The Dillon tribune., 1885-05-30
Water.Blastins.

RI. 1o,ne of water as an aid to blast
InJ u,hen nsed in connection with ex-
no nle,ives is rapidly becoming recognized e,
= ,J this country, US we'll as in the large
n,;nes ~ rI and quarries of Europe. Ordi-
mreI arr blasting with gunpowder in coal
.,;r;nc aS,; is done by boring hole in the
.ano ,oaa of the coal about two inches in ai-
lare 1noter ~ and four or five feet deep. Into
aIs; .h;s ;s inserted the powder cartridge,
~, .noether Il with the slow fuse. when the
S1e tv has been we'll tamped, filled with
INV NV, drv i refuse rammed in tight, then
-, ;rsd M by lighting the fuse. In this op-
arst;on ,.s land we have described it thus
I r"t tn show any new ideas connected
with wit il. but for comparison) very dam
rerous " flame, especially in gaseous
Kits a is created, and appalling results
& pften ensuc; carbonic acid and sulphur
ons @ acid gases are generated, very dam
rprous to miners and mining proper
! ties -,
Ter together with gunpowder the pro-
cess IS conducted by inserting into the
hore.hole a powder cartridge with the
f,,se attached as in the ordinary way;
next next to the powder cartridge is insert
ID into the bore-hole q tube containing
water. These tubes must be as large
a, the bore-hole will admit. and of any
iencth convenient to handle, the larger
.be better; they may be made Of any
cheap material convenient, cheap thin
.n-plate, or stout broken paper turned
around on wooden roller, after being
well pasted together, the ends closed
with corks. The bore-hole is now
tamped in the ordinary manner, the
fuse lt and the cartridge fired in the
usual manner.
As result of this process the follow
ing points Of excellence, among many
others, may be briefly mentioned: The
powder in exploding bursts the tube
containing the water, and, careful esti-
mates show, with increased power or
explosive violence, as the rendering
force is extended through the water in
accordance with the well-known prin-
ciple Of fhydrostatics, practically DEM
onstrated years ago by Bramah, over
the enlarged interior area of the bore
hole, due to the space occupied by the
vater-tube. A much larger quantity
Of the material TO be mined or quarried
is thereby brought down OF loosened
with small quantity of the explosive
used. The heat given off by the burn
ng OF the powder and surrounding
gases converts a large proportion OF
the water into steam, the elastic force
d which assists in the operation OF
blasting; the steam and remaining wa
,er together extinguish the flame and
flash Of the powder, and absorb and
4eutrallze the greater portion of the
gases and smoke resulting from the ex.
1t will readily be seen that by this
process are met together economy,
power and safety, the system being
simple and effective, and not attended
..ln WIN anything inconsistent with the
VT seI.known laws OF explosion. It is te
w. w. noped that, in the best interests o.
humanity, our large and intclligcn,
Douy ~ OF miners and quarrymen will no,
vt vt SOW to adopt an amclioration in tho
n ai1senI M crude and dangerous process.
y nn o,astlng, which will tend, and, in nc
.rn1 ,.Sll measure, to render premature
ssih sAhos'ons in mines Il thing OF the past
asa.t .anas 'hah one OF almost daily occur
'eace'-Coal- Trade Joeruul.