The Bolivar County Democrat., 1923-11-17
Surplus War Explosive
for Highway Building


of A2ricu-ture.)
Eighteen nIIlIou pJuAus of Sodatel,
a surplus war eApIoslse, Is 10 be dis
trlDuteQ Dy the bureau ot PUBIC ROADS
Oh lne Unlteu States Department oI
Agriculture Tor road DuIIulns and land
gearing purposes. The new supply of
eXpIoSlEe is very SluIdiaf 10 uy uaAite
anu picric acId. 1z,ouU,UOO POUNDS OF
the latter having already been distrlD-
uted 10 road builders and farmers. Inc
only charge naue viii De Tor eartrIds-
Ing ana freight.
Sodatol is a high explosive made
by mixing INT and nitrate of soda.
The cartridges are PACKED in wooden
boxes eacn containing % pounds OF
sodatol. SodatoI is comparatively
sale explosive. While it is more sensI-
tive than INT or plcrIc acid, there IS
no danger whatever IN handling II pro-
vided the ordinary care used in ham
ding dynamite or other explosive is eX-
ercised. 1t will burn without eApIod-
ing, at least in small quantities, and
should not be exposed to ire or halne.
1t can be used in any open air blast
ing operations and VIII not cause
headaches, stain the hands, or cause
other i'll effects. cartridge OF soda
tol, as it has been prepared tor dis
tribution, weighs about seven ounces
and is equal in strength for agrlcul-
tural blasting to the usual cartridge
of dynamite which weighs eight
ounces That is, in 5O-pound box OF
dynamite there are 100 cartridges while
in a 5O-pound box of sodatol there are
about 12O cartridges, each one Of which
is equal in strength to cartridge OF
40 per cent dynamite.
Sodatol will not freeze and will give
good results at all ordinary tempera-
lures. 1t should be stored in a dry
place. The cartridges, as prepared for
distribution, can be left in wet holes
for several hours without being dam
aged by the moisture. In such wet
holes the opening in the cartridge shell
which Is made to admit primer
should be covered with soft soap, axle
grease, or other -prooting mate
rial after the primer has been put in
place.
S0datol can be completely exploded
by a No. cap of either the electric
or the fuse type. The department will
furnish No. 6 blasting caps at the rate
Of approximately one cap for each
pound Of sodatol SO long as the supply
lasts. These will be furnished without
cost except for the freight charges.
On account of the high freight
charges on explosives in small lots, ship
ments Of sodatol cannot be made by
the department in less than carload
lots. To prevent this material from
falling into the hands of spectators,
no individual landowner is permitted
to secure more than 1000 pounds. In
each state, where there is sufficient de-
mand to warrant 1t, some state agency
usually the state agricultural col
lege-handles the distribution within
the state. The same agency handles
the distributing Of the blasting caps.
handling the distribution in any state
can be obtained from county agricul-
tural agents or from the state agricul-
tural college. The Department of Ag-
riculture cannot accept individual or
ders for either sodatol or caps.
Sodatol Is made from surplus war
materials which have been made avail
able by congress for distribution to the
farmers of the country. There is no
charge for the explosive itself but the
cost of preparation and the freight
charges must be paid by the con-
sumer These costs are necessarily
different in various parts of the coun-
try but, in general they amount to
about one-third the cost Of an equiva-
lent amount of dynamite Full nfor-
nation as to the costs in any state may
be secured from the state distributing
agency. For road building purposes
distribution will be made through the
various state highway departments.
For stump and rock blasting, soda
tol can be used in exactly the same
way as dynamite is used. The charges
should be placed in the same manner
and the same number of cartridges
should be used in the charges as in the
case of dynamite For blasting bitches,
the electric method Of firing must be
used.
Detailed instructions as to the use
of explosives in stump blasting are
contained in Department Circular 19l,
'"The Use Of Explosives in Blasting
Stumps," which can be secured by ap-
plication to the office of publications,
Department of Agriculture, Washing
ton, d. G.