Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-06-04
A POWERFUL AGENT.
Another Satisfactory Series Of Ex-
periments Made Yesterday
WITH EMMENSITE AND GELBITE.
Blocks Of Stone Weighing Many Tons
Shivered at q Touch.
NO DANGER FROM FIRE OR CONCLUSION

A special train pulled out from the Union
depot yesterday morning with a number of
contractors on board. The party was bound
for Bakers station, on the Ligonier Valley
road, to witness an exhibition of the won-
derful explosive, emmensite, given by
Messrs. Garland, Powell & Co., at the
quarries of Booth & Finn.
After the party arrived and divested
themselves of their outer garments, previous
to ascending the mountain-for the day was
terribly hot-and after some exertion the
hill was at last successfully ascended, the
party sought the shade of the trees and lis
tened to DR.. Emmens' son explain the good
qualities OF the explosive. He gave several
tests to prove that the powder would not be
exploded bv conclusion or heat.
About an ounce of powder was placed on
shovel and a match applied to it. There was
no explosion. as some expected, but the powder
began to burn very slowly. and continued to
burn while the fire was put to it, but immedi-
ately went out after the match was withdrawn.
Mr.. Emmens then put an ounce of the powder
on a piece Of iron and struck 1t several blows
in succession, which had no effect on the
powder. He then placed four sticks of the
emmensite against tree and fired a rifle st il.
The ball penetrated the powder, but did not ex-
plode, to the amazement of the spectators.
dropped into hole 10 feet deep and 2h inches
wide. A Illuminating cap was inserted into one
of the yellow sticks of powder, and this was at
tached to an electric battery. At given sig
nal the handle on the battery box was raised
by one of the workmen, and there followed
most terrific explosion A massive blue rock
weighing tleast so tons was displaced by the
emmensite.
charge was then placed in nine different
holes, each II feet deep, and they were ex-
ploded simultaneously, blowing up the side of
The hill for so feet, average depth of IL feet,
A test was then made on the surface of large
rock. One ounce Of the emmensite was placed
on the rock and exploded, splitting the huge
boulder in twain.
A test was made then with dynamite, and it
took five ounces to crack the rock in the same
way. The manner in which gelbite was ex-
ploded was next shown. This is nothing but
an ordinary piece Of paper placed in a solution
of emmensite. This paper was wrapped up
and inserted into the shell of a cartridge with
a small Illuminating cap on the end This was
placed In a revolver and discharged in the same
way as cartridge loaded with powder.
The party then descended the hill and partook
of refreshments that had been provided for the
occasion and afterward returned to the city.
Every person was satisfied that this new pow
der was 1.-The thing" In speaking of the ex-
ploslve prominent contractor said: II think
that this new powder will be adopted uni
versally for blasting purposes and for an i'm
plement of warfare"
The English government Is now negotiating
with DIR. Emmens to manufacture large sup
ply of the powder to be used for experiment
ing.