porter curiOusly. "Well, dynamite is pasty.
dark mass, almost perfectly safe to handle with
proper care, Of which enough can be carried in
a side pocket to destroy the lives of hundred
men If favorably situated, or shatter building
as completely as half barrel of gunpowder
placed beneath it would. It does not explode
on contact with fire. like gunpowder, but re-
quires to be subjected to or brought in con-
tact with another explosive agent, such as ful-
inmate"
"How is dynamite made" asked the re-
porter.
"By saturating pulverized or infusoral earth
OF great absorbent qualities with about three
times its weight OF nitro-glycerine. the earth
being added merely to make it's TRANSFORMATION
easy and comparatively SAFE"
But these ingredients appear harmless
enough" interject ed the reporter.
ooh. yes" rejoined Mr.. Rosengarten: charm
less enough separately. We can eat glycerine
on our buildings and fatten on it; We can use
the earth to polish our tableware or clean our
glasses. But when equal parts of strong nitric
and sulphuric acidsare gradually added in small
portions at time and at temperature below
the freezing point. to certain quantity of gly-
cerine we have a bright yellow liquor which
possesses extraordinary explosive energy and is
called nitro-glycerne. 1t is this destructive
compound which is used to saturate the absorb
ent earth have mentioned"
"Where was it discovered and how?'
"Well that is a disputed point Some say
that young man In Wilmington, Del, discoy-
cred the explosive properties of dynamite acct
dentally, while working with glyccrine and
nitric acid, the resulting explosion seriously in
juring his eyes. Others maintain that it was
first discovered in Germany by somewhat SIM
liar chance. l am inclined to wholly reject the
accident theory, however. In 1864 Alfred No
bel, Swede of Hamburg, made its character
ment they conducted. Do not misunderstood
what l said at first about it's being compare
lively safe to handle. With prOper-that is,
the greatest-care. there is no very great
danger of its exploding Unexpectedly, but
familiarity leads to carelessness, and It's
potential energy is too terrible for absO-
Lutte safety under any circumstances. Except
Ing chloride Of nitrogen and hypochloric acid
in gas or liquid form, dynamite is perhaps the
most expansive agent known to chemistry, yield
ing 10. 1884 measures of gas. while gunpowder
yields but 500 measures. It is highly danger
GUS under almost any conceivable conditions,
and hope England will be successful in her
efforts to suppress its manufacture. She is
about the only power that can do it. as her ter
ritory Is exceptionally compact and the laws
enacted under the recent panic give her officials
extraordinary powers" Other chemists in the
city disagreed with Mr.. Rosengarten's views as
to the excessive danger OF dynamite. One gen.
tleman thought the English fright ridiculOusly
puerile He said he would not be afraid to
carry half pound of dynamite in his trousers
pockets; "but," he added, II should be very
careful that no one knocked me down or cave
me kick on that pocket"