The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-03-17
A TEST BY FIREMEN.
EXPLOSIVES BURNED TO AS.
CERTAIN THE DANGER.
Cartridges Explode with insufficient
Force to Do Much Damage
Interesting Expert
mant

An interesting experiment was made
few days since at the convention of
fremen at Duluth, says the Boston
Herald, for the purpose of having de-
termined the extent of danger there
was to firemen in entering burning
building known to contain ammuni-
ton. In great many hardware stores
1t is known that ammunition is carried
In stock, and in gun stores ammuni-
ton, OF course, is regular part of the
stock in trade. 1t has been thought
that this class of material was of
character that would prove seriously
dangerous in case OF fire, because fire.
men would naturally be afraid to en-
ter buildings where, in consequence of
explosions, their lives would be endan-
gered. 1t has been customary in most
cities to have ordinances passed reg
ulating the amount Of gunpowder that
can be carried in mercantile stock,
and also designating the manner in
which the powder shall be kept and
the place in the store in which the re-
ceptable shall be placed. Thus, in
OsAA' IAS vi plOSlucS lu6I
gunpowder shall be kept in a metal
receptacle; that the amount carried
at any one time shall be strictly lin
tied, and that the metal box in which
it is kept shall be placed near the
door OF the store at place known to
the firemen, so that in the event of
lire it can he easily removed. But
with fYp1
this kind are not in force, and great
deal has been left TO the discretion of
the dealers in. these supplies.
current belief has existed that If
gun store were to- take fire i. would
be dangerous to enter it. and, indeed,
1t might be dangerous for anyone to
pass in the near vicinity at the time
OF the fire. The experiments made at
Duluth were for the purpose of deter
mining the conditions under which
explosions of ammunition took place.
and how these compared with condi-
tons that determined the explosion of
gunpoWder. Gunpowder in bulk will
explode with great force, and the ex-
ploding OF one key may tear open ad-
1acent kegs. and the flash of FIRE from
the first may be communicated to the
second with such rapidity that the ex-
plosion is practically simultaneous.
The experiment made at Duluth was
in building put up for the purpose.
in which were placed thousands of
rounds of ammunition of al! kinds.
both in paper shells and also metallic
rifle and pistol cartridges. Altogeth-
er, in the two tests, in one of which
the cartridges were left free. anil the
other In which they were put in con-
fined space, as in boxes 5J 900 or more
cartridges must have been made the
subject of the experiment.
1t was found, as the result of put
ting these in buildings specially built
to be burned down, that an exploding
cartridge has not sufficient force to
tear open the adjacent cartridge, and,
therefore, cannot communicate fire to
the powder charge Of its neighbor In
fire each cartridge expfodes individ-
ually, and explodes when its partic-
ular primer " heated to the flashing
point, but the flash from one Cartridge
cannot set or the adjacent cartridge,
consequently. instead of having stimuli
taneous explosions, there is series
of explosions. though when there are
large quantities of ammunition burn
ing these follow in quick succession,
like musketry fire.
The danger from flying fragments of
exploding cartridges is found not to
be serious matter, as the cartridge
shell. when unsupported by the gun
nber. bursts at the first indication