The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-08-30

A Powerful Agent Added 20 the Long List
Of High Explosives.
To the already long list Of so-called
high explosives--of. which there are
about thirty---used In industrial pur-
suits or for war purposes another very
powerful explosive agent has just been
added. As its e-carbo-dynamite
implies, carbon forms part Of its
constitution. II should be stated that
in ordinary dynamite seventy-flve per
cent. Of nitro-glycerine is absorbed by
twenty-hve per cent. Of kieselguhr, an
earthly mineral specially suitable for
the manufacture Of dynamite on &C.
count OF It's absorbent property; but
kieselguhr has this disadvantage--.that
IL Is incombustible. In carbo-dyna-
mite ninety parts by weight Of nitro
Iglycerine are taken up by ten parts Of
10 specially prepared carbon Of u very
porous nature. As carbon is CON-
bustible IL adds to the explosive effect
of the whole mass, and In this respect,
it will be seen, carbo-dynamite Is
superior to ordinary dynamite.
But 1t possesses other advantages,
which were demonstrated at other
trials carried out at Treherbert,
Rhondda valley, South Walos. In the
first experiment an eighty-pound
double-headed steel rail, placed on its
side, was smashed through by an ounce
and half Of carbohydrates, about
nine inches of the rail being blown
clean away. In the next large bowl
der Of hard sandstone, weighing about
two tons, was broken up by n two
ounce charge OF carbo-dynamite.
Equal charges Of a quarter ounce OF
carbo-dynamite and ordinary dynamite
were also exploded inside two thick
lead cylinders, Of capacity Of four
and three-fourths cubic inches, with
tho result that this capacity was ex-
panded to nearly thirty-six cubic
inches with carbo-dynamite, but to
only twenty-one inches with ordinary
dynamite.
Similar charges Of the two explosives
were then placed inside two thick steel
tubes, each one foot long. The ordina-
ry dynamite burst It's tube we'll, but the
carbo-dynamite did its work much bet
ter, bending the tube rs we'll us BURST
ing 1t, and sending it some fifteen yards
from the point of explosion.
The last experiment in the open con-
sisted In placing one ounce each Of
carbo-dynamite and ordinary dynamite
on fiat steel disks, three inches in di-
ameter and five-sixteenths of an inch
thick, and supported on rings or col
lars. After the explosion IL was found
that the ordinary dynamite had indent-
ed its disk a quarter Of an inch, while
the carbo-dynamite had caused con-
cavity seven-sixteenths Of an inch
deeper than tho other. besides driving
Its supporting ring deeply into the
ground.
In order to show that in using carbo-
dynamite in underground work no
noxious fumes arise, an experiment
was made In tunnel half mile long
constructing for the Rhondda & Swan
sea Bay railway. When shot had
been fred in the rock at the heading
of the tunnel with one pound OF carbo.
dynamite no deleterious fumes could
be detected. When, however, subse.
quently, shot was fred with one
pound Of ordinary dynamite, noxious
vapors were plainly discernible. Car.
bo-dynamite, consequently, will enable
miners to pursue their arduous work
without injury to health, and the ad
vantage claimed for 1t, that no inju
fious fumes are generated in its ex
plosions, seems to be we'll established
AS carbo-dynamite is not affected by
moisture, not exuding or parting will
its nitro-glycerine when exposed tt
damp or water, 1t may safely be mixet
} with that liquid In any required pro
portion. and thus treated used in fiery
mines, the large volume Of steam gen
Grated at the moment OF explosion, no
only extinguishing any flame which
might have been produced, but alst
adding considerably to the effect Of th'
shot. It Is further stated that the man
ufacture Of carbo-dynamite Is simple
and inexpensive, and that its cost II
the user will not exceed that of ordina
ry dynamite. These latter points re
main, OF course, to be proved, but from
what has been said Of its use and ef
> feet, there can be no doubt that a yer.
formidable rival has arisen to ordinar,
Z dynamite, and that the introduction o
r carbo-dynamite in mining or tunnelinI
, work is only question OF time.-
Chambers Journal.
READING OLD LETTERS,