Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-11-08
PEcULIARlTiEs OF DYNAMITE.
Most Dangerous When Frozen, But
Many Odd Tricks Can be Done
With IL.


With II.
There are at least three truckmen
or teamsters, In Chicago who art
called "dynamiters." They have never
blown up anything or anybody, and
probably never will. They are toe
careful. They have been trained tc
handle the most terrible Of manage.
able explosives and they are pas,
masters Of caution.
They're not a particle afraid, how
ever. They are simply prudent and
know their business, and they con-
slider 1t safe enough to handle thous-
ands Of pounds Of dynamite 80 long
as you don't monkey with 1t. These
three draymen don't put in all their
time and effort handling dynamite
but they haul nearly all that is carted
inside the city limits. They are Sc
lected solely for the reason that they
know the proper way to attend the
more or less dangerous load.
At freight stations and at some
stores dynamite is handled with a
gay abandon that would make timid
person speechless with terror. That
Is because the freight handlers and
the shipping clerks have become too
familiar with an item Of freight that
they don't understand we'll. There are
miners and farmers who think they
know all about dynamite after they
have blown up an acre Of stumps or
shot few blasts in the tunnel. These
are the men who wind up their earth
ly careers by thawing out sticks of
dynamite in the kitchen oven or by
leaving them around the barn for the
children to play house with.
At the powder mills in which dyna-
mite is manufactured the easiest way
for an employee to lose his place is
TO show sign Of careless levity In
going about the place, handling the
stock or disobeying the strict rules
for the treatment Of the explosives.
The thoughtful, sober, cautious man
who truly knows all about dynamite
is the one in a hundred who never
fools with It: who never departs from
the scientific instructions set down IN
its regard, and who, in consequence,
never starts any trouble.
The manufacturers themselves, and
they know about all there Is to be
known about dynamite, are most
eager and solicitous that every one
who uses or comes In contact with the
explosive in any size or strength OF
cartridge or package should treat 1t
with respectful care. After years Of
they have decided thai
lightning and sunshot are the two
energies that should be kept most re-
mote from dynamite. Cutting and
thawing frozen dynamite are the next
most potent causes Of danger; fire
Is the next and impact Is the least.
Under no conditions will manufac-
turers or informed dealers Of dyna-
mite permit the Illuminating mercury
caps necessary for the discharge Of
the heavy explosive to be kept in the
same house, hauled in the same wag-
on or shipped in the same train with
dynamite. The Illuminating cap Is In
finitely more susceptible Of premature
detonation than is the more dreaded
dynamite, and the proximity OF q
Illuminating cartridge Is
more likely to bring on more dis
astrous result from dynamite than Is
a big fire. ..'.
A stray pistol bullet once flying into
a grocery store in the mining regions
of Colorado set off a package Of dyna-
mite with such terrible effect that
nothing but shreds and splinters OF
the house and its occupants were ever
found. without wishing to minimize
the danger of setting fire to the white
explosive sticks of commerce, 1t may
be truthfully stated that so pounds OF
dynamite stored in a railroad freight
house literally burned up IN the
building without causing any detona-
ton or extra destruction. The owner
of the dynamite not only put In his
claim for the loss, but 1t was allowed
and paid.
Adepts in the uses and possibilities
of dynamite have made a practice OF
touching matches to the dangerous
stuff as they held 1t in their hands
in order to demonstrate the boasted
safety of 1t. But those who know
best, the makers, advise the amateur
not to try such experiments. 1t is'
however, a fact that stick OF dyna-
mite lighted with a match in the open
will sizzle and burn away with pale
gray smoke without making as much
noise as a dozen parlor matches. But
don't try it!
On the other hand, miners who have
tried to thaw out the frozen sticks by
ranging them on the hearth Of cap-
in out of reach Of the actual blaze
have seen their houses blown SKY
hiGh or quit seeing anything at all.
Experts explain this apparent contra
diction in the nature Of the stun on
the ground that in touching match
to it. only a small part Is heated
while in exposing a whole mass to a
simultaneous heat the volatile nitro
glycerin is given the temperature nee
essary to set 1t off in a body. Besides
the danger Of careless thawing OF
dynamite, 1t Is, in that form, particu-
larly susceptible to percussion and to
contact with metal. Don't try to cut
frozen dynamite. That is one OF the
standing precautions Of men VINO
know. Don't thaw 1t in the house,
and never near a fire. The only
proper way to thaw dynamite Is TO
stand 1t in a dry pail and sink the