The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1921-07-21
Beltrami County's Allotment Of
Picric Acid Will Soon /
Be Disposed of =
ORDERS ALREADY PLACED
FOR OVER 10000 POUNDS
Use Of Picric Acid for Land
Clearing Purposes Promises
to Increase Acreage

Farmers in the cut-over regions Of
Minnesota who have stumps to re-
move are jumping at the opportunity
offered by the government through
the University Of Minnesota to get
leftover explosives with which to do
their stump blasting.
The announcement made last week
that the United States government
had allotted 81 carloads of picric acid
to Minnesota to be distributed among
land-clearing farmers at about half
the price that farmers have been pay
ing for other explosives, was met with
eager interest on the part of the
farmers. AS soon as the word went
out, county agents in the IS counties
to which allotments have been as
signed began to get inquiries. The
meetings being held this week at
county seats and elsewhere to &C
quaint farmers with the opportunity
to secure high grade explosive at
greatly reduced rates. and to acquaint
them with hts use, have been largely
attended. Following each meeting
orders poured in.
Fifty delegates from the various
Farm Bureau units throughout Bel
trami county were present at the pic
rio acid meeting. July 10, at the City
hall, Bemidji. This meeting proved
to be very enthusiastic and after
A. j. Schwantes. land clearing spe-
ciulist, thoroughly explained this new
explosive and compared it with 60
per cent dynamite, orders were placed
for 10, 900 pounds to be Immediately
delivered, while many others said
that hhey would, include their add"
tional orders with other orders from
their farm bureau units to be sent IN
this week.
The Beltrami county land clearing
association is arranging to supply the
No, 8 caps and fuse to be used with
this picric acid explosive at COST the
same as has been done heretofore.
Apparently the allotment OF $1,000
pounds to Beltrami county will all
be taken up Within the coming week
as the low price of SC per pound de-
livered is very attractive to all FARM
ers needing explosives for land clear
ing. :,
The blanks for ordering picric acid
are being distributed through the
Farm bureau units and every effort IS
being made to give all farmers an
to place an order. Ihe
cost of this explosive delivered Is nine
cents per pound. Seven cents for
cartrid ging and two cents for freight
and local handling charges.
Orders must be for even 100 POUNDS
and not to exceed 500 pounds to any
one farmer. ,,
When placing order, check In full
at nine cents per pound should De
attached as tho explosive must %
maid for before it Is shipped.
Picnic acid is high explosive
which was used in large quantities
,bv this and other countries during
tho world war. 1t has been prepared
for distribution by drying and pack
ing in double-dipped paraffined cart
ridges weighing six ounces Ihe
cartridges are packed In wooden
boxes each containing 100 pounds OF
picric acid.
Picric acid Is a comparatively sate
high explosive. 1t is more fnsensl-
rive to shock or impact and to fric-
ton than are tho commercial expio-
siyes, but it is slightly more sensitive
to shock than TINT. Picnc acid is
difficult to ignite and will burn, at
least in small quantities without ex-
ploding. However, picric acid Is a
high explosive and as such should Do
treated with great respect. It should
not be exposed to fire or fames anu
no metals should be allowed TO come
in contact with 1t.
So far as ordinary handling is con-
cerned, picric acid has no toxic Ell
fects. It can be used in any open air
blasting operations and will not cause
headaches or other i'll effects.
A cartridge of picric acid, as IL has
been prepared for distribution,
weighs about six ounces and IS apour
equal in strength to an eight-ounce
cartridge of the commercial dynamite
used for agricultural blasting: Ihat
Is, six ounces of picric acid Will 40 ap-