The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-11
SMALL POWDER MILLS
GROUP OF ABOUT TWENTY-FIVE
WILL SOON BE COMPLETED.
The Government Preparing to Manu-
facture Its Own SmOkeless ExplO-
sive-A New Departure.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 1O.-The Navy De-
partment expects TO begin the manufac-
ture of smokeless powder at it's powder
mills, few miles back from the Potomac
river, near Indian Head, within the next
two or three months. Work the mills
has been pushed theoretically and at pres
ent about 200 men employed. Admiral
ONeil, chief of the Bureau of Ordnance,
accompanied by Lieutenant Seymour, of
the bureau, inspected the work during the
last week and was much pleased at the
progress made Already about a dozen
buildings are completed. The electric-light
plant, said to be one of the finest in the
world, is installed, and the standpipe, 120
feet high, is UP. There are ten or twelve
other buildings well along toward compile
ton. Altogether the group of buildings will
number twenty-four or twenty-five, with
capacity Of 1900 pounds of smokeless pow
der daily. This daily output seems large at
first thought, but one of the big thirteen
inch guns Of the Indiana uses 1000 pounds
of powder at a single shot.
The various buildings of the powder plant
cover wide area, about four miles back
from the river. The general purpose has
been to keep the buildings as far apart as
the requirements of manufacture would per-
init, in order TO avoid the dangers of ex-
plosions. For that reason there is no large
central building, but many small ones, each
having distinct branch of the powder
making. They are arranged also with a
view TO the prevailing winds, that the
risk OF having the fumes of acids borne
by the wind is reduced to minimum. One
building Is used exclusively for the pick
ing process, another for the mixing, an
other for the acids In this way each stage
OF manufacture is detached from all otn-
ers, not only reducing the chances of acct
dent, but also giving some security against
widespread damage In case of explosion in
any one stage of the process. Another
precautionary measure has been the build
ing of light paper walls at the ends of
the buildings. These readily give TO the
pressure of an explosion, leaving the main
walls of the structure standing, and ma
terially reducing the loss which occurs when
an explosion is closely confined.
In order TO connect the many buildings
and permit the powder process TO be car
ried on expeditiously complete trolley-car
service is to be in operation. This
will keep the material in its various
stages moving from building to building
until completed. The electric plant serves
chinery. running the trolley-car service
from mill to mill and supplying light for the
plant
The opening of the mills will mark a dis
tinct departure by the government Here
tofore all the supplies of powder have been
preparation made by Congress for a pow
der factory was about $4,000, but in the
last naval appropriation bill 81. 600, 900 was
given for the purchase "or manufacture of
powder. This permits part of the last
appropriation to be used for the mills now
in course Of construction. Commander Cow
den Is in charge or the work of construc-
ton.