The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1901-09-03

the percussion cap attached to u 80
second fuse is put in and then hit
more dynamite put in ON top of it,
= The whole charge covered with lit
tie sand and Il match touched to the
fuse. While this is being done, the
innocent sons OF sunny Italy have
been seeking the long grass and high
trees for safety.
Each one yells fire" at the top of
his lungs as he runs, and just before
the blast goes Oft there is nothing to
he seen but The fleeing foreman. AT.
ter the crash and when the shower of
rock has subsidized to some extent the
Borrowing foreman goes i'm search of
his Italians. He finds them peace.
fully slumbering or talking in the
woods, and when told to 90 back to
work each asks in curious tone if
the blasts had gone off Il was heard
in three adjoining counties three
minutes before. 1t takes some hours
to drill hole for blasting, aud this
is the sad part of the whole game.
After the blast there is nothing left
of the hole and no example Of handi
work to hand down to poslerity.
The loaa! foremen are very careful
of the higher explosives, yet strange
things are apt to happen 20
the little tin box i'll which the sticks
are kept. This box is placed care
fully in the big tool box each night
and the keys of both boxes are plac
ed deep in the pockets of the foreman
during the night Wild adventures
often take place near the boxee, and
one of the Wilbraham foremen told
ola narrow escape which gang Of
men under him hnd this spring. The
dynamite was used freely during the
day, some loose sticks of it were lett
in the bottom of the tool box. When
the 6 o'clock whistle blew the Italians
fpcked to the tool box like hnming
pigeons The men began To throw
their picks and crowbars into the box
at long range. just then the fore
man came ON the scene and yelled at
them to stop, as he drove behind the
nearest tree. No one knew why the
whole gang were not blown into bits.
1t was just one Of the strrnge freaks
of dynamite
This same foreman had rather a
blood curdling escape last fall while
at WORK in the hills To- the east AS
he came up to the tool box at
night he found an Italian cuddling Il
stick of dynamite to his manly chest.
The foreman gave vent to his feel
ings more emphaticllly than politely
To show that his wrath was reused
the man lifted the stick Of dynamite
above his head and let it drive at the
foreman. Fit had hit the mark
there would now be another assistant
drawing more pay. Fortunately the
stick went wide and fell in some soft
grass. The next five minutes were
probably the most interesting that
the irate son Of Spaghettisland has CIV
er passed When he emerged from
the fray he passed a unanimous vote
that he would rather be blown up b
dynamite than by the foreman.
There vas less physical discomfort in
IT.
OF course as dynamite and "jelley"
are not allowed to be carried on the
trains, they never are, but there are
some interesting times for men who
sit on a seat holding bag in his
arms during the entire journey. one
local foreman said he took 81 trip n
while ago in IA crowded car, and if
any ore had hit his travelling nag no
one IN the car would have reached the
next Station collectively When be
got to the end Of his journey he went
90 a hotel 90 get luncheon, and while
he was registering placed the bag on
desk beside him a man came in
while he was presenting his autograph
90 the clerk and was hurt because
Jhe bag was on ,bc desk To assert
bis righlsas "a true citizen ola free
country he grasped lbe bag and
threw it on thc floor
The foreman when Doc bad stopped
a hastily tbougbtup prayer explain.
cd thp content. ofthe bag How fa
jest +, takensbrut boo one nbo know.
wiIItcl Itisnsver placed ON OBJ,
scatofa wagon. even while being
moved from place 90 place, oul D.. al.
ways held in the arm, of the fore
man ltita pleasing way OF travel
and is nearly %. exciting and uucer
faIr4- t..trt.y q. am ontf.,. i.. I'd.