Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-03-31

1hL AMOAE n tOGNll AMI alAOE
GREAT HOLE IN THE SCENERY.
activity. and the pungent aroma from
the chemicals may make ones head
ache TO the splitting point. but not
withstanding this there Is sort OF un-
usual risk that appeals 10 the tender
foot-that is. after he has figured II out
with mathematical precision that the
chances are about one In million that
the plant will be thrown out of opera
ton In II hurry during his stay. There
is n throb of gratitude 10 the powers
that be- in the heart of the tenderfoot
with his body intact.
A new plant here is one OF the latest
in the country. The new compressed
air appliances used in mixing the acids
and then mixing the acids with the
glycerin reduce the spectacular features
of the work The acids are kept in
iron tanks similar to those used by the
Standard Oil company in storage yards.
The acids are forced from one tank
into another and are mixed by the ap
plication of air pressure. Then this
mixed acid. which throws off cloud OF
angry looking smoke through safety
vents, is forced through long pipe line
TO Il small. towcr-like building. This is
the nltroglyccrin house itself.
In this building are mixing watts,
which are kept at uniform tempera-
ture of ~ degrees 10y the circulation of
brine forced from IA refrigerating
plant, which passes in lead pipes
around and through the tanks. The
acid and glycerin are fed In with pre-
clsion aud mixed by gently moving
automatic paddles, Care Is exercised
by the men superlntcndng this proc
ess. but that care is not so painstaking
as the onlooker would expect to lind.
When mixed. the liquid. which looks
like moderately thick molasses of n
whitish brown color Is drained Off into
storage tanks. and from the tanks Is
drained into ten quart tin cans.
The liquid strikes the bottom Of these
cans with thud that makes ones
flesh creep. until one realizes that II Is
not such a fall as this. but peculiar
jar or friction. that causes trouble. As
the can fills the liquid makes n CUR
CLING sound that IL not reassurlng
Not Il drop of the explosive is permit
ted 10 land outside the cans. and these
cans before being used are inspected
and tested with water for leaks. A
leaky can. especially after II Is load
ed into wagon for transportation.
means loud report that awakes u
county. makes great hole In the seen
cry and wipes everything around out
OF existence. drop of nitroglycerln
on the floor would mean the same thing
10 t.
The capacity of the Hartford City
plant is about 1900 quarts of the ex-
plOsive n day. Niue thousand quarts
OF nitroglycerin are moving power
An idea OF what Il will do may be
gained from the fact that the safe
crackers who use II carry their supply
In Walls and use only few drops In
blasting their way into a safe. The
nltroglycerln cllnging 10 the sides OF
an empty can. II touched OF, Is suiii-
Client 10 lar whole community
Therefore as much care has to be used
with the empty cans as with the filed
ones.
Although the railroads deliver the
acids aud glycerin To the factory In
carboys and tanks. they do not handle
the dangerous commodity which their
mixture produces.
The process by which the factory's
product reaches the consumer IL more