The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-19
SUGAR AN EXPLOSIVE.
The Granulated Kind Takes the Place
of Giant Powder.
Red Wing CMinn) Republican,

tRed Wing CMinn) Republican,
Granulated sugar has other uses
than the sWeetening of Cne's coffee for
breakfast. L. NJ. Gray has discovered
at a quarry work which he is doing at
the back of Barn Bluff, that il is an
excellent substitute for dynamite and
powder. In fact, it beats them in many
directions.
Have you noticed that during the
past week or ten days that the con-
cussions which were so noticeable from
the explosions, caused by the drillings
at the bluff have ceased? So true is
this that it has been common cues
ton on the streets: Has the work at
the quarry stopped?" And thereby
hangs a tale
During his recent trip to Mexico c.
f. Sheldon, while on his way south,
met gentleman who has large inter-
cSts in the clay business, and i'm speak
ing with him of the pottery interests
he referred to new method of exploit
ing clay which he had discovered by
simpler and safer combination in the
way of an explosive than is found in
dynamite or powder.
On further inquiry MIR. Sheldon as
certained that the ingredients of this
new explosive. which his friend told
him of. consisted in large measure
more than half-Of graduated sugar
This, mixed with certain chemicals
had been discovered and patented re-
Gently, and from the patentee, the ST.
Louis firm, of which his tourist friend
was a member, had obtained the right
to use it. While they were somewhat
skeptical of its value at first. after hav-
ing given it a thorough trial they have
become thoroughly convinced that it
was remarkable, both in the results
achieved, the greater safety found in
its use and in the economy of expendi-
| ture, as its cost is less than half. which
was made necessary under the old
methods in the use Of gunpoWder Mr.
Sheldon WAS at once interested. and
was given the address of the patentee
On arriving home he addressed a let
ter to the discOverer of this new ex-
DlOsive and from him obtained the reply
restating practically all that his friend
had told him about tie merits of the
discovery. This he filed away for fu-
ture use.
A few days after he met Mr.. Gray
and in discussing the quarry work
which he mas been doing this winter
on the river side of Barn Bluff, the
danger from dynamite. which has al
Grady resulted in injury to quite a
number of men, and the violence of the
conclusion of the charges which has
disturbed the whole community. both
day and night, he asked Mr.. Gray why
he did not use the new explosive which
had been found. Mr.. Gray made fur
Their inquiries in regard to it, although
naturally very suspicious of the great
claims made for this new compOund
so simple in its nature, and so largely
made up of an article whose only use
has heretofore been associated with the
sweetening of the worlds food.
Of
that Mr.. Gray has obtained from the
patentee the recipe for making this ex-
/ explosive and the right to use it. Dur
ing the last ten days dynamite and
powder have been done away with and
this new substitute has been used in
tearing away the bluff It has proved
a success beyond all expectations. Mr..
Gray is an enthusiast about it. He
says it costs far less money does bet
ter work and there is little danger i'm its
use. This is the reason who We no
| longer hear the detonations caused by
a blast of dynamite from the bluff dur
ing the night time and can lay down to
| pleasant dreams without fear of being
disturbed by the rattle of the dishes in
| the pantry.
! The ingredients are prepared in the
morning at the bluff for the DAYS
work. Mr.. Gray buys a barrel of sugar
/ ana according to the recipe obtained
| from the patentee mixes it with other
chemicals and it is used like other ex-
plosives i'm drills. fuse is attached
to the material and the charge is made.
There is an explosion. but it is much
more gentle than is obtained from dy-
Mantle and is much more effective in
| its results.
1t is certainly a wonderful discovery
| to know that new explosive, so per
cent of which is made of granulated
sugar, can be used successfully, elm
tinating noise, large share of danger
and saving a marked amount, both in
time and money in its use, and withal
obtaining much better results than
were had under the old system.