The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-31
Dangerous Explosive Is
Used for Shooting
Oil Wells
CAN'T BE MADE SAFE
Number Of Fatalities Less
Since Automobiles We're
Adopted
by HARVEY " RHODES.
NItroElycCrin--DanEcrousl"


cars used for transporting this dead
" fluid from an obscufoly iocatct
factory, or magazine, TO OIL we'll
that are 10 be nhOt
Yet nitroglyc"tin, most danger
ouH md uumsn6E~1Hio ~ pfhoti,a
explosives, has an absorbing ro
nance. evon though the record of 10
use abuuuds with sauguiuary chap
ters Without It's discovery II may
be quite confidently presumed thai
the worlds oil production would
never have reached tho present level
for no other explosive In tho com.
parotvcly long list can I'll its pccu'
liar place I'm blasting great cavernF
and deep crevices in tho bowels OF
mother earth whore black gold mny
accumulate to be pumped 20 the sur
face for mans use.
Invented or rather first mixed by
n European chemist IN Is4g for
medicinal purposes II has produced
millions OF dollars worth OF petro-
lcum by causing or increasing the
flow form stubborn oil walls,
Its value as an explosive vas dis
covered by accident. Since then, al
though one OF mans greatest wealth.
producing servants 1t has taken a
frightful ton OF human lives q at
wcre snuffed out in less than the
twiukiing OF an eye
Despite its crimson history nitro
giyrerln'a use has steadily Increased
to keep pace with oil development,
to which II is considered lndlspensi-
bic. No way has been discovered to
make Il safe. The subtraction or
any Ingredient renders 10 useless ana
any addition 10 assure snfcty detrncts
from the spontanoity and strength
OF its explosion.
The number OF fatalities caused
by nitroClycerin has decreased IN
recent years. not because Of amy
change In methods OF manufacture,
but through the inflexible ubserv-
ance az added precautions hy those
who mix. transport or explode it,
Its only ingredients are ordinary
glycerln, used universally as a skin
lotion. nitric acid and Hulphurtc acid.
The fusion Of nitric acld and
glycerln, which really provides the
explosive qualities, would he impoS-
sible without sulphurlc acid which
prevents the nitric acid from co1-
sumiug the glycerin, gsd which att
erward is washed out OF tho mix
ture with water. i
The mixing process takes place IN !
large metal vat, in which is Sus-
pended a slowly revolving paddle |
wheel. Extreme care Is taken con-
stantly TO prevent friction, all NOV
ing parts of the machinery that |
might be splashed with glycerin be-
Ing washed frequently with wood al |
cohol which kills the explosive, a
large Thermometer stands inside the !
vat, watched closely by the mixer 30 /
he may know when to stop or re-
sumo pouring acids into the glycer-
in. Many men have paid with their
lives for failure 20 constantly govern
the temperature, the mixture having
exploded from chemically generated
heat.
Nitroglycerinse strength Ia so ter
rifle II can hardly be imagined. Two
quarts would, IL carefully placed,
reduce the Woolworth building to n
pile of debris. Half dozen drops,
or even less. deposited upon an anvil
nnd struck with a slcdge hammer,
would knock the holder OF the ham
mer across the hordcrland OF con-
sciousness and perhaps Kill him out
right. Even one drop might place
him In a hospital,
II is not surprising then to know.
that the explosion OF 200 quarts or
more contained IN . ah0otvrs car
blows small crater in the earth
surface and makes impossible the
finding or moro than enough frag-
ments OF the victims body 10 I'LL
an ordinary cigar DuN.
Contrary to general belief, torpedo
companies, which manufacture and
furnish nitroglycerin for shooting
oil wells. report no shortage of apph-
Canta for positions as shooters, SAL
aries paid to holders OF these hag-
ardous Jobs are only slightly more
than those paid to average office
workers,
Confirmed tatalists abound IN the
shooting profession.
III it's going 10 get me, II Will. and
II Il isn't my time 1T won't" one
shooter tersely remarked when asked
whether he experienced fear when
ever he started TO shoot a well.
Torpedo companies were reluctant
to adopt automobiles for their oper-
ntions and discard horses and
although realizing motor
transportation would increase their
revenue By cutting down the time
spent by shooters On the road. They
at first feared greater speed would
multiply the danger OF explosions
especially on rough roads such as
those which abound IN the OIL tieids
However, the number OF accidents
has been less since carr were used
than before, principally because the
com partmcnts In which the
cargo Is stored are heavier and bet
Ter pAudeu ana less lkNly 20 leak. ]
The 10-quart square cans fit snugly
nto rubber booted pigeonholes. and
underneath this rubber are several
alternating layers Of copper. asbestos
and zinc. Formerly the compart-
uents were lined only with zinc.
which allowed the cans OF nitro
5lycerln a lot Of room in which 20
shake ana Nlhrate, no matter how
close the lit, Iu addition, there
vas a contact Of metal against
can against its coltainer
Ito cause an explosion II the can
'prung a leak. Furthermore, there
Ilways was n likelihood that the box
ike cuntaineu would develop a hole,
hat II would allow a few drops from
, leaky can 10 reach the springs or
lXle--and another horrible fatality
would be added TO ultroglyccrin'
oil
II is said that several nitroglycer-
n explosions have resulted from
combustion, but no
ecord or first-hand tale OF such an
Incident is available Most shooters
Ieclare Il would be a virtual impos-
ibil.ty for this explosive TO go off
rom any cause other than friction,
orce or fire. I
The devastation wrought by a
leavy explosion is so complete that
- exact cause never can be ascer-
alaed, However knowing the pecu-