Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-05-27

The crack at the bottom Of the door
was puttied. little well OF putty being
madge at one corner. This well was
filled with nitro-giycerinc, which pres
emily ran into the crack. and after
time was seen flowing from the oppos-
lite corner. This opposite corner war
then puttied also, detonator was
placed In the well, and Just eight min
utes after the experiment began the
ptiro-glycerine was exploded. The re-
suit of the explosion outwardly was
TO blow OF the lower 1amb OF the ooor.
Under the door on the left-hand SIDE
was blown a hole large enough 10 au-
init the hand and arm. Within ue
safe the door OF the lower compare
inent was blown In and the dividing
shelf between the lower ana middle
compartH ent was blown upward
The experiments made by the ex-
perts with explosives were most elab-
crate. Professor Monroe took as
test specimen OF safe construction
block of wrought iron six by three by
about fifteen inches, In one lateral race
OF which two laminated plates six by
four and half inches by one half inch
were set flush with the surface. Fifty
grains OF explosive gelatin e-e packed
in the crack between the bolted plates
and the block and fired. After this
charge of sixty-five grains, and later
n charge OF ninety-three grains were
used. with the result that finally the
plates were torn OF. the entire opera
tlon requiring little more than forty
five minutes. The firing took place In
an underground passage. A person
who was. unaware that the experiments
were being made stood on the ground
above the passage. about twenty-five
feet from the test specimen, when tn,
heaviest charge was fired. This by
stander heard the report, but IL APP
pearcd so dun to him that he imagined
1t to come from q point more than u
mile away.
Ripping Plates on screw Door.
Another experiment was made with
screw door safe--a modern construction
much liked by bank officials, The door
was composed OF ten half-inch plates.
alternately steel and iron. From the
iron frame. which acted as n carrier 10
the door. eight screw bolts passed into
the door. These bolts were easily re-
moved. About one-hundredth OF an
ounce Of nitroglycerine was introduced
into two OF the holes: n detonator was
placed in each hole tamped with putty
and fired. This detonation although
producing n very slight noise. caused
tne nrst pinte TO sprlnE away from tire
second. Further charges of nitroglycJ
crime We're used, and twenty minutts
after the experiment began the firf:
plate was blown of bodily a distance
Of fifty feet The next plate was blown
OFF In ten minutes and all the Others
quickly followed down to the tenth
plate. which was knocked IN with a
Jimmy In two and half minutes, the
actual time OF the entire operation be-
ing thirty-eight and half minutes.
The experts concluded that the circular
form of the plate In the screw door was
particularly adapted to the burglars
purpose. II Is certain, says the report,
that with tamplnR OF sandbags the
noise could be 30 deadened as not toll
attract attention.
These nre only a few OF the many
experiments made by the government
commission or in their presence. The
report made to the secretary OF the
treasury Is illustrated with more than
fifty engravings showing the results OF
these experiments In safe blowing. They
are OF more interest to bank people
than they are to the general public,
perhaps; but the report OF the commits
sion IL liable to work a small revolution
In the safe making business or to de-
stroy public confidence in these bur,
glar-proof' articles.