Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-12-27
WAITING FOR DEATH.
BY BASIL C. D'EAsUM.

The queerest stuff know OF is dyna-
mite; you can never be sure how much
you know about it. II is very like wo-
men--ihe more you see of it, and the
older you become, the more obliged you
are to confess that you know nothing
at all about it.
Perhaps the first thing that you will
be told about dynamite is that concus-
sion is needed to set it off.--Now, l
have acciden tally cuts stick Of dynamite
into halves with spade, and nothing
happened, except that my heart leaped
into my throat as l SAW what had
done.--Again, have seen miner pick
up stick and throw it at his partner,
who, luckily, caught it in the most deli
cate way, and then gently lay it down
and went for the fool, and we'll aud
truly thrashel him,
Another instance. Two Of US were
working at the bottom Of shaft, ard
had made ready Cor the shot. Some
sticks ofdynamite we've being sent down
to us in a bucket, but the man at the
top, who was at the Tor, who was seven
or eight different kinds Of born fool,
managed to drop stick over the side
of the bucket, and it fell some City feet
down the shaft and landed at our feet.
George Ross, my partner, looked at me
and at HIM; we said nothing, but l
believe that We both thought whole
lot. so you Zee that conclusion does
not always set off dynamite.
But, oh there is another side to the
question. / knew miner who was
carrying two sticks Of dynamite in the
bosom Of his shirt when he stumbled
anu fell. Where he Tell the ground
was torn up and big hole made, but
nothing more was ever seen OF that
miner.
Another case. A teamster was driV-
ing slowly up the hill, picking hia way
and keeping a sharp lockout for rocks
on the road; his wagon was loaded with
dynamite, carefully packed. One wheel
struck stonei there ives jolt and q
roar, and then the teamster, his wagon
and four mules were scattered over the
State of Montana. And the coroners
Jury did not view the remains, because
there were none.
As ! said before, it is queer staff, and
yet it locks so innocent and harmless
like the woman again. 1t is made up
iuto sticks about ton inches long and
one inch in diameter, wrapped in yell
low or white paper. And these sticks
look very like the Roman candles and
big squibs used in frework di,plays.-
The stuff is very sensitive to changes
in temperature. and has to be thawed
out before using il it has been frozen.
At first one is inclined to look upon this
thawing-out process as rather tickliah
work-although, with proper care, it is
usually perfectly safe. A fire is ma lie,
and the dynamite is placed near it.
Often you will see q miner, who
wishes, perhaps, to startle some "ten-
derfoot," take stick and set fire to it,
holding it in his hand while it sputters
and burns with shap, acid and chok-
ing smoke. But sometimes the Fool
killer Angel (who deals also in unloaded
guns) is attending to his business; and
then that miners benefit lodge has TO
pay an insurance claim to the widow
The only thing that you can say about
dynamite is that the unexpected is just
as likely to, happen as the expected.
Now for my story. In October,
1897, / was at Castle, Montana, not far