The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-21
NITRO
How It is Made, and What Happens
When IL Is Destroyed.

HARTFORD CITY. IND, OCT Nitro
glyoerin and i,s pecunarities arc little
known even in localities where &c is made.
Probably in no other place in The United
states is there such a great amount ol
the explosive used as in the INDIANA ola
field. Indiana hI four nitr9-sycein race
tories; two near Montpelier blachloId
county. one at Button and one at
KnghtstOWn
Inc explosive is made from compost
ton of acids and Elycer.n. It is generally
male veIIlw in color 10 is 0doress ANA
has a sweet puugout aromatic flavor.
IL touched by ones tongue. or even
brought into contact with The skin 10 VIII
produce a severe headache. A large tank
called am agltator. is where the hnIu Is
mixed. and tho mixture is composed or
equal parts OF nitric and sulphurlc atid
inside the tank are several paddles. IKE
those Of a. churn. and 10 is here that the
real danger in the manufacture exists.
The paddles are put in operation ana
steady stream OF sweet glycerin is turned
into the vat until 2-o pounds are thorough
ly mixed with the 100 pounds oi o ii-
The chemicals coming In contact proc nee
an intense heat and in order 20 ooY'''e
tho danger cold water is run through
mines enclrcllng and running through the
vat. Al S. degrees Fahrenheit red vapor
almost like fire. arises. II cutting or ihe
supply of glycerIn in the aeiiaior does
not lower the temperature DC Us time I'D
saw fortwcU. Before 900 degrees are reach
ca nothing but atoms of tie structure
and its contents are letL
I'm its manufacture water is u'ed 10
food the workroom since drop ia'i's
on the floor might lead 20 an eXplo ION
Not "a nail is 90 Doe found In the toor or
the factory. and the visitor is cauiloneu
not to drag bis feet. Those VINO MAKE
the dangerous fluid say That one may
pour a barrel of nitro-glyccr'ne nom
hirh building 90 a cement walk below
and Il will not explode but a. small Quau-
titv OF lt dropped from the same height
in a can viii blow the building down.
sharp conclusion instantly touches Do on.
Factories become useless after lew
years operation and have 10 0e destroy d.
The timber becomes saturated with nitro
glycerin and an explosion is Imminent at
any time.
The average production OF giycerIn from
500 pounds OF acid and 20 pounds OF
elycerln IS about 40 quarts. The siycerin
concerns I'm Ohio and Indiana are boo
trust. and the price within the past fe"
weeks has been advanced from Sd cents
to % cents per quart About 100 quarts
constitute an AVERAGE shot for am Inc
diana oil we'll while magazine cNpIof-
ions are not rare. the real cause of the
blowing no never becomes known. Inhsf
who are close enough Do scfc ihe cause
always go up with the building. Tho
average time for "a shooter of nitro-gIy-
ccrin makes 10 remain in The business does
not exceed FIVE years. Death IS instantand
no one has ever recovered from nitro-
glycerine accident. Bodies are torn TO
atoms. Two years ago a magazine I'm tho
northern part of B'ackf1rd county won't
up and George HickOck. Harry Woods
and two horses were practically anuihi-
lated. The wages OF employees of the
factories range grom Sl2l 90 $50 month.
Strange as 10 may seem. the man who
made and exploded the FIRST pound of
nitro-glycerin 600 an oil well is hale and
hearty al y years OF age. Tie Is Col VIII
liam a. Myers, and DID,. home is at Boil
var y. Y. lie huilr the nrst factory boz
the United states. near TifIsviAc Pa.
! IN 1865. Up 20 that time powder had been
used 10 torpedo oil wells. 10 was then
that an explosive that could DE discharged
under water was found in nl'ro-gIycefin.
Col. Myers father was a Philadelphia
chemist and taught his son how TO mthe
II. The first well torpedoed was on COL
L
charge consisted az only two pounds.
ON was worth So barrel then. and
torpedo that would double the production
OF a well was worth almost what H.
maker chose % ask for 1t. Col. Myers
built twelve different factories iG 100
ferent parts OF the oil regions from ls.'
10 1855. when he retired from The bushes
Only one OF the original factories stands
intact to-day. Myers made several i'i-
tunes and spent his money ike pfn'''
but. fortunately for him Doe still has
snug sum laid by.
Well shooters spin great yarns 'i t'.'
experiences and the stories are oi
hair-raisilng order Well shoe,
ally are fatalsts 70 consider
gree I'm their belief. and 30 BE- pI9ot'l} one
reason why thew do not fear me HNil
They state that when on. N0l
evniNsi,.o - tbe safest The
smallest drop can be p.ao,a oN
an anvil and struck Dy the heatlrs' 'l'
hammer and the hammer viii pDuNu nllA
over the shoulder OF the striker DO "i.',.
how much he may try 90 ho.d IT,. 9,n
claim that Il will tear the arm ""i Nv
this 81 ggerated iran p'i''.- "'.
explosive from a magazine % a WEI Is hot
as dangerous SO timld people thiHN' nc
cOrding 10 the shooLel7' AZ p
I'm SQUARE cans such as are used Tor var
nish In nrena~inr f1r shooting a well
q iong tin shell r. suspended IN the tud-
in., ana the shooters pours the fluid in
as ~ n were water. Il IS not unusual
for tuyo hundred quarts 20 be in a well
.bootey,s waeon on one trip. 4 slight leak
IN = ear may be touched OF by friction
and exnlode the entire load II IL should
explode In the centre Of the town every
building would be reduced instantly 10
debris.