The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-08-07

stralnts upon the manufacturers freedom
are perhaps Irksome when the mauufac-
turer IS Intelligent, but there is a good deal
less glass broken IN the neighborhood when
the manufacturer is thick in the head and
the State supervision endows him with
brains.
The essentials of a dynamite factory
which is not to be blown to pieces every few
monthS. as In California, are a good fresh
water supply, plenty of room TO erect sheds
ana mlXing-houses and to isolate magazines
ready communication with the sea and
equally facile communication with a main
railway. All OF these requisites are found
IA lar perfection at Ardeer. but there are
hundreds Of sites equally good-on the
Inames, on the Tay. or in Ireland ON the
shannon. The Nobel's Explosives Com
pany began operations in 1872. and in the
tu!iowins year the company had begun to
GU wara ngd 9n IN Inc dynamite market. There
were only few years of N0bePs dynamite
patent 10 run and the most had to be made
OF that NOBEL had the good fortune to
come into association with a Young
chemist, who was also an engineer of con-
siderable practical knowledge. and had ac-
quaintanee with few other professions.
Sqeh as surveying and mining engineering.
lie was above all good chemist. THAT
time he had embarked in the manufacture
OF SulphurIc acid ana it was the purity of
tne contents OF his earboys that attracted
N00efS attention. The purer sulphuric
acid IS the better for dynamite. The works
at Ardeer were laid out for the most part by
this man. George McRoberts The first
production of dynamite in the British mar
ket was carried to manufacturing success
under his hand; and TO him also is due the
credit or the perfected production of nitro
geiatlne, so as to meet the Government tests.
Nooei having only carried the working of
MS patent half waE if indeed so far. On
some OIL the machinery for that patent
Nobel paid royalty to his eollaborateur
until the patent ran out a couple OF years ago.
ne MODE IN which the works are laid out
at Arueer takes account of ample space for
ina several departments and isolation. III
anything goes wrong in one department it is
not corollaTY that anything should On
wrong in another. The works are divided
into two sections-the non-dangeruus and
the dangerous. In the nOn-dangerous de-
partment are included the sheds of sub
stantlal structure. where nitric acid is man
ufactnred. The retorts are kept charged.
and the workmen look unhappy or peculiar
In the biting atmosphere, but unless the
liquid reaches their bodies they are in no
danger of death, and have only incon-
venlences to complain Of Opposite these
sheds Is the kieselguhr-mill, where, after
calclnatloD. the dlatomaceouS earth is rolled
out by heavy rollers into fine -four, which
is atterward sampled and inspected under
the microscope for impurities, any con-
siderable proportion of solid granules. for
instance, being source of danger. From
eight to ten chemists are employed in all.
and some Of them are chargeabie with
maintaining the purity of the keselgunr. In
the engineers department the draughtsman
IS constantly at work on plans for altera-
lions, and II need be plans for the iuspec-
ton OF the Home Department of the Gov
eminent The boilers and engines for
motive power are also IN the non-dangerous
section. One set of engines Is used 10 com
press air up 10 70 pounds on the square inch
Tor the purpose of mixing the ingredients of
nitro-glycerine.
And now we come to the section wherein
plenty OF danger turks. From point close
10 the acid sheds an inclined cable railway
at sharp gradient runs to the top of bill,
perhaps 200 feet high. Up this incline ia
the early morning are hauled the leaden
chambers containing nitric and sulphuric
acids The acids are mixed at the top d.
rectiy IN great ieaden receiver, into which
IS afterward poured the gIycerine 1t NAV
De noted that the company does not produce
SuIpnuflc acid within the works. 1t is
oought anywhere, and it is not conveyed in
the ordinary form of glass carboys, but in
rl'etdess tank. which may contain as much
as 1000 or 2000 gallons. Weak acid corrodrs
the heads of iron rivets and destroys plat
Ing, Dut the chemical effect of strong acid
sucn as Is needed for dynamite preserves
the IRON. This discovery was due to George
Nick oberts. and it literally saved thousands
Oh pounds In transportation charges Three
men are employed at a mixing-tank; there
are TWO, we'll separated, on this mound
The top of the leaden receiver into which
the acids are run has a window of strong
glass. through which all can be seen which
is passing within. A thermometer hangs in
side, and it Is one mans duty constantly to
have his eyes fixed upon this and to note
the fluctuations of temperature. The tenn
perature is kept as low as possible by cir
culatiDg cool water in coils of pipes within
the tank. " hen the acids have been mixed
glycerine is injected in a finely divided con-
dltion and is nltrated at once. Compressed
air, passed by pipes from the engines far
below. is used to inject the glycerlne A
good deal of heat is evolved at this stage,
ana 1t Is the really critical moment of the