The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-07-03
WORK WITH DEATH
Powder Makers Toll In Constant
Peril Of Their Lives.
THEY DON'T WANT VISITORS
Mon Callers Are Permitted Ia the
Plant Only With Extrsms Rsluetanes
and After Drastic Precautions, and
Wemsn Are AbsolutsIy Barred.

Wemen Are Absolutely Barred.
In an the vocations In which a man
can make living IN the United States
there is none more perilous Ahan the
manufacture OF gunpowder and none
ia which the public, which usually
suffers severely IN case Of accident. |
takes so small an interest The word |
gunpowder @lself carries a suggestion
OF peril which Is reflected In all the
superstihons Of the men who work in
the trade.
The men who work In powder plants
are study In themselves Probably |
in no other business do the human
agents take more precautions against
disaster with such pitiful results
Men who work in powder plants are
IN constant fear Of death They are
face to face with peril every second
Instead Of growing hardened to It, as
do the Iaborers In many other fields OF
danger, they appear to be the most
superstlhous class Of men on earth
They are wen paid. a man who has
nerve enough to work at this trade Is
worthy or his hire. He can command
$40 a day. sometimes $40. He prac-
Ideally makes his own rules, since be
is the one to suffer from an infTaction
Of them. His every suspicion Is re-
spected by his employer. He cannot
dictate the hours Of labor, since that
is a matter eternaily in dispute, as in
other kinds OF labor. but he can die
tate the conditions under which be
works from the moment he enters the
factory unt1 he leaves.
These superstitions seem absurd
sometimes. but they are the law OF
the gunpowder factory. II you are an
employer you break the law at the
risk Of financial loss; IT you are fell
low employee you violate It at the risk
OF your life.
One of the first laws among the EN-
ployees is that OF self preservation.
They have a deep rooted fear Of the
casual visitor Few men have gone
through a gunpowder plant out OF
mere curiosity. They are not wanted
and are told so frankly. If they sue
ceed in obtaining the permission OF
the superintendent or possibly OF some
one higher in authority they are sub
iected to an extraordinary ordeal be-
fore they are admitted to the sacred
precincts.
First they are searched, and no po-
lice oficial is more adept in the art OF
'.frisking'' than IL the outer guardian
Of the average gunpowder plant
Every piece of metal. from pocket
knife to garter clasp-every coin.
match. suspender buckle. everything
that could possibly strike spark. is
removed The hatband OF the most
fashionable derby IL examined with
care to see that 1t carries no metal
initials And this examination is not
carried on alone by the official whose
favor you have gained A representa-
dive OF the employees takes an active
part in the examination. and II be has
any doubts be win politely request
you to strip to the skin.
Once inside the powder factory you
are under even more careful scrutiny.
Your shoes are taken away. and you
are provided with felt slippers. Con-
vinced that on your person there is no
piece OF metal which under any provo
cation could strike a spark. you may
feel at liberty to roam around, but
you are not Your every movement is
watched carefully. and should you
make a gesture calculated 70 inspire
distrust you would be hustled out Of
the building and told to leave the
neighborhood within given time.
/ had graphic illustration OF the
extreme care taken By these men to
prevent an accident and to save their
own lives After having been care
fully searched and after having sur
rendered everything which might come
under the classification OF metal was
admitted to the plant. Secure in the
knowledge that,I was thoroughly dis
infected" | assumed nonchalanes
which / was far from feeling as
watched the various processes of max
ing gunpowder. l was so we'll at eass
! that drew a toothpick from my pock
! ct and calmly picked my teeth
Instantly | was thrown to the iooi
and while two husky men held me 1
third searched my clothing. WheI
finally l was released It was explain
ed to me that they feared the tooth
: pick might be match.
Laboring under the constant fear o
death. The employees grow extraordl
B narily superstitious Once allow q wo
man to set foot within a powder fac
. tory and the entire force will quit
Is one OF the axioms Of the trade tha
! a woman brings misfortune. and it !
useless to argue the question. A wo
9 man photographer for a newspaper O
I. Sunday assignment" once was ad
mitted into an Illinois powder factor
by an inexperienced official. and tn
next day the plant was shut dowr
n The employees struck. The plant n
}. mained idle until an entire new fore
r was recruited. Chicago News.