The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-05-16
WHERE BRArE MEN oU4iL.


 the Sight of a spark-The Lot of tho
 Wives.
 tFrom tho New York Sun.l
 Powder men have a saying which varies in wording in different parts of the country, the sum and substance of which is this: A man works in pow der mill for one of three reasons, either because he must live some way, or be- cause he doesn't want to live any way, or because his father died there before him. Undoubtedly the distaste with which every man speaks of his own profession or trade is In part responsi- ble for this saying. The balance of re" sponsibility will be found in the vital statistics of any town that can boast q powder mill.
 Such community is usually separa- ted from the rest of the world as far as circumstances will permit, Once ! powder mill is built, the country side for a considerable distance around is likely to remain in primeval condl- tion. Industries do not flourish in a neighborhood where stray spark can produce seismic effects, nor is there great encouragement to agriculture where the crops may be blown out of the ground and the farmer out of exist ence without moments warning. So Wherever powder village springs up, 1t is assured of isolation, and it's inhab- itants form a community as far apart, for all practical purposes, from the rest of the world six days in the week as the inmates of monastery As a rule, the nearest village of any size is too far away for them to reach 1t after work ing hours, and visitors to the mills who are unable to establish themselves on a business footing are received with scant encouragement.
 There is such a settlement about one hundred miles north of here and about five miles inland from the west shore of the Hudson river. When the powder company formed, a generation ago, they selected a spot for their plant ad- mirably adapted by nature to such a purpose. It lies between the steep banks of shallow ravine, through which runs a stream of considerable size. The only natural entrance to the glen is at the upper end through nar- row roadway, and by this route from the nearest railroad village is about five miles. For teaming the powder over to Rosendale another road has been cut from the ravine, shortening the distance about two miles, and a ferry scow has been built in the creek but this can be used only by the com pany's teams, so the visitor who drives over from Rosendale has a long and circuitous journey over bad roads. Re- gently this powder mill blew up, and a Sun reporter, going by train to Rosen- dale, drove over to Ripton Glen, arriv. ing just about dark The explosion had dissipated two buildings to the four winds of heaven and of five men who had been at work in them, all that was recovered was a headless trunk found two hundred yards from the place After going to the superintend- ent's office to get the names of the dead men, the reporter wandered down the glen, although it was then too dark to see much. Near the place where the buildings had been a workman was leaning against what was-left of a tree The reporter spoke to him, but got no answer A second trial failed to at tract the mans attention. Then the reporter walked up and touched him on the shoulder. With sort gaspng cry the man made leap that carried him three yards away, then. with a shaking voice, said to the amazed and some what alarmed visitor:
 You'll excuse me, but I didn't hear you or see you till you touched me, and rfe. T, ir C., 1, explosion, two here and two before l came here, and I'm little worse after each one I've cause enough, God knows"
 The reporter said something about the life's being trying on a mans nerve.
 Trying" repeated the powder man, with sort of cackle that might have been meant for a laugh Look here. I had friend this morning, and after the mill went we sent over for coffin for him, and I can't find anything to put in the coffin Five good men went, and there'll be but one burial. That's what shakes man worse than the fear of death, to be going on your way and feel one great shock and find out that what was a man and your friend when you went to work in the morning is just nothing at all; not even body for a minister to say a prayer over. Four times this is for me. Three times and out, we say in the mills, but I guess I'm down for an odd number.'
 Why don't you get out of the busi- ness?" asked the reporter.
 That's why" said the other, point ing to a light that could be seen twink ling through the trees some rods away. That's my little house there, and my wife's in it. Works not so easy to get that I can afford to throw up 0 good job, where I get enough wages to save a little and get treated like a man. Then, too, my father was powder man before me. It was when I was teaming on my first job that he was killed. I dreamed of flying sparks all last night, mother.' says he to my mother that morning, and she begged him not to go to the mill, for all powder folks are superstitious, but he said he must go and he went. There was ten widows in the place that night, and l remember the others calling my mother a lucky woman because we found fath- CTS body with a face that you could know. Thank God, I've got no child to follow after me. Come over here to my house and I can tell you something about life in powder-mill settlement. I don't like to leave the wife alone long tonight because she's shaken up pret- ty bad, too. It's worse on the women than on the men ''