The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-03-08
A DANGEROUS TRADE.
PERlLs THAT eEsET THE MAKING OF
NlTRoeLYcERlN

/ luClOEies, uuu lney are SeiuOIn NlSlteu
by curious people.
The explosive is made from compo-
sltion OF acids and glycerln. II is gener-
ally pale yellow In color, and quite col
orless when pure. 1t Is odorless, and
has a sweet, pungent, aromatic flavor.
II touched by ones tongue, or even
brought into contact with the skin, II
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 1t is here that The real danger In
the manufacture exists. The paddles
are put In operation and n steady
stream of sweet glycerln 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
obvlate the danger cold water Is run
through pipes enclrcling and running
through the vat. At SO degrees +.
red vapor, almost like fire. arises. II
cutting of the supply Of glycerin In the
agitator does not lower the temper
ature, Il Is time to say farewell. Before
90 degrees are reached nothing but
atoms OF the structure and Its contents
are left.
In its manufacture water Is used to
food the workroom, since a drop fall
Ing on the floor might lead to an explo-
sion. Not n nail is TO be found In the
floor OF the factory, and the visitor IL
cautioned not to drag his feet. Those
who make the dangerous tiuid say that
a Jar viii not cause an explosion; that
friction and fire are the only agencies
by which II can be discharged. Ono
may pour n barrel OF nitroglycerin
from high building to cement walk
below and II will not explode, but
small quantity OF II dropped from the
same height In n can Will blow the
building down. A sharp concusslon In
stantly touches II of. Factories be-
come useless after n few years opera
ton and have to be destroyed. The
timber becomes saturated with nitro
glycerin and an explosion II Imminent
at any time.
The average production OF nltroglyc-
erin from 1900 pounds OF acid and $50
pounds of glycerln Is about $50 quarts.
About 100 quarts constitute an average
shot for an Indiana oil well. While
magazine explosions are not rare, tho
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 nltroglycerln maker 60
remain In the business does not exceed
five years. Death ls instant. and no
one has ever recovered from n nitro
glycerln accident. Bodies are torn 20
atoms no larger than bits OF sausage.
The wages OF employees OF the fac.
tories range from $l25 to $3.50 a month.
Colonel william A. Myers OF Bolivar,
N. Y. was the man who made and ex-
ploded the first pound OF nltroglycerIn
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. IL was then that an explosive
that could be discharged under water
was found In nitroglycerln. Colonel
Myers father was a Philadelphia
chemist and taught his son how to
make II.
The first well torpedoed was on Colo
mel Mills lease, near Titusyille, and the ,
charge consisted OF only two pounds.
OIL was worth 50 a barrel then. and a !
torpedo that would double the produc-
ton OF a we'll was worth almost what |
the maker chose 20 ask for II. Colonel |
Myers built 12 different factories In |
different parts OF the oil regions from
1858 10 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 consld-
erable degree In their belief. and II is
probably one reason why they do not
fear the fluid. They state thar when
one would think II was the most dan
gerous the explosive is the safest.
The smallest drop can be placed on an
anvil and struck by the heaviest
sledge hammer, and the hammer will
bound back over the shoulder OF the
striker, no matter how much he may
try 70 hold IT, Some claim that II will
tear the arm on. but this Is exaggera-
tion. Transporting the explosive from
a magazine 10 n well Is not as danger
Gus as timld people think, according to
the shooters. IL Is transported In
square cans such as are used for var
nish. In preparing for shooting a well
a long tin shell Is suspended In the tub
ing. and the shooter pours the nuid
In as II II was water II is not un-
usual for 200 quarts TO be 10 a well
shooters wagon on one trip. A slight
leak In a can may be touched on by |
friction and explode the entire load
If Il should explode In the center OF a /
town. every building would be reduced /
instantly 20 debris.-lndianapolis Jour |
nal.
The word Asia is derived from the /
Sanskrit Ushas. meaning the land OF |
the morning dawn.
ValaabIe Hair.