Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-19

nigh: be inferred that the building vas so old
II had been discarded. Further questioning
covered 10 be eaten through by acid in such .
way a. to mako ON explesion imminent II
came. Tho operator, however. gave the alarm
In season and the werkmen evaporated till
after the fireworks. In constructing the new
nssrasot preesutaon, .' re- taken s;a to guard
pared with most dynamite factories few aeci-
dents have occurred ut these works. II Is
stated that at one time business was started by
rival firm and continued four years, when
having had I'm explosion every year the con-
cern suspended.
NAxfNo cARfRIpoRA
Dynamite looks like greasy sawdust For
convenience In handling IT 10 done up in brown
paper tubss, which vary from three quarters
OF an inch to twice that In diameter and re-
sembiing Roman candles in size and shape.
These tubes are marked with the name OF the
maker and the percentage OF nitro giycerine
contained. and are then dipped in melted par
afine, which tends to make them air and water
proof. The men who do the filing stand ut
long benches. In front Of each workman 10 a
heap Of dynamite and pile Of tubes or hold
ers- Each tube 10 closed at one end. The
workman inserts o tunnel in the open end,
fills tho tunnel with dynamite and rams it into
the holder with a wooden rod. When the
paper is tightly packed he folds down the end,
throws the finished Cartridge upon pile
OF others and continues the process, working
ali the time with greAtrapidity. The ranming
process looks dangerous to the visitor. but he
Is assured that there Is no danger. II. how
ever, cartridge accidentally goes flying TO the
floor he wishes it hadn't.
PACKING DYNAMITE.
The cartridges are now removed to another
building where they are packed for shipment
As In the preceding process. this work is done
by young men and full-grown boys. highly
skilled labor not being necessary. About nifty
pounds OF cartridges are packed between layers
VI sawdust in wooden boxes the covers being
screwed on: After marking the boxes are
ready for shipment
TRANSPORTATION OF EXPLOSIVES.
Only an anarchist would ship nitro-g lycerine
by rail, and dynamite is probably never trans
ported by express. Most railroads are willing
to carry dynamite, though an occasional road
refuses to receive 1t at any price. Perhaps ten
car leads was the largest single shipment ever
made. Ibis was by no means all carried on
ono tram. One car to q train was sent until
the whole shipment was made. With every
other car man was sent who kept that and the
preceding car from being side tracked or other
wise delayed. Losses in transit rarely occur.
For years this concern has lost but one car lond,
and that caught fire and burned without ex-
ploding.
Whenever possible shipments are made by
wafer. Vessel owners are usually glad to take
| quantity Of dynamite on top of certain car
goes, such as coal. or even to carry a cargo OF
dynamite exclusively. As many as fifty tons on
single vessel have been thus transported.
In the Calumet and Hecla mine AZ many as
100000 pounds Of dynamite are used in q sim
gle month. Their shipments are mostly re-
ecived via the great lakes, and as they are not
nayigable in cold weather the winters supply
Is shipped in the fall. 1t is stored in a maya
zine in an unfrequsnted locality and removed
In small quantities as needed.
DYNAMITE WILL BURN WITHOUT EXPLODING.
At Wholesale dynamite sells for about 20
| cents per pound and at retail for about twice
that amount Statesmen sometimes touch a
match to spoonful Of dynamite in order to
demonstrate that it will burn without exploding,
but the prospective purchaser is apt to regret
the experiment, for the resulting odor IL con-
siderably less balmy than that OF aged eggs.
Dynamite placed on board and hammered
full if the same would be true if it were laid on
an anvil and struck with hammer. Conclusion
Is necessary to cause an explosion, and is pro-
duced by means Of fuse and q cap containing
Illuminating mercury.
Blasting in mines, clearing land Of stumps
and rocks and removing debris are among the
important uses Of dynamite. To be effective
1t does not need to be buried deep, and il COW
cred with mud or even water its whole force
Ia exercised. Dynamite freezes at AZ degrees
Fahrenheit and is then harmless. In cold
weather workmen frequently carry IL inside
their clothing to keep it warm. II a consider
able quantity 10 to be used q small boiler con-
tanning hot water ia provided, into which the
cartridges are immersed and warmed as
needed.
AN INVOLUNTARY SCIENTIST.
1t used to be thought that nitro gly cerine
was most dangerous when frozen until, at the
time Of the building of Hoosac tunnel. a driver
upset sleigh load Of the explosive and thereby
unintentionally demonstrated that frozen nitro
glyeerine would not explode.
Nitro-glycerine u used chiefly for sinking oil
wells and making torpedoes- II is transported
BY means OF wagons containing padded cOm-
partments in which are hnng cans or jugs filed
with the explosive. The driver of a nitro
wagon is sure to be retiring fellow.
| lover Of nature. seeking sequestered paths
and avoiding cities and travelled highways. His
wagon is not labeled with the owner name nor
does he notify passers-by Of its contents.
Nevertheless he keeps q sharp lookout that no
one NEEDLES with his load. The use Of nitro
glycerine Il attended with great risks and men
who handle it command big pay.
Lord Mayors Dilemma.
From the Illustrated American.
While dining at the Constitutional Club in
Bradford, up in Yorkshire. was told good
story about the present mayor of that busting
city Of spindles.
1t appears that mayor is elected annually
by the common council! from their own num-
Der, and a. the mayor gets no salary and has to
spend about SO, 900 per anuum to keen M the
dignity Of the office, only rich and influential
citizens can get the position. 1t is customary
for the mayor the day after his election to take
his scat on the bench a. magistrate. aud il is \