The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-12-26
A DANGEROUS TRADE.
pERILs THAT REsET THE MAKING or
NITRoGLYCERIN.

Methods Used In the Manufacture OF
h Dangerous Explosive = The
Care That Has to BE Exercised In
the Factories.
Nitroglycerin and it's p%eculiarities
are little known, even in localities
where it is made. People generally
give it a wide berth, and even a less
number know how it Is manufactured.
Probably in no place in the United
States Is there such a great amount OF
the explosive used as in the Indiana
oilfelds. Indiana has four nitroglycerin
factories, and they are seldom visited
by curious people.
The explosive Is made from a compo-
sition of acids and glycerin. 1t Is gener-
ally pale yellow in color, and quite col
orlcss when pure. 1t Is odorless, and
has a sweet, pungent, aromatic flavor.
If touched by ones tongue, or even
brought into contact with the skin, 1t
will produce a severe headache. A
large tank, called an agitator, Is where
the fluid is mixed. and the mixture is
composed Of equal parts Of nitric and
sulphuric acids. Inside the tank are
several paddles, like those Of a churn.
and it Is here that the real danger IN
the manufacture exists. The paddles
are put in operation and a steady
stream Of sweet glycerin is turned into
a vat until $50 pounds are thoroughly
mixed with the 1900 pounds Of acid.
The chemicals coming in contact pro-
duce an intense heat, and in order to
obyiate the danger cold water is run
through pipes encircling and running
through the vat. At So degrees +. a
red vapor, almost like fire. arises. If
cutting off the supply Of glycerin in the
agitator does not lower the temper
allure, it is time to say farewell. Before
80 degrees are reached nothing but
atoms Of the structure and it's contents
are left.
In it's manufacture water Is used to
food the workroom. since a drop fall
ing on the floor might lead to an explo-
sion. Not a nail Is. to be found in the
floor Of the factory. and the visitor is
cautioned not to drag his feet. Those
who make the dangerous fluid say that
a lar will not cause an explosion; that
friction and fire are the only agencies
by which it can be discharged. One
may pour a barrel Of nitroglycerin
from a high building to a cement walk
below and it will not explode, but a
small quantity Of it dropped from the
same height in a can will blow the
building down. A sharp conclusion In
stantly touches 1t off. Factories be-
com useless after a few years opera
ton and have to be destroyed. The
timber becomes saturated with nitro
glycerin and an explosion Is imminent
at any time.
The average production Of nitroglyc-
erin from 1900 pounds Of acid and $50
pounds of glycerin Is about $50 quarts.
About 100 quarts constitute an average
shot for an Indiana oil well. While
magazine explosions are not rare. the
real cause of the blowing up never be-
comes known. Those who are close
enough to see the cause always go up
with the building. The average time
for a shooter or nitroglycerin maker to
remain in the business does not exceed
five years. Death is instant. and no
one has ever recovered from a nitro
glycerin accident. Bodies are torn to
atoms no larger than bits Of sausage.
The wages Of employees Of the fac
tories range from 1926 to $3.50 a month.
Colonel william A. Myers Of Bolivar,
N. Y, vas the man who made and ex-
ploded the first pound Of nitroglycerin
in an oil well. He built the first fac
tory in the United States near Titus
vile, Pa, in 1868. Up to that time
powder had been used to torpedo oil
wells. 1t was then that an explosive
that could be discharged under water
was found in nitroglycerin. Colonel
Myers father was a Philadelphia
chemist and taught his son how to
make 1t.
The first well torpedoed was on Colo
mel Mills lease, near Titusville, and the
charge consisted of only two pounds.
Oil was worth SO a barrel then, and a
torpedo that would double the produc-
ton Of a well was worth almost what
the maker chose to ask for it. Colonel
Myers built IL different factories in
different parts Of the oil regions from
1868 to 1885, when he retired from the
business. Only one Of the original fac
tories stands intact today. Myers made
several fortunes and spent his money
like a prince, but, fortunately for him.
he still has a snug sum laid by.
Well shooters spin great yarns Of
their experiences. and the stories are
Of the hair raising order. Well shoot
ers generally are fatalists to a consid-
cradle degree in their belief, and 1t Is
probably .one reason why they do not
fear the fluid. They state that when
n would think it was the most dan
gerous the explosive is the safest.
The smallest drop can be placed on an
pnyil and struck by the heaviest
bledge hammer, and the hammer will