Devils Lake weekly world. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1911-1914, 1911-07-07
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 vocations in which a man
can make living in the United States
there is none more perlous than the
manufacture of gunrowdpr and none
In which the public. which usually
suffers severely in case OF accident,
takes so small an interest. The word
gunpowder itself carries Il 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 study in themselves. Probably
in no other business do the human
agents take more precautions against
disaster with snch ri:if.! results.
Men VIII" work Ill powder plants are
In constant tear of death They are
face to face with peril every second.
Instead Of growing hardened to 1t. as
d" the laborers III tiEiiiy other fields of
danger. they appear I" be the most
superStitiOuS class ut men on earth.
They are we'll paid y man who has
nerve enough to work ut this trade is
worthy Of his hire lie can command
$40 day. sometimes S2'' 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 matter eternally in dispute. as in
tate the conditions under which he
works from the moment he 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 it at the risk
Of your life.
One of the first laws among the en-
ployees is that Of self preservation.
They have 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 SO frankly. If they sue
coed in obtaining the permission Of
the superintendent or possibly Of some
one higher in authority they are sub.
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-every coin,
match, suspender buckle. everything
that could possibly strike 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. A representa-
live of the employees takes an active
part in the examination, and IL he has
any doubts he 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-
WINGED that on your person there is no
piece of metal which under any provo
cation could strike spark. you may
feel at liberty to roam around. but
you are not. Your every movement is
watched carefully. and should you
make gesture calculated to 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 was thoroughly dds
infected" assumed nonchalance
which 1 was far from feeling as l
watched the various processes Of max.
ing gunpowder. l was 90 we'll at ease
that drew toothpick from my pock-
ct and calmly picked my teeth.
Instantly was thrown to the floor
and while two husky men held me a
third searched my clothing. When
finally I was released 1t was explain
ed to me that they feared the tooth
pick might be a match