The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-31
NEW SMOKELESS POWDER
INVENTED BY ANsIL MOFFAT, AN IN
DIANAPOLIs CHEMIST.
The AzOte Powder Company IncOrpOr-
ated Here observation-disclosures Is
Capitalized at sI5O,OOO.

Ansil Moffatt young man of this city,
who Is known among his friends a
genius in the direction of chemistry, has
perfected a new smokeIess powder. the
secret Of which he and his friend ]. Richard
Francis have kept quiet for long time.
For nearly four years Mr.. Moffatt has
worked in his laboratory and in the field
with this new explosive, and as a result of
the outcome as we'll as the tests made ac-
cording to the government regulations a
company vas incorporated here yesterday
with capital stock of $4,000 most of the
capital coming from outside the city.
For this new invention many unusual
things are claimed and the incorporators.
who have formed a close corporation with
none Of the stock for sale, promise to revo-
lutize the powder business Safety In hand
ling is one of the features which will make
the new powder a great advantage in COM
mercial Uses. In Attorney Charles Bar.
retts office yesterday afternoon the incor-
porators were gathered, completing their
papers and on the desk before them were
bottles of the greyish white powder which
Is of such high explosive nature To show
how 1t may be handled samples of it were
spread out on blotter and ignited. The
powder burns absolutely without smoke or
odor. Miners, it is claimed, will welcome
such powder as great blessing to them
for while having the explosive force of
dynamite an explosion of it is not followed
by the distressing effects which follow
blasting by dynamite. Dynamite headache
is one of the terrors of the miners life
Mr.. Moffatt is the man who invented the
torma1dehyde lamp and also put the finish
ing touches to the perfect Welsbach
burner. 1t is said that he disposed of this
very valuable Improvement on the burner
for almost a song. The incorporators of
the new company are Ansil Moffatt, Charles
w. Letter, j. Richard Francis, of Indian
apolis, and Thomas Sawyer Spivey and VIM.
Luther Davis, of Cincinnati
Mr.. Barrett is the companys attorney
He said yesterday of the concern: 1.-THE
Azote Powder Company is formed to manu-
facture and sell the wonderful new explo-
sive "Azo," the invention of Mr.. Ansl Mof-
fatt. This will be the parent company and
the general headquarters. Subcompanies
are being organized at other convenient
points throughout the country There is un-
Limit limited capital back of the enterprise.
Inc mas 5. Spivey, president OF the Victor
safe and Lock Company of Cincinnati is
PRESIDENT Of the new company, and VIM.
Luther Davis, cashier of the Union Central
Life Insurance Company, of Cincinnati, will
De its treasurer. The policy of the COM
pany VIII be aggressive and along broad
under consideration the purchase of the in
Ventlon but satisfactory arrangements
could not be reached. The promoters find
ing that an abundance of capital was ready
to take up the business concluded to go into
the field on independent lines. 1t is a close
corporation with no stock for sale"
Ansil Motfatt, inventor of the new ex-
ploslve, said of it: Il am glad that my in
H ven IS TO go on to the market, for, know
slves, | have confidence in its immediate
success. Its chief characteristics are safety
or manufacture and use. All the extreme
dangers or powder are eliminated by this
process and explosions of powder will be
thing Of the past. 1t is a wet process and
the finished powder may be stored in water
indefinitely without deterioration. 1t has
stood all of the usual government tests 1t
makes the least smoke of all the smokeless
powders. BY comparative tests 1t shows
wonder pro1ectile power, yet, owing to its
peculiar nature, 1t may be used in a shot
gun with the same safety as black powder
Less than one-half the quantity in weight
is necessary for load. One feature is that
it can be used in all the old style gun
Shells Our explosive will start new era
leaves so little smoke. and absolutely no
poisonous fumes that the miner is enabled
to Immediately resume work. Thus from Is
20 % per cent. OF mining time will be saved
'Azo" contains no nitro-glycerine, as dyna-
mite does In using dynamite the greatest
number Of accidents occur warming or
we'll as warm. Although "Azo" contains no
nitro-glycerine, if, for any purpose, an ex-
ploSiVe OF extreme violence is necessary we
can run 1t up to power Is per cent greater
than that of pure nitro-glycerine. The min
ing interests of the West will be supplied
from local factories located at convenient
places. For mining purposes we can COM
pete with the cheapest grades of explosives
For proJectlle purposes we will enter the
market with better smokeless powder than
any now sold and at a price of ordinary
black powder. The first Western plant will