The Thibodaux sentinel. (Thibodaux, La.) 1905-1912, 1912-12-07
r0TORTN FIREWORKS
.ov7HF BEAUTIFUL ANO OAzzL'F'o
uuEs ARE PRODUCED.

,. ~ the Combustion Oh
sa,ts Of Certain Metals
,,on,c. of Rotating Flre"o
Tho chief beauty Of fireworks -
their range Of resplendent co'ol
Nv sapphire, emerald, topaz ame ,I
aouamarine and scores OF tii's '
shades between. How is al! TINS e'"
escent glory Of color obtained ~ %
,rot ,ics in directed chemical cohous-
t;,,, nv means of cases and compos1-
tons. the results OF marvellous c"'e vac
ton and skill. .,,o
The matter is simple enough 10 tnose
who know. It is attained by the coin-
Lustion of the salts OF certain lhe''''
In other words, the burning ihe,"i'
have each their characteristic coio.'
sodium gives off yellow tame' Gu:
cium. orange; barium. green; s'fon',-
nm, red; copper, green or blue' 'eeoio
ing to circumstances, ana so on otneA
familiar metals. iron. steer anu AiiAo'
give their tribute Of colors. Iron hiih7s
rive bright red and white sparks: cop
per filings, green tint; ENC. Il nAie
blue: steel filings and cast iron Doflhss'
a brilliant fire with wayy radlatohs'
Every one is familiar with the color
ed fires, but who would suppose that
Iycopodium, the delicate pollen OF GER
tain MOSES. so fine that 1t Is used 10
novder baby's skin, furnishes rose
colored fire with magnificent fiame'
These colored fires are called IN teen
nfcal language fixed fires" ana con-
sist Of slow compositions that may be
piled in little cones OH tlagstone ana
lighted at the top. They burn slowly
and there is no explosion. Iheae cein-
positions are made in many colors.
Roman candles belong to the hSed
fire class and are also called 1usees.
We all know the straight, slender cyl
inder or cartridge of the ordinary TO
man candle. 1t is packed as follows:
First there is put in it u charge OF Inc
gunpowleY. and above this is placed
..star." These arc simply balls OF some
spec;al composite containing metallic
filiE.rs. according to tie color desired.
made up with :su:i, and spirits OF VINE.
Stars and charges alternate UAtil tie
cylinder is full Zach star Bal is dried
and busted with ..IanoWIer before
packing. Tic first charge Of :slnpoW-
der il exploding starts the stellar pro
cession until one after another they
blaze individually and vanish Ike fail
ing stars. Next in order to the fixed
fires come rotating overwhelmingly.
wheels, fire wheels. bisccting wheels,
plural wheels. caprice wheels ana
spiral wheels. all more or less COM
pick.
The colors Of fireworks are Il matter
of chemistry: the no less important mo-
lions that display the beauty of these
colors to the best advantage are mat
ter Of mechanics. The man who ls
first class pyrotechnist is yersed in both
sciences.
The ordinary pinwheel is simple ex-
ample of rotating fireworks. 1t Is a
long case packed with fire compost
ton and wound round a disk of wood.
The outer end of the spiral is primed
with an explosive material. When 1t
is lighted it ''kicks," just as gun does
when the powder explodes in the car
fridge, and round and round flies the
Wheel. mending. out flashes and showers
Of colored or golden fire.
Some Of the most dazzling and glori-
GUS effects in pyrotechnical displays
are produced by rotating fireworks. for
there seems to be no limit to the va
riety Of arrangement of cases and COM
positions to produce multiple motions
and transformation scenes in color In
this class Of fireworks.
A third class comprises the ascending
fireworks. Skyrockets belong to this
class and may be simple or very elab
crate. according to their garniture of
stars, sparks, spirals, serpents or show
ers Of gold or silver rain.
A skyrocket consists Of two parts-a
body and head made separately and
afterward attached to the body. The
body is straight cylinder Of heavy
pasted paper closed at the lower end
SC as to leave only very narrow open.
ing for the escape Of the fire. A cen
trail hollow bore extends three quarters
of the way up the body, and al: about
this is packed the special explosive
composition, the downward recoil of
which sends the rocket rushing swift
" upward, guided and balanced by the
light stick of willow wood. The head
a paper cylinder with conicai top
holds the special composition which is
to form stars. serpents,. spirals or what
not A fuse in the top of the body ex
plodes when the rocket reaches its ut
most height and sets off this compost
ton. the varying color, form and mo
ton of which excite the "Ohs" and
"Ahs!'' of the adniring crowds.
The great spectacular displays com
| bine the several classes-fiXed, rotat
| ing and ascending fireworks.
Temples. trees, ships. portraits. fig
ures of men. beasts and birds. flowers
! shields. and SO forth, are represented
| by suitable frameworks Of wood eithel
wound with coarse cotton rowing;
about two inches in diameter, impreg
mated with certain compositions ant
wet with spirits. or else they have at
tached to them lances or cases of car
fridge paper filled with various com
positions. the whole placed in commu
nication by conduits or small pape
cartridges.-Youth's Companion.
| A Willing Victim.
"a burnt chile breads de fire." sal,