Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-08-10
Conditions under Which the Sub.
stance e Harmless.
when Compounded n q Certain Mau.
ner There IL No Danger Of Expios.
ion-Care Necessary IN watch.
Ing tine Temperature.

WIN tniS powerful explosive ndu OFTEN
occurred to him as a source Of invcs-
tis says the Kansas City Star. but
there is an Unborn timidity IN all people
when 1t is suggested that they mako
close scruting Of dynamite. The attitude
Of the superintendent was the customary
ono Of long suffering compassion for the
uninitiatcd as the visitor timidly piped
MS questions.
What is dynamite and how is II
madc?' he reiterated.
The Questioncr Redeemed a little ms he
thought Of the length. height and breadth
Of his ignorance. The superintendent
pulled open a desk drawer and handed
out a stick of some soft substance COW
cred with a shell Of heavy paraffincd
paper. Opening one Of the nicely crir1p-
cd ends a soft substance was seen that
looked something like fine %cornnital
which has been dampencd and firmly
PRESSED.
That's some of it, was the brief
explanation.
Lacks harmless enough said the
visitor, in an indifferent tore. laying it
back upon the desk with n well con-
ccaic1 qlaln of ncrvousness.
And AZ harmless as IL looks. except
under certain definite conditions" was
the quick r"joindcr in a tone suggesting
o"nsid 'rabic professional pride.
Ana tho conditioner"
Nothing less than a decorating cap
hurled in one cnd of tho stick and set
Off by "A special kind Of fuse"
How about a sudden jar?' was asked.
In reply he raised tho stick with which
he had been emphasizing his remark
and hurled it to tho floor with all his
strength. Tho visitor restrained with
great difficulty an Impulse to shatter the
international record for the standing
high Jump and prepared TO continue the
study Of hish explosives in such a man
nor as to preclude foroible d%enonstra-
tions.
n hanger from that source" cor-
tinued tho informant, las long as your
powder remains in its normal condition.
When partially frozen, however. some
dHnamites nay be exploded by violent
conclusions; it depends n great deal upon
the composition of the dope"
"The dope"
Yes. You sec all dynamites consist in
general of nitro-glyccrinc mixed with a
more or less complex absorbent called
the dope Two elements universally
used in the dope are sawdust or wood
pulp and nitrate OF soda. They are non
explosive. but beth. especially the latter.
when ignited. give on a large volume of
gas. which expands and add consider
ably 10 tho force Of the nitro.glycerine
explosion. rhe nitrate If soda is import
cd by thousands of tons from, Chile and
other South American regions, where il
is found in vast natural beds and known
as Chile %saltpet.r. You remember the
dispute over the ownership Of these de-
POSTS was the casus belli in the late
Chilc-Colon,bia affair"
Yes" the visitor responded reminis-
Gently. 'and the other ingredients of tn.
dope"
"Nell. vow see" he replied. after a mo-
ment's hesitation, cit would he a har d
matter to explain 10 YOU in twerty min
utcs all that has been discovered and
utilized in twenty wears of research.
Over there is the laboratory building"
pointing to n small rcd building at some
distance. where could hn seen an occas-
ional figure moving around amid n labv-
rinth Of %retorts. GLASS tubes and what
not. " employ an experienced chemist
to conduct constant experiments with a
view to hitting upon some new active
absorbent which shall he cheaper. safer
and moro effective than that now in use"
Accepting the hirt the visitor paused
&c sum up" Then dynamite consists in
nitro-slyrcrine mixed with a number Of
non~cxrlosive substances. which together
act as an absorbent:'
Exactly"
md t1,. V;kro I-. 49,
made Of and how do YOU make it,
"Nitro-glycerine is formed when pure
elyccrine is agitatcd with a mixture of
nitric ard sulfuric acids. Come along
III show ynu how it is done"
Leaving the office We struck out to-
ward a large frame building nigh ur or
IN" blun and firukcd on either side at
wide intervals by other houses Of the
plant. On our way TO tho nitro-glycerine
house or 'nitrater" We passed some
long rambling buildings from which is
sued dense white and rcd fumes which
set US coughing and gasping at a great
rate. Here's where We make the acids
for the nitro-glycerine." was the cxplana-
tion. land over there pointing to a
huge iron tank of boilcrlike appearance.
rs where the acids are mixed and whence
they are driven ir suitable quantities by
compressed air to tho nitrater."
while faddists receive the cold shoulder
at Leeds the administration Of local ar
fairs is as progressive as it is business
like and efficient. The town. with its
hundreds Of factories and foundries and
ITS smoke-tainted atmosphere needs parks
and open spaces. and these have been
supplied on n large scale. With tho
swarms NJ population in dcnsely crowd
cd areas. slums have to be constantly
housing working people, and this work is
thoroughly done on business principles.
In recent years, 37 houses have been
demolished in tho worst courts Of the
fork street district. 50 as to let in hight
and air and to rcndor adjacent dwellings
hahitable. and the same plan has been
adopted in the Quarry Hill section. where
~ acres have been purchased for the
purros, Of renovation and sanitary in,-
proVements have also been conducted in
the Holbeck, West street. and Band dis.
trlots, and the unhealthful areas Of the
city nave been greatly reduced. Tn
corporation maintains a complete system
OF public baths. markets and slaughter
houses. Nor does il neglect the higher
interests OF the population. The schools
are as good as can he found in any city
In Northern England; an art gallery is
maintained as public expense and Zero
Is an admirable system Of free libraries.
with a central collection OF he ,ks Of 70.