Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1892-07-01
FIREWORKS.
THE GREAT ADJUNCTs OF THE
GLORIOUS FOURTH.
Rockets and Roman Candles Are
Blade OF Various Compositions
Novelties in the Pyro-
technic Line.

-
rust, are used to increase the vlvidness
of combustion, and as such produce what
is commonly known as Chinese "bril-
liant fire." 1t is these materials, which
are thrown out in combination by rock
cts when they explode, that produce the
bright sparks as they meet the oxygen
of The air. Copper filings give green
ish tinge to the fire when mixed with the
salts of copper. A blue base is given,
when desired, by liberal use of zinc
filings. Sulphuret of anthony makes a
greenish blue, but large volume Of
smoke is also caused by the moisture.
A ycllowish fire is produced by amber,
rosin aud common salt, while Il red
fame is secured by using lampLlack or
salts of strontia. The excessive use of
nitre causes pink flame, and a green
one is produced by the salt of bArytes.
Rockets are made of various compost
tions, according to the display required,
whether a brilliant shower OF ColOre d
lights or group Of serpentinc figures
dartlng in all directions. These compo-
sitions aie packed carefully in hard
paper tubes, and the match by which
the rocket is fred is introduced into the
cavity at the bottom. When the match
is lighted the entire surface that is ex-
posed of the composition forming the
walls of the cavity is Immediately ig-
nited. The gaseous products, being
violently elected from the open end, re-
act with equal force, carrying the rocket
forward in the opposite direction. But
without the stick the rocket would move
in wild and irregular manner, so the
long strip Of wood is attached to it so as
to project several feet behind and serve
at the same time as balance. The stars
SO particularly noticeable after the firing
of a rocket are often made of one part
of suiphuret of anthony, two parts OF
quartz, two of guDpowder, fifteen of
nitre. six of sulphur aud two of zinc
filings. These materials, being separ
ately pulyerized and mixed into a stiff
paste with gum water or glue, as made
into the desired shapes, after which
they are rolled in gunpowder and dried.
The better class of rockets are, however,
made differently, aud are for either one
of these purposes, signaling, for decora-
ton or celebrations or as projectile' in
war.
For signals the charge consists Of
twelve parts of nitre, two of sulphur and
three of charcoal. The ornamental or
decorative rocket is the one we see used
on the Fourth of July, aud the compost
ton of which it is made comprises 122
parts of mealed or finely puIverzsd pow
der, eighty of nitre, forty of sulphur and
FORTY of cast-iron filings. The main part
of the rocket is a case, made by rolling
stout paper, covered on one side with
paste, around wooden form, at the
same time applying considerable pressure,
The end is then "choked," or brought
tightly together, with Irvine. The paper
case thus made is next placed in a copper
mold, so that conlcal copper spindle
will pass up through the choke, aud the
composition is then poured in and packed
by blows of mallet on copper drift or
packing tool made to fit over the spindle.
The ton of the case is now closed with
layer Of moist plaster of paris one Inch
thick, perforated with a small hole for
the passage of the fame to the upper
part of the spot" The pot is formed of
another paper cylinder slipped over and
pasted to the top of the case and sur
mounted BY paper cone filled with tow.
The ''dccorations" are placed in the
pot and are scattered through the air
when the fame, having passed through
the aperture of the plaster, reaches a
small charge of mealed powder placed in
the pot. The stick is a piece of pine
wood, tapering, and about nine times the
length of the rocket 1t is to guide the
rocket in its fight.
The decorations IN the pot may be
"stars," "serpents, "marrons," "gold-
rain" and so on. "Marrons" are small
paper shells filed with grained powder
and primed with quickmatch.
"Serpents' are small cases about one
half inch in diameter, in which is a COM
position of three parts nitre, three sui
phur, sixteen mealed powder, onehalt
charcoal. This composition is driven in
the case, the top of which is closed by
plaster OF paris, having small aperture
through which passes piece of quick.
match.
The composition of Roman candles is
similar to that of rockets, and with it
are packed stars and guupowder. A
small quantity OF the composition is
rammed into the bottom of paper
case, upon this little powder is placed
and star is then rammed down upon the
powder This charge is repeated until
the paper case has been filed, when a
/ fuse connecting the top charge Of pow
der is connected with the first star aud
allowed to prelude out of the top of the