The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-12
NITRO-GLYCERINE
DANGEROUS!


Within the warming cover are carefully
fitted compartments, lined with heavy felt,
aud into these the square zinc cans fits as
saugly as is possible. A shake or jar going
over roads that are never any too smooth
might easily mean death to the driver and
destruction TO surrounding property, and
the deadly stuff is packed as solidly az it
can be.
Once at the we'll, the nitro-glycerine is
poured into tin tubes or shells 5 feet long
and inches or more in diameter, pointed
at the lower end and with bail handles at
the top. A sudden jar or a slip of the hand
means destruction, and softly, with steady
hand the oily liquid Is poured into the long
tin. As each she'll is filled it is lowered to
the bottom of the we'll gently, and another
is let down on top of it, and still another,
till the desired guam ity has been put down.
Then the 'go-deyil," 5-pound pointed
iron, 10 or ~ inches long, is dropped, point
down, on the mass below and the shooter
runs for his life. Sometimes rock fragments
are thrown out SO quickly and SO far that
he does not get beyond their reach, but
usually he is g safe distance by the time the
eruption occurs.
The men engaged in this hazardous work
seem utterly oblivious of the danger. They
have become accustomed to the continual
risk and only think enough about 1t to be
careful. 1t may be said that they seldom
feel the apprehension their business excites
in strangers, and if they do, it usually re-
suits in their nervousness costing them their
lives. So true is this that these men have
asuperstitiOn that the fearless man is per-
fectly safe and the fearful one certain OF
death.
One terrible accident year or more ago,
near Findlay, illustrated this belief. An
employe of the High Explosive Company,
George Struble by name, who was engaged
In hauling the stuff to magazines and
shooters in different sections, had grown
GpprehenSive and made all arrangements
for his burial, in case of death, if burial
was p sSible. and for the disposition Of his
little property. Very soon after ne lost his
life, probably by the explosion of the glycer-
Inc stlcklJg to the empty cans, Tor he had
,enpted his cans at the well, and was on
his way back to Findlay from Prairie De-
pot when the acc dent occurred. He was
torn to pieces, and the wagon was literally
reduced to spliUters. It. is one of the incl
dents of the business that when an accident
happens nobody is left to tell how it came
about All that is left is guesswork. One
Of the death in the business OCCURRED near
Decatur, Ind, load of nitro-glycerine ex-
ploding and shooter and horses being blown
70 atoms. Possibly only an unnoticed rut
In the road caused the calamity.
Inc halrbreadth escapes are many, and
nerve and presence of mind are the first
requisites of a shooter In one case a
shooter was lowering the first ii into the
well when the rope suddenly slackened.
mere could be but one explanation. The
well mad Unexpectedly begun t0ntiow again.
IL would be but few minutes till the six
quarts OF nltrc-glycerlne would be hurled
uu' OF the well That means death and de-
Sfuctlon. He had not time to reach safety
Uyrunning. There was only one expedient
ana he took it, Standing directly over the
wen, he grasped the deadly shell by the
handles as 1t came up, almost with the force
vi y. a cannon shot. and, though the force of
MthTew him across the derrick and dislo-
cated his shoulder he was saved.
a story lsstold of savage bull that at
a1vAed the team attached TO a wagon con-
oalllng empty cans, to which very FREE
quenty enough of the stuff sticks to cause
Gu gu explosion if Jared. The driver leaped
.o.n the wagon as the horses started to run
On. anu was saved, and the bull was probably
s t9e most surprised animal in all Ohio when
u'S attack came to an end.
;. Inc men are so familiar with the danger
r raaV tney frequently do not take even
, nos precautions. One young fellow,
w wnu a load Of eighty quarts of explosive,
p pS' sent out near Postage to shoot a well.
Iaaei1lng hls destination he recklessly neg
b0, 70 unhitch OF even to tie his team,
~. e9u " iii Jn6 smells at the Derrick.
o Guo mac been filed and two cans Of nitro
s!Ierlne were on the derrick floor when
h. oegan to lower the she'll into the we'll
h. sumo misbap the rope loosened from it
i are ore 1t was a third of the way down and
"o .eu TO the bottom. Instantly the ex-
s sb%Sion came, boards fell from the derrick
Sro IV the cans, but fortunately did not
rs uVa mem. The horses took fright aud
away with the rest Of the load. Half a
na ta"ay they overlook buggy contain
Ss,' V"o ladies and plunged into it. The
ot 5on was overturned, and only by sort
IN IRA 10 Gid it happen that the explosives
no, rnlessly out of the cans. The young
Ist,l still alive, but it is no fault of his
s ouvn Is the life of the oil and gas we'll
Man t Under a constant menace, the
enian 1--WE In tolerable comfort. and seem to
war22 me. Aside from the danger, the
fsrIr not arduous, and the wages are
Qpd good Most of them are young men,
WIN Inc exception to strike a shooter
reg9oa married Their age is probably one
DsfIul' for their almost uniform good
dane, and lollity and familiarity with
bic csi DOUBTLESS explains their imperturba-
Gers All oiq Z Sores, Skin Eruptions, Pimples VI
We ~ oypnlliS, use only =. p p. and get