Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1899-06-08
Saint Narg's Beacon.
TO MAKE NITRO GLYcERIHE.


nitro-glYcerine," was the invita-
ton / received one afternoon in the
oil country from IN extensive man
nfacturer Of that terrible explosive.
The invitation was 0 very cordial
one, but there were considerations
which made me somewhat slow in
accepting it. eve have about sew
en- tons Of dynamite in one maya
zine, and two tons Of glycerine in
another" said my would-be host.
These were among tbs considera-
tions which deferred me.
"But," said he, ''there's no par
ticular danger in looking at the
dynamite unless the building catches
fire. You can play baseball with
the cartridges, and they will never
strike back, or ycu can pour the
dynamite on the ground and set fire
to it without being injured. Un-
confined. the explosive will burn
harmlessly; bat / should not advise
you to touch Q match to loaded
cartridge. When the gases expand,
they do &c in extreme haste, and il
anything tries to restrain them, it
breaks, and some one gets hurt. !"
The nitro-glycerine man laughed
rather grimly. Then, apparently
thinking that he had not made his
invitation quite alluring enough,
he continued ]: "But it's different
with nitro-glyceriue. Baseball and
fireworks are strictly prohibited.
Glycerine 10 easily offended; aud
when it resents an affront, the world
hears about it, bat the object Of les
displeasure never does.
"Glycerine 10 as tickle and change
able, too, as the wind. One day a
slight shock will exploieit, and the
next you may hit can with ham
mer and live to tell the story. Sew
eral years ago ] had Q reckless
shooter in my employ. One
morning stood near the magazine,
watching him as he loaded several
cans into his wagon, preparatory to
going ont to shoot an oil we'll.
We were talking about the dangers
Of the business, and he laughed at
my caution.
" The stuff won't explode he
said scornfully, lifting q can above
his head. Isprang toward him with
cry Of warning and protest; but
before / could reach him, the reck-
less felloy shouted
SIT won't 60 of See = To
prove his assertion, he hurled the
can against the side of the factory
with oil his might.
"For second my heart seemed
to cease beating. i felt sure we
were both dead men; but to my in
tense establishment, the can, denied
and bent ont Of shape, fell to the
grass, and rolled harmlessly to my
feet. The fellow laughed at me for
one minute, but was ont of o job
the next. Such recklessness was
too great to tolerate.
GA year later this same man,
while loading Q wagon in another
establishment, carelessly hit can
against the wheel, it is supposed,
and was blown to pieces.
"The first time the glycerine was
good-natured; the second time it
was quite otherwise. OF course
there must be an explanation of the
inconsistent conduct Of the COM
pound; but investigation 10 attend
ed with so much danger that it 10
still Q mystery.
"The glycerine's readiness or re-
luctance to explode depends upon
its quality. One ran of stock may
be we'll washed and clean, and On.
other may be full ofimpurities. If
q can 10 filled to the very corks,
too, so that the substance within
has no opportunity to wash against
the sides, / do not think it will ex-
plode so easily as one which 10 three
quarters or seven-eighths full"
My friend asked me if / knew how
prominent part nitro-glYcerine
played in the nightly filling of my
lamp. / told him did not; and
ne explained to me the process en-
ployed in the oil region Of explod-
ing . large quantity Of nitro-glyce-
rine at the bottom of an oil well to
increase the flow of petroleum.
| found the dynamite and nitro
glycerine factories at opposite ends
OF q picturesque little valley. seve-
raj miles from the town. Both