The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-11-28

Join the est
I'd like Just for q little while to lie in m.
-Morgdrct EWin0e. in Hdrper's Magazine.
DYNAMITE.
Nltro-Glycerine-Its Compounds and Thei
Various Uses-The Manufacture OF Clan
Explosives = Torpedoes - Cannons an,
Shelis-Terr:ble Destructiveness.
From the technical word dynamics
meaning the study of the laws of mo
ton of solid bodies, or of matter, force
velocity space and time. our lanouag,
has acquired two popular phrases
within the last few years that are use(
to designate two of the present wonder
of the age. One of these terms refer.
to that mysterious machine for gather
ing up, or to put it more clearly. pump
ing up electricity from the great ocear
OF that element which everywhere sur
rounds US, and is called dynamo, OF
electrical generator. Though astonish
ing IS is the dynamo and the va.
ried purposes to which it is put, il
but prepares the mind for an adequate
conception of the frigLtful power ex.
pressed by the word dynamite.
Although the word dynamite has been
almost constantly in the newspapers
the past three or four years. but few oil
the general public have a clear idea OF
its meaning. To be brief dynamite is q
giant gunpowder, that is an explosive
material varying in strength and safety
OF handling in propo. ton to the percen-
tage of nitro-gIycerlne contained in it.
Nitro-glycerine. whence it derives its
strength, is composed of ordinary
glyce inc and nitric acid compounded
together at . certain temperature and
in proper proportions. Nitro glycer-
inc, although not the strongest explo-
sive known, being exceeded in power
by chloride of nitrogen and other prod
ucts of chemistry, is thus far the most
terrible explosive that has been manu-
factured to any extent. Yet while hum
dreds Of thousands of tons of it have
been made. and are still made, it has
been found too unsafe for ordinary use.
As the result of the endeavor to still re-
tain the strength of nitro glycerine as
an explosive, coupled with q greater
safety in handling. we have dynamite
POISONOUS QUALITIES.
This article is most extensively man.
ufactured and consumed in the United
States under the various names of Giant.
Hercules, Jupiter and Atlas powders,
ali OF viii. b contain anywhere f,om
thirty TO. eighty per cent. of nitro-gly-
cerine, the ba.ancc of the compound
being made up Of rotten stone, non-ex-
plosive earth, sawdnst, charcoal. plas-
ter OF paris, black powder, or some
other substance that takes up tho CIV
cerine, and makes porous, spongy
mass. Besides being high v explosive
nitr0-glycerine and its compounds are
all more or less poisonous. So vicious
Is it in this respect that even II touched
by the fps Of the fingers it produces
vio.ent heada he. frequently followed
BY collie. The smoke and fumes pro-
duced by explosions of it when inhaled
arc followed by similar results, AMI in
mines where dynamite IS now almost
universally used both to the exclusion
Of blasting powder and nitro-glycerine.
powerful drafts of air are Immediately
turned into chamber where 3 blast
has been fired to free it from the nox-
ious gases In strength. as compared
70 blasting powder. dynamite contain
ing seyenty-five per cent Of nitro-gly-
cerine i about ten or twelve times Is
strong.
TEMPERATURE ALI-gMPORTANT.
Both nitro-glycerine and dynamite
CONCEAL Ut AZ deg. f.. and when frozen
are comparatively safe, it be NO next
to Impossible to explode them until
Ta:sed above that temperature. Above
that temperature it is one Of the easiest
things IN the world. as sad experience
has shown, to explode dynamite. Yet.
strange rs it may seem, it NAV be
burned in thin sheets, or thrown IN
smau quantities into the lire without
exploding Il shocx and heat attack
= together. or If heat be gradually APP
pied 10 = mass of it until raised to =
temperature Of $50 deg. f.. detonation
viii ensue.
The discovery Of nitro-glycerire was
made by SobrerO, an Italian Chemist
resld ng in Paris in 1847. and the in
Sentur Of dynamite was Swede named |
Aimed Nobel. vi 0 began :ts manufact- |!
me IN 1867 ct Hamburg, Germany.
But While Europe may claim the honor |
of giving to the word these valuable |
Reents, to the United States is due that |
q having been first to utilize them and
dcm1nstrate their practical value on : /
|arge scale. This was done 81 1867 ~
6eorge MoWbra-. > chemist, who took /
- contract OF manufacturing supply
4 nIeE0 giyoeEine sufficient to complete
- dooeAc Tunnel From this be-
.ning tne ne q nitro-glycerine rap