Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-19
IT'S CERTAIN DEATH.
The Danger in Manufacturing E1-
plosives.
HOW DYNAMITE IS MADE
The Diderencs Between Nitro-0aycerins ADD
Dynamite-An Iatersssiag Visit to = Nitro
Factssy-weli Paid Wsrkmen and Their
work-shippiHg Giant Powder.

Dynamite-An Jatsrsssing Visit to . Nitro
Fsctssy-wsli Pasd wsrkmen AID Their
work-shipping Giant Powder.
tho THE ORDINARY PERSON DYNAMITE
- ia . substance to be severely let alone. yet
with its now very extensive use some knowl-
edge OF its characteristics is advisable. Fa-
more powerful aud also much safer 10 handle
than ordinary powder, it is rapidly superced-
ing that wsll-knewn explosive for most uses
Many people regard nitro-slycerine and dyaa-
misc as ono and the same thing. and to GER
tain extent they are correct. Dynamite is nj
tro-giyceriue mixed with an absorbent, which
somewhat reduces the explosive power aud
greatly reduees the danger of handling. Nitro
giycerine 10 far too powerful an explosive for
ordinary use and is under any circumstances an
extremely dangerous commodity to handle.
The inventor Of dynamite is at the present
time connected with large powder company
and, unlike many inventors, has lived to see
his invention in extensive use and to realize
handsome income from its sale. lie is one of a
comparatively small number OF men who man
utactnre dynamite and control tho dynamite
market. The risks assumed are enormous and
the profits corrcspondingly large. The small
number OF actories and their necessary isola-
ton prevent the general public from knowing
much about either the scope of the business or
the process OF manufacture. An occasional
newspaper account OF the blowing up of dy-
Mantle ni!l ana the humiliation of its work
men causes tile public TO wonder why men will
be SO foolish as TO make dynamite, but gives
no suggestion VI the needs of the explosive or
the Inducements which tempt men to make II.
The neighborhood of a nitro-glycerine fac
tory does not have high reputation as u sum
mer resort. Even the sightseeing tourist
usually draws the line Mt powder mills, prefer
ring to visit some less hazardous industry.
NeVerthelcss, 4 representative of The STAR. in
aspirit OF self-sacrifice and temporary insanity
decided to use the opportunity offered by an
acquaintance In the business, and visited a
nitro factory"
VISIT TO NITRO FACTORY.
Acting quickly, lest his enthusiasm should
cool. he boarded an electric car in a certain
city not a thousand miles from Lake Erie and
was quickly carried to its suburbs. and was
there directed to walk two miles along coun-
try road where he 'world find either the pow
der mill or the place where it had BEEN" The
road proved to he muddy. rough and billy
Just the kind Of road to dampen the enthusi-
asm OF an ambitious and lonely powder mill
visitor.
The last half mile was Travelled much more
| slowly than any preceding. However. the sigh.
OF an innOcent-loOking brick house with small
ONCE building in the rear tended to an increase
OF confidence, and on calling at the latter place
the decided refusal of the superintendent to
| allow any visitors about the works was posi-
lively exhilarating. A short conversation.
however, unexpectedly induced the official to
reverse his decision and call a subordinate to
act as guide.
SHOW the gentleman through the works, was
the order given, and the sensations Of exhilara-
lions fell to minus quantity. The guide
seemed not to notice this fact or the quaking of
knees which accompanied it. SO his visitor
bravely followed, with sensations such as might
be experienced by nomentary expectations Of
an earthquake.
To decrease the liability Of an explosion and
to reduce possible loss to minimum the differ
ent processes are conducted in separate isolated
buildings several hundred feet apart Every
precaution which human foresight or ingenuity
can suggest is taken to guard against accidents.
yet accidents Will occur even i'll the best regu-
lated dynamite factories.
Powder" is the name by which dynamite 10
ordinarily mentioned among makers and users.
dynamite factory Is powder mill" and its
may be explained by the theory that the gem
eral public is less liable to be frightened by
powder" than dynamite" or the custom
may have arisen from the fact that when dy-
Mantle was first introduced it was called giant
powder.
HOW NrTRO-dLYcERINE n MADE.
The ingredients Of nitro-glycerine are simply
common glycerine and mixture OF nitric and
sulphuric acids. None Of the ingredients by
themselves are especially hazardous to handle.
The danger lies in the mixing Of the ingredients
and the handling Of the product. The glyce-
rine and the mixed acids are brought to the
factory in iron harrel-shaped receptacles called
drums. The first process is the mixing, which
is done exclusively by one man. The acids are
poured into a covered tub-shaped receptacle
called a nitrator. and while stirred by ma
cbinery a small stream of 0vcerine rupa in frop,
faucet. The nitrator and contents are mean
while kept cool by a surrounding coil of pipes
containing ice water. When thoroughly mixed
the liquid resembles buttermilk in appearance,
and ID then run through troughs into q vat be-
low. Here it is mixed with water and
washed" The excess acid is thus separated
from the nltro-glycerine, which settles to the
bottom and is drawn of into tanks. A few
quarts Of this liquid would blow up a whole
city square, for 1t 10 the genuine nitro" and
looks like whisky.
REMOVING THE EXPLOSIVE.
While 10 oking gingerly at the tanks of con-
centrated earthquake a young man entered
trundling vehicle resembling fruit-vender's
cart, upon which were suspended sheet-iron
buckets holding about three gallons each
These he partly filed with the explosive by
means OF faucets in the tanks and rehung
them on the cart, which he then pushed along
a smooth board walk to the dynamite building.
All Vile was uOHC Win tslc uOuCudluuce OF u
man handling sweet cider. One OF the buckets,
however, he did not immediately replace upon
the cart after filing, but set it upon the floor
with bang, which caused one person present
to show symptoms OF paralytio shook and to
visibly edge toward the door.
Tho GOODNESS Of all the workmen is surpris-
ing until 1t 10 remembered that the presence of
constant danger inures meE to its perils. Here
cnch man risks not only his own liability to
make mistake, but that OF his fellow work.
man. The presence OF large quantities Of nitro
glycerine is in itself all intensely hazardous
thing The workmen apparently console them
selves with the thought that 1t would be TO
more fatal to be blown up by barrel Of nitro
glyceriise than BY pound. Tho secret of sue
cess in explosive making lies in the fact that
money will hire men to do anything. Tho ex-
perts, tho statesmen and the men who handle
the goods all receive big pay, while the I'M
skilled help probably earn more money than
they could by any other work.
MAKING DYNAMITE.
The dynamite building is also in charge Of q
specialist. These experts, walking silently
among the apparatus, mixing chemicals and
materials in a cool, deliberate way and scarcely
noticing tho presence Of visitors, arc suggest.
i've OF characters in Baron Munc hansen or 'Siul-
livers Travels" They have been ut work In the
business for years, and presumably know how
not to be blown up.
Wood pulp, tho material usei rs the absorb
ent Of nitroglyccrine, looks like sawdust fine as
flour. Sodium nitrate il also mixed with the
wood pulp In order to conn teract tho effa,t NJ