The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-05
THE MAKING OF
HIGH EXPLOSIVES
Factory On the Sand Dunes Of
West Scotland
PROTECTING DANGER AREA
Precautions Taken With Employees.
Women Do Much of the Dangerous
Work-FiIIins Cartridges
With Dynamite.
PROTECTING DANGER AREA
From the New York Sun

From the New York Sun.
For the discovery of dynamite and
other cognate powerful explosives
which have now become inseparab1e
landmarks of the mining and engineer
ing industries the world owes a debt
OF gratitude to the late Alfred Nobel,
the famous Swedish scientist and
chemist, since he was the first to turn
to practical purposes at his laboratory
at Heleneborg, near Stockholm. the
powerful blasting agent nitro glycerin,,
discovered by Sobriero and coIloquially
known as blasting OIL"
This compound, owing to its extreme
ly dangerous nature and the frequency
or the accidents attending it's use, says
an English correspondent of the Scien-
THO American, was prohibited in many
or the leading countries; and Nobel.
realizing these numerous dlsadvant-
ages concerted his energies for a con-
siderable time in the quest for an agent
with which the nito-glycerin could
be combined and which while not de-
teriorating in the slightest its high
explosive qualities would at the same
time enable 1t to be handled with COM
parative impunity. In this search he
the nitro glycerin with an absorbent
earth called 'kieselguhr" and producing
the compound now known as dynamite.
The result of this discovery was an i'm
mediate expansion In the employment
of the explosive for blasting purposes
in all parts of the world. After estab-
fishing factories in Germany and
France in 1871, Nobel went to Great
Britain.
Nobel himself selected the site for
his proposed factory, and his ultimate
CHI dice fell upon Ardeer, on the west
coast of Scotland. A more suitable spot
for the prosecution of a dangerous
trade could scarcely have been found,
as the natural confguration of the
country is a series of waste sand dunes,
which lend themselves admirably to
the work in hand by serving as ma
tural barriers between the various sec
lions of the danger zone.
Covers 300 Acres.
The factory covers an area of over
500 acres, occupied by more than 500
different buildings. The works are en-
tirely self-contained, and thus a num-
Der of different subsidiary industries
are embraced in the isolated colony
established at barren spot on the
sh ores of the Atlantic.
Nitro glycerin, as is we'll known, is
a ombination of glycerine and mix
ture of sulphuric and nitric acids. The
former is brought from all parts OF
the world and upon arrival is subjected
Ito a rectifying process by which the
various impurities suspended in the
fluid are removed. The nitric acid Is
prepared In large buildings in which
are ranged long rows of retorts bricked
UP like ovens. These retorts are
charged with sulphuric acid and nitrate
of soda, and Immediately the TWO COM
pounds come into contact chemical
action commences, the nitric acld De
ing released as a corrosive gas.
THE latter is carried through pipes on
tn a series of earthenware airs and otner
condensing apparatus, into which the gas
is discharged and condensed. me nitric
acid thus obtained is further mixed Win
sulphuric acid, also produced IN extensive
works on the spot, and conveyed in steel
cars hauled by ponies to station at the
foot of one of the nitroglycerin hills,
as the mounds in which this powerful ex-
plosiye LIQUID Is prepared are called. Thefe
are five of these hills" comprising lofty
earth entertainments within which are
located the buildings in which the manu-
facture is carried out.
Precautionary Measures.
The provision of the surrounding
mounds covered with tall rang grass
serves to arrest the fight OF fragments
of the structure within and the concus-
sion produced by an explosion shoolo the
building within from any cause bioW up.
The hills are pierced in all directions with
tunnels, by which means communication
with the secluded buildings is maintained.
When the cars filled with acids reach the
foot of one of the hills they are thence
transported to the top by cable haulage.
In the danger area the severest dis
cipline Is maintained All entrances are
carefully guarded by searchers who rig
orously examine every individual that
desires to enter, relieving him of any me-
tallic objects that may be carried upon
his person. together with matches and
other suspicious objects which upon COM
ing into contact with the dangerous chem
icals used In this zone might provoke
trouble. No matter how often an EN-
ploye engaged within the hill may pass
In and out, every time he enters he must
submit to this preliminary operation.
There are also some 800 girls employed,
and these are under the charge of ma
irons. Hairpins, ordinary pins, shoe but
tons, metal pegs within the soles or the
shoes, knitting and other needles are
all religiously barred. Their hair Is tied
with braid or ribbon, and as with the
male employees every time they enter the
danger area they are searched by the
matrons.
Within the danger area the various en-
Moves engaged in the different depart
ments or phases of work are CARRIED In
snecial n-inflammable working suits,
varying in color according to their re-
spective occupations.
The mixing is done by women. VINO
Lnead the ingredients with their hands
&c r. It were dough, the operation being
carried out with complete thoroughness
THE mixture is then picked up by big
wooden scoop and dumped into sieve
with brass meshes. The dynamite Is
rubbed through the orifices in snaii par
ticles. AS 1t passes through the sieve II
resembles a greasy coffee colored eartn
fpely divided. and the combination Oh
the constituent parts being completely &C
complished the product is ready Tor tne
manufacture of cartridges. This work Is
also carried out by female labor.
The Cartridge House.
The cartridge houses are long rows OF
single cabins about ten feet In length
and the same in width. All the puiid-
ines for the various phases OF the work
are divided into small units accommo-
dating from four to six persons. In tne
90 fridge house the machines are attach
ed to the two side walls. They comprise
a conical hopper, into which the oyna-
,,;te is placed. and a small vertical brass