The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1911-06-23
WORK WITH DEATH
Powder Makers Toll In Constant
Peril of Their Lives.
THEY DON'T WANT VISITORS
Men Callers Are Permitted In the
Plant Only With Extreme Reluctance
and After Drastic Precautions, and
Women Are Absolutely Barred.

In all the NOcdlOnS III witch man
can make living in the United States
there Is none more perilOus than the
manufacture Of gunpowder and none
in which 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 who work in powder plants
are a study in themselves. Probably
I'm no other business do the human
agents take more precautions against
disaster with such pitiful results.
Men who work i'm 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 laborers in many other fields OF
danger, they appear to be the most
suDerstitious 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
SO a day, sometimes $50. He prac-
tically makes his own rules, since he
is 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
other kinds Of labor, but he can die
tate the conditions under which he
works from the moment he enters the
factory until he leaves.
These supersttions 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 it at the risk
of your life.
One Of the first laws among the en-
plOyees is that of self preservation.
They have Il deep rooted fear of the
casual visitor. Few men have gone
through gunpowder plant out Of
mere curiosity. They are not wanted
and are told 50 frankly. If they sue
ceed in obtaining the permission of
the superintendent or possibly Of some
jected to an extraordinary ordeal be
fore they are admitted to the sacred
precincts.
First they are searched, and no po-
lice official is more adept in the art Of
"frisking" than is the outer guardian
of the average gunpOwder plant
Every piece of metal. from pocket
knife to garter clasp-eyery coin,
match. suspender buckle. everything
that could possibly strike a spark. is
removed. The hatband of the most
fashionable derby is examined with
care to see that it carries no metal
initials. And this examination is not
carried on alone by the official whose
favor you have gained. \ representa-
tive of the employees takes an active
part in the examination, and If he has
any doubts ne will 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, tut
you are not. Your every movement is
watched carefully. and should you
make a gesture calculated to inspire
distrust YOU would be hustled out Of
the building and told to leave the
neighborhood within given time.
had Il graphic illustration OF the
extreme care taken 10y 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 i'm the
knowledge that ! was thoroughly dis
infected" | assumed uoaChalHure
which was far from feeling as /
watched the various processes of max.
ing gunpowdcr. | was SO well at ease
that drew toothpick from my puck-
ct and calmly picked my teeth.
Instantly | was thrown to the foor
and while two husky men held me a
lllllu StdlNIN ny y I'AflIf " lI'.lt
finally | was released il was explain
ed to me that they feared the tooth
pick might be Il match.
Laboring under the constant fear of
death. the employees grow cXtraordi-
narily superstitious. Once allow a wo-
man to set foot within powder face
tory and the entire force will quit 1t
is one Of the aXioms of the trade taat
u woman brings misfortune, ana 30 is
useless To argue the question. 4 woo
man photographer for newspaper on
n sunday assignment once was ad-
mitted into an Illinois powder factory
by an inexperienced official. and the
next day the plant was shut down.
The employees struck. The plant re-
NAMED idle until an entire new force
was recruited Chicago News.