Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-11-23
THE WAY THEY MAKE DYNAMITE.
1t is Very Dangerous, but Easily and Eff
fectively Done.

lobe Jackson's dynamite made but
a feeble explosion at Gainesville three
years ago, in comparison with that
which would occur now if an earth
quake should shake the dynamite fac
tory just below that town, while the
two operatives are running off q ton
of nitro-glycerine.
'.Six months ago said Mr.. Volney
Dunning, Mr.. Clark Robinson came
to Gainesville from Pittsburg to look
about with view to establishing dyna-
mite factory there. The result is that
the factory is complete and in opera
ton.
"Where is the factory and how large
is it?n
at is frame building about fifty
five feet square, with watts. mixers, and
drawing baths, located on the East &
West railroad, at MIR. Ladd's lime kiln,
about three miles below Cartersvllle.n
what is its capacity?'
about 5000 pounds of dynamite
day.
ssAnd what will that do?'
at will blow Stone mountain to
atoms"
what are you making so much
for?"
For the trade; there is a great de-
mand for dynamitei in mining, railroad
work, excavating, shooting oil wells,
and the like
'What is dynamite made OFF"
1.-The cartridges in ordinary use are
about 40 per cent nitro-glycerine, diff
fused through about 60 per cent of
some porous substance like clay or
sawdust.n
''Whati is nitro-glycerine?"
sit is composed of hogs fat, nitric
acid, and sulphuric acid. The pure
hogs fat may be used, but the glycer-
inc in the fat is all that is needed, and
to save waste, that is extracted, and
the rest of the fat is left for some other
purpose.
'.How much glyccrinc is there in a
hog?"
Il can't tell you exactly, but in
hog large enough to furnish 200pounds
of fat, | should think there would be
something like twenty pounds of
glycerine."
'.How much acid do you put with
that?'
1--WE take two parts of glycerine,
five parts of nitric acid, and five parts
of sulphuric acid and mix them to
make the nitro-glycerine. In that
way we will make, with the fat of one
hog, sixty to 12O pounds of nitro-gly-
cerine."
What will that much nitro-glycer-
inc do?n
cit will blown the capital and scat
Ter il all over Atlanta"
but YOU must observe" continued
Mr.. Dun inc, 'that the explosion of
nitrG-glycerine is SO instantaneous, and
the expansion so tremendous that
there is not time enough to pack the
air above and make room for the great
! expansion; so nitro-glycerine works
downward rs well as upward"
How does it exploded"
"With very slight jar"
"And you make dynamite out of this
dangerous cxplosive?"
YES, we mix it with sawdust or
clay
"How doyou ever get nitro-glycer-
inc to your factory"
1--WE take the ingredients and mix
them. 1t would bo extremely hazard
Gus to attempt to ship nitro-glycerine."
How do you manage to mix it with
out getting blown up?"
''Well, we put the ingredients into
vat which has been reduced to a nom
explosive temperature of 50 degrees.
In the vat is a mixer, made something
like q revolving fan, and the acids
and the glycerinc are thoroughly
mixed Then the nitro-glycerine is
put into drowning bath of clear
water, which purifies the mixture, and
it is run off in the form of yellOwish
substance about the consistency of the
white of an egg"
"How much do you make at one
timer"
"Something over ton
us dynamite very easy ~ oAPIUuc.
mo, nothing like as easy to explode
as nitro-glycerine. Having in its ordi-
nary form about 40 per cent of nitro
glycerine diffused through n porous
substance, dynamite is not easily ex-
ploded. We make dynamite, when it
is desired, as high as so per cent nitro
glycerine, and that is more dangerous
to handle"
What is dynamite worth a pound?"
From 16 to 40 cents Il pound, ac-
cording as it has 40 per cent or more
of nitro-glycerine. ATLANTA CO11stittt-