The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-02-27
NITROGLYCERIN.
HOW SOME DEADLY exPLO SlyES
ARE MANUFACTURED.

Some Rem arkshIe Facts About Dyna-
mite and Iss Parent, Nftroglyeertn.
Stirring n Sensitive Mixture.
Come CD TO the factory some day, ard
Pli show you how we make nitroglycerin, -
was the invitation received one afternoon
in the oil country frcm an extensive manu-
taeturer OF the terrible explosive.
The invitation was very cordial one,
but there were considerations which made
me somewhat SLOW in accepting II. we
have about seven tons of dynamite in cue
magazine. and two tons OF glycerin in an
other" said my would be host. These
were among the considerations which de
TERED me
But" be added. there's DO particular
danger in looking at the dynamite unless
the building catches fire. You can play
baseball with the cartridges, and they will
never strike back, or you can pour the
dynamite out on the ground and set fire
to it without being injured. Unconfned
the explosive viii burn harmlessly, but
should not advise you 20 touch match to
a loaded cartridge When the gases ex-
pand they Go so in extreme haste. and if
anything tries to restrain them it breaks
and some one gets hurt"
The nitrogsycsrin man laughed rather
grimly Then, apparently thinking that
he had not made his invitation quite aIIur-
ing enough. he continued: But it's diff
ferent with nitroglycerin. Baseball and
fireworks are strictly prohibited. Glycerin
is easily offended, and when it resents an
affront the world hears about it, but the
oh .1Ff 81 1nac
"Glycerin is as tickle and changeable,
too as the wind One day a slight shock
will explode it, and the next you may hit
a can with a hammer and live TO tell the
story
THE glycerin's readiness or reluctance
to explode doubtless depends upon its quail
ity. One run of stock may be we'll washed
and clean, and another may be full of ira
purities. II can is filed to the very
corks. too, 90 that the substance within
has no opportunity 10 wash against the
sides do not think it will explode so cas-
lily as one which is three-quarters or seven
eighths full. "
TONS OF DYNAMITE.
found the dynamite and nitrozlycerin
factories at opposite ends OF picturesque
little valley, several miles from the town
Both structures were of very crude archi
lecture and resembled ordinary sheds or
barns. But from the moment we rode
down into the narrow gulch the air seemed
filled with whispers of death,
When we entered the dynamite factory
and the glycevin man pointed out the big
boxes full of loaded cartridges, explaining
that the dynamite made here was merely
nit
hardly heard what he said, but watched
him with hawklike vigilance.
He picked up a slender brown paper tube
that looked like Roman candle, and
which be said was dynamite cartridge
| held my breath until the tube was safely
deposited upon the table again He poured
some OF the dynamite, which closely re
sembIed sawdust, into shell and rammed
it down with round stick as one would
load a musket.
Nothing of an alarming character hap
pened, and began to breathe with more
was more at ease as we left
the seven tons of dynamite behind, but the
same horrible feeling of suffocation and
GOODNESS came over me again as We ap
preached the more dangerous nitrogly
Germ mandatory.
This building contained several huge
wooden watts, few pals and barrels, an en-
gIne and a great iron, kettlelike re
ceptacle.
The iron receptacle was called an "agi-
tator, aud. simply described, consisted Of
n small kettle within large one. The
space between the two was constantly filed
with a stream Of cold water from a tank
on the hillside The inner kettle was fitted
with several paddles. which were turned
by crank.
About 100 pounds of acids, sulphurio
and nitric mixed, were poured into the
smaller kettle 4 thin but continuous
stream of glycerin slowly followed; the
engine began to pant, the crank revolved,
the paddles churned the glycerin and
acids. and the manufacture Of nitrogiyc-
erin was going on before my eyes.
MAKING TEE DEADLY LIQUID.
My host controlled the flow Of glycerin
by means OF a stopcock. and watched the
asitator and the thermometer which reg
stored the heat of the periious mixture
With unremitting vigilance
''Nitroglycerin." my friend said. is
formed by the action Of nitric aud sui
3huric acids upon glycerin- When those
ed fumes come up. the greatest caution
must be observed They Indicate that the
oil is on tire, and il the mixture gets warm
enough an explosion viii follow.
do you see that thermometer7 The
registered 6 degs. centizrade a
minute ago, but it is 20 degs now and still
climbing higher We must stop this az
,nce. HaIlool More steam there"
He shut of the oil as be spoke, and sec
md later the paddles In the agitator we're
burning the mixture more rapidly.
,epan to edge toward the door, but the
,iycerin man called me back
1--WE got il under control now" be said.
The paddles have whipped the oil under ]
be acids and extinguished the fire. The
mercury is falling. and ean turn on tue a.,
III again now with safety But IL | had !
Ios shut il Of st once. and If the paddles !
lad not developed more speed. you and 4
yould have enjoyed foot race together (
own the valley When the mercury gets 4
ID 70 about % degs ceatigrsde il Is much .
afer 20 be some " here else than Ia It's ven.
II. This stream Of cold water constantly +
CIRCULATING about the base o. the agi,ator +
eeps the mixture cool When the weather
ecomes warmer we are obliged to use ice. 50 I
After 2Zs or 20 pounds Of glycsyin bsd /
cen put 10 the agi.ator and stirred . long 4
.rne. the mixture was enptied into the
tank" Then il as Transferred
0 the other tanks ard carefully washed.
nd .: the end ot about four bogrs TIE
1ilky. amber tinted nItrog ycersH wa
CURED into rectangular tn caoA These
ans we're deposited IN huge iroo safe. aud
be sxplosixs, WAS re2dy.-Earls H. Eaton
] Youth's tSinpaaiou-