The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1911-07-07
WORK WITH DEATH
Powder Makers Toll In Constant
Peril of Their Lives.
THEY DON'T WANT VISITORS
Mon Callers Are Permitted In tho
Plant Only With Extreme Reluctance
and After Drastic Precautions. and
Women Are Absolutely Barred.

-IdnE OHI1 WitH CNUe"e neIuCIdnC
and After Drastic Precautions. am
Women Are Absolutely Barred.
In all the vocatiOns in which q mai
can make a living in the United State
there is none more perious than tn,
manufacture of gunpowder and none
IN wnich the public, which usually
suffers severely in case of accident
takes so small an interest. The word
gunpowder itself carries a suggestion
OF peril which is reflected in all the
superStitionS of the men who work in
the trade.
The men ,Yho work in powder plants
are Il study in themselves Probably
agents take more precautions against
disaster with such pitiful results.
Men who work in powder plants are
III 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
superstitOus class Of men on earth.
They are well paid. A man who has
nerve enough to work at this trade is
worthy Of his hire He can command
$40 a day. sometimes $50. He prac-
tiraIly makes his own rules, since he
r. the one to suffer from an infraction
of them. His every suspicion Is re-
Spected By his employer. He cannot
dictate the hours of labor since that
is Il matter eternally In dispute, as in
tate the conditions under which be
works from the moment be enters the
factory until he leaves.
These superstitions seem absurd
sometimes. but they are the law of
the gunpowder factory. If you are an
employer you break the law at the
risk Of financial loss; If you are fel-
low employee you violate 1t 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
'eed in obtaining the permission of
he superintendent or possibly of some
me higher In authority they are sub
ected to an extraordinary ordeal be.
ore they are admitted to the sacred
precincts.
First they are searched, and no po-
Ice official is more adept in the art of
frisking" than is the outer guardian
II the average gunpowder plant.
every piece of metal. from pocket
'nife to garter clasp-every coin,
match. suspender buckle, everything
hat could possibly strike a spark, is
emoved. The hatband of the most
fashionable derby is examined with
are to see that 1t carries no metal
initials. And this examination is not
'arried on alone by the official whose
,hVor you have gained, A representa-
i've OF the employees takes an active
part IN the examination, and If he has
my doubts he will politely request
you to strip to the skin.
once inside the powder factory you
hre under even more careful scrutiny.
your shoes are taken away, and you
are provided with felt slippers. Con.
VlDced that on your person there is no
piece or metal which under any provo
cation could strike spark, you may !
reel ut liberty TO roam around, but
iou are not. Your every movement is
carefully, and should you
make gesture calculated TO inspire
Ilstrust you would be hustled out of
ne building and told to leave the
eighborhood within given time.
| had graphic Illustration of the
care taken by these men to
reVent an accident and to save their
wn lives. After having been care
lilly searched and after having sur.
everything which might come
nuer the classification of metal | was
Omitted to the plant. Secure in the
nowledge that l was thoroughly dis.
lIected,' assumed nonchalance
'hich was far from feeling as | =
'atched the various processes of max
IL gunpowder was so we'll Mt ease
lat drew toothpick from my pock.
ana calmly picked my teeth.
instantly was thrown to the floor
MI while two husky men held me a
Mru searched my clothing. When
naily was released it was explain
q to me that they feared the tooth.
ick might be Il match.
Laooring under the constant fear Of
eath. the employees grow extraordl-
arily supeMtitlous. Once allow wo.
lan to set foot within IL powder fac
ory and the entire force will quit. It
one of the axioms of the trade that
woman brings misfortune, and it is
seless to argue the question. A wo-
IAN photographer for n newspaper on
Sunday assignment" once was ad.
lifted into an Illinois powder factory
an inexperienced official. and the
XXI day the plant was shut down.
he employees struck. The plant re-
aimed idle until an entire new force
MS recruited.-Chicago News.
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MI.