The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-02
GUNPOWDER.

GUNPOWDER.
More Usea II DsssAs~s che Hsesas Tsanei
than IN tie Rsvslvsssa-Hsv the Dsvssts
s4usezea Hssapa sn the War fsv shs Ualea.
There lie q popular delusion regarding the
amount Of powder used In warfare" said a
gentleman whose business 10 the manufacture
Of der-making machinery and who has
made hobby Of explosives. "As a matter OF
faot" he continued. much more powder is
burned in times OF peace than in time OF war.
Tho average daily consumption Of powder In
the United States 10 100 tons. In q battle In
which $4,000 men Hrod 40 rounds EACH less
than one quarter Of an ordinary days quota OF
powder would be used. In the construction OF
the Hoosac Tunnel more powder was exploded
than in the war OF the rebellion. and single
large coal mine will use almost as much. The
coal trade consumes more powder than any
other single interest. A quantity 10 exported.
and the rest Is used in civil engineering. in the
military purposes, and By the Government in
firing signals and salutes.
The manufacture VI powder" continued
the explosive enthusiast. "is n nne art. have
been identified with the powder interest for
| twenty-five year, and have observed that it
ia associated with only tho best and highest
typos Of civilization. Second.rate nations can
not manufacture 1t successfully. Scientific
and mechanical ability OF . high order Ia re-
auired In making nrst-class Runpowder. Tho
same Ia true OF firearms The Chinese were
tho first to use gunpowder generally. and they
| still make and use 1t extensively; but Chinese
| powder Is very crude compared with that Of
American or even OF English manufacture.
" Tho Chinese formerly used powder in war
| fare In those villainous missiles called stink
| pots. A stinkpot has tho general appearance
OF a cocoanut. The shell is OF paper. and In
filled with pitch and gunpowder. A fuse Is
| inserted at one end and lighted. In a few
seconds the missils explodes and the burning
pitch is scattered In all directions. They float
fuse end up. and. as 1t is almost impossible to
| extinguish The Fuse you can form some idea
| OF the destruction they were capable OF caus-
| shipping Of the Chinese.
'Gunpowder and the finest quality Of blast
| ing powder are made Of three parts Of saltpetre
and one part. Of charcoal and brimstons in
equal guam tiles. In the cheaper grades OF
blasting powder mi nitrate Of soda lie substituted
ore In Hindustan. and for a long time the Eng
lish had complete control over the satpstre
in ch nsa9 the ri " fsr o.
S ~. year. ago m experimenting American
| obta ined tor less than q cent pound In Chill.
10 mixed with muriaie OF potash. which Is pro-
IS bssss thS
| the products are nj trate Of POTASH or satpetre
and muriate OF soda or common salt Through
this happy discovery. two products. each many
rails. were secured and the British monopoy
essential ingredient OF gun powder Us Of nitro
siycerins and several other explosives. is
People are very apt TO view with fear and
trembling the erect! on Of a powder mill any
whore within half dozen miles OF their homes
Ar Al n y a nGh m IN
faces OF Providence. and firmly expect to hear
of the utter humiliation Of everybody and evo-
sympathy expressed for a powder uunuiat-
,uIer whose properly has been DESTROYED b., ac.
manifestations Of sympathy at the burning Of
somebo'!ys Touring mil! would never conceive
haa d MRo hSd pss hs
price OF two or three hourins mills. And Yet yet
the making OF powder is us legitimate busi-
The lac, is. people, unncruaintsd with tho
tochnea!itiee. 81 powder manufacture are art
cause them 10 modify tler, fears OF powder
mills; Now. many OF the explosives mnnnfac-
sod re
Giant pSwhsr Hssa powder HsTcuss nowdker
glyrerins mixed with acme absorbent. such as
earth. rapsT pulp: 2. tan bar, bari jus; - dyna.
mills i Of which We often sf read Almost inSsra
| bly, occur Mt manufactures Of some one OF the
sonnec,ca with the nsnaiactIre Of * genuine t
black powder Is comparatively rat very small In
poWder sn mueh S d o%sr shs
among railroad engineers and coal miners. I
know Of an accident that occurred In the West.
| where key OF sunpOwder in u car load eX-
ploded, tearing the car to pieces and scattering
tho other kegs over the ground. Aftcrward
n the Hs H Sad aa @ wsss
wna by Tie The as
iTbc Oldest AmsrIn,n Rrm N s u, S
gunpogder has been in existence nearly ninety
drrs which time IL meme has n2
family. il + worth probably $4,000. 900: The
Company. At the age Of Of 81 they are taken into
the business. but must sign agreements bind
ceeds or estate. During their lives. they are
given all the 81, money they require and at their
until they remarry. Some OF tho young men
become civil engineers some chemist som:
fany a. rasy
except fof 1aSrnnt Incompetence. and at his
follow y tSsir isthers footstsrs: fSs
this is%y e1 nnMdnr hsd
and succeeded in crushing every new powder
manufaoturer. Once during the late war they
sR" sds made sh
very f9ir contract with a rival manufactured
S 10 to srnsa s' Of pomae
which they. in turn. were to sell to the Govern
mcnt. Immediately upon the signing Of the
contract the. powerful firm bought up every
contracted for all that could be shipped from
| Europe for months to come. so that their vic.
through the firm with which he had bound HIM
| self by contract Ruin stared him In the face.
tract upon his asserting to certain concessions
very advantageous to them: A New York COM
pany. but the latter is still the woalthiest In
| America. Its mills are in Delaware. In tho
| manufacture OF powder Pennsylvania stands
| first. New York second. and Ohio third"