The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-03
DYNAMITE AND ITS DANGERS

Many people have, of course, only a
general or perhaps vague idea Of just
what dynamite really is; they view it as
dangerous, and as an explosive; some
thing to be given wide berth. Yet, on
the authority of an expert in these mat
tere, a man of this city who has manu-
featured dynamite and who has Travelled
throughout the country from Maine to
California to instruct people in its prop
, er use and handling. dynamite is not an
explosive. but is rather detonator. a
difference in degree, only, yet, a wide
difference in effect.
An explosion is caused by the gener-
ating or Hberating of gases from a solid,
liquid or other gaseous substance so
quickly that the gases formed cannot
be confined in the space of the original
substance, a more or less slow process,
whereas decorators liberate their gases
almost instantaneously. The greater
bulk must find an outlet at once, and
| does not have time to seek the place OF
least resistance, but must find space inn
mediately. A defamation is in round
numbers, 1000 times quicker than an
explosion. A strong conclusion and a
spark in combination will cause it.
>
substance that most people suppose it
TO be. 1t can be handled with impunity
and even recklessly, if one knows just
how this should be done, and win not
detonate, except under certain we'll de-
fined circumstances. The marketable
article. in order to fit into drill holes, is
generally in the form of sticks varying
from half an inch to three inches i'm
diameter and in length from two and a
half to twelve inches. These sticks are
formed by packing dynamite into oiled
paper cases Of the required size. Only
under certain conditions will dynamite
act 10 the purpose for which it is made
so that under ordinary circumstances
it may be viewed as safe to handle and
! cart about, probably as safely as could
be carried coal oil or naphtha
In the early days of its manufacture
before its properties were well under
stood, and before perfection of combina-
items in its manufacture had been
reached, there were some unaccountable
explosions and queer actions which
gave dynamite bad name, which ever
since has chung to it. knowledge re-
garding it has not grown to be general,
however, with the passing of years.
Water Doesn't Harm It.
Now and then one hears of children
finding pieces of dynamite sticks and
playing with them until someone res
cues the children from supposed great
danger. which probably really did not
exist, for the children would have diff
Guilty in causing an explosion. Careless
workmen, well accustomed to handling.
and knowing all about its properties.
throw away pieces, sometimes, and
these, of course, while not absolutely
! dangerous as playthings for children or
! for others TO handle, may just as well
be let alone. 1t is one of the many
things which children should not en-
ploy in their play.
| Now and then mysterious explosion
is laid to the use of dynamite. yet ex-
perts know, when they see explanations
regarding the affair, that the conditions
were not right for dynamite, and that
undoubtedly it was not present at all.
and was not the agency causing the ex-
plosion. Usually it is some less power
/ full agent that is used. Again, some man
prominent in the public eye receives a
mysterious box by express or otherwise
that is thought to be an Internal ma
chine.
| The police are notified, and take the
I
water before opening it. But If il is
| dynamite, as it is usually reported to
be- it win detonate just as readily. even
| though it may nave been soaked in
water for twenty-four hours or as many
days, for that matter. Therefore. il is
| probable that these machines do not
contain dynamite at all.
| Water will destroy matches or match
/ heads, gunpowder and other substances.
/ but not dynamite, which 10 render II
! harmless must be soaked in some sub
stance which viii dissolve its ingred-
tents.
! Dynamite, according to the best au-
thority of those familiar with its manu-
facture, is nitro glycerine held i'm an
absorbent such as infusoriaI earth. wood
pulp, cool dust or other material that
will hold the nitro lycerine tightly and
not allow it to settle at the bottom. IT
Is a powder or rather a sticky. resinous
nature. varying in color with the alb
sorbent used.
The strength is commercially Designated
| Dy the percentage. By weight Of the
! amount OF -glyCerine absorbed bv
! the carrier. running from 20 % so per
! cent. II probably is more gencrailv uscd
al or around 40 per cent. WIS tbe an
sorbent are certain other ingredients so
| combined as TO obtain perfect results in
dpSoiptloh, ana 10 guard against the dam
1 ger OF any free acid left in the nitro
glycerine. The nitro-glycerine is the only
! decorating property; the absorbent
| neither helps nor retards this property
/ As its name implies. this powerful
| agent is the result of the action OF nitric
| acid upon glycerine and in its manufac-
ture 1t must be handled and treated with
| the greatest care. A sudden lar or the
| natural heat developed by the chemical
| action of It's component parts often viii
| cause u 10 detonate- 1t Is translucent
substance, not unlike honey IN consist
| ency and appearance. and IL has a taste
| somewhat of peach brandy. But Il must
be tasted sparingly, as X rossesres great
! medical qualities that are well recognized
| ana often used by the prpfessitSr rs ac-
si0n Nanses the blood 10 t4e s44fyeD from,