The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-09
NEVER HAD AN ACCIDENT,
Good Fortune of n Man Who Has
Handled Dynamite for n QnaE-
ter Of u Century.


all the old-timers and has been look-
ing after high explosives for the last
rs or 30 years. He has been on most
of>the big Jobs in Massachusetts and
in many parts Of New England and
has had many hair-hr"alih escapes
and exciting adventures. Mr.. Col
man is about 70 years Old and was
horn in MainH, says the. Boston
Globe. -
: "DyN0mite and he hnsting pow
der which we have to-day is much
different from what it used to be in
HE days when first started in the
business said Mr.. Co!man, "and |
am not ~ well posted on everything
as | might ljhr 10 be. but there are
some things about handling powder
hat when man learns theln once
he never forC"tS as long as he lives,
and no matter what kind Of powder
is used or how mach the style
changes it is all the same; they viii
still be careful aud watch their bust-
ness NIGHTLY close. OF course, Of,
all the explosives uitrGG iyrerin " the
most dangerous and he hardest 10
get along with. II has as many
moods and Is rs hard to manage
sometimes as tha spelled child or Il
woman who wants her own why.
81 never got over my great respect
for This explosive, and flIn to-day |
treat It with every Difference, and
will b" as gentle and peaceful in its
presence us amy ttrn. \ man can
never pet any experience in handling
nitrogiyrcrin, lii" mere Il" handles
it the less he iS liable to know ahoIi'
it. For he realizes more aud more
how uncertain ii is.
"Why, even II" kegs t'nt nitro
c)yrcrin comes in are white cl''-
plants on u r'IU's hands. for they
are mighty hard to ret rid or, tell
you. The wood has been so thor
oughly saturated with the .tUff th"t
it cannot be hirupd and cHunot he
hroivn up, pHd they cant hr lnft
lying 'round loose. for some uu" is
sure to cone along who does not
know anything otor them Hnd hang
souC hing into thrii 1nl uf goes
the roGf.
Il remember y rr'lpw 0ut IN the
western part OF the state several
years a%u Who came alna" with u
hanmer in his hrai. H. sat down
on an empty nitraa1yc"rin leg and
play;ully amused himself hy tappin"
the stu,eS with i,ts llmmrY. s1w
lin, and ran t" II safe place ana tried
my hes: To warn him by shoui.D"
but il WAS no r-e: the Arr finally
blew mp with loud report and the
poor fellow fingered in thr hospital
about Two weeks before he died.
II nin eycn more afraid Of these |
empty uitro"Iyc rim kegs han ! am |
of he rXplcHire itself or Of any 9th |
"r hiMd Of pund or dynamite. You
can alNHya tell when 10 he careful |
when he real stuff, is around, but If |
some one harnrns 10 leave an empty |
lrg or barrel in he way ron might
not know it until YOU had dropped II
crowhar or SleGgehammcr into il or
i'I'i'E'i ~ 'NJis ih'' tll' ~ H'I'i ,h'i
fornd it nni yon would he in no con
dition to tell anyon" Of your discoy-
cry.
The only way to get rid OF thos"
rmpty kegs or barrels is 10 tax"
thenr on, into an open field and fire
. pistol al them rronI safe dis
tanrc. and even that sometimes is
not an undertaking that | woUld adj
wise a person to Try. for | remember
n case Of "A fellow who went out with
three kegs. and instead Of placing
Them side by side and lcttinE one
shot do the husincS5 guess he was
anxious to see them blow up one by
one. for he placed The first kcg and
left The other Two on he team.
"llr fred his aun and til" buiIc;
lid What was expected OF it. bus the
krg exploded with such terrific force
that the nan was Mortified when the
cnu&cd the two rcmnnin"
KEGS on his team TO follow suit i'm
npdiately, killing his horses. wrrck-
ng his wagon completely. while he
|
'n"c that ruined thc sight Of one
'ye. After that If he ever went out
am sure be Yl!s NOR" careful.
II nave known Of a fellow whG lost
,is foot by The explosion of Il drop
If 1h" terrible Sluff. and another
nan who lost his hand by suddenly
,iiting a board on which a can OF
lilro had rested and drop or two
u the liquid oozcd 6Ut. II is mighty
,ad ,tu'f and | am afraid OF It, and
{ live 10 he 200 will be more
rraid Of it than ever
-----
The Faturc Of War.
'rhc first ard mos, important les
on which will be learned from the
eNt great naval bnttle. will be hat