White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-06-25
Dangers of Dry Cell
Batteries for Blasting

Batteries for Blasting
1t is generally conceded that firing
explosives for blowing out stumps
and boulders, making bitches, and the
hundred and one purposes for which
explosives can be used, is best
effected by the electric method. The
advantages Of electric firing are nu-
merous. To name only a few-the
elimination of hang fires, the control
of the exact time of firing the shot,
reduction in risk of starting forest
fires, and simultaneous firing of sew.
arai blasts may be mentioned.
One of the drawbacks Of electric
firing is the necessary expense of the
leading wire to enable the blaster to
get to safe distance from the blast,
and OF the blasting machine or bat
terry for supplying the necessary cur.
rent. Blasting machines supplied by
the manufacturers of explosives cost
from SIS up, depending upon their ca
pacity. The average farmer has con-
siderable use for dynamite, but he
usually manages to do all his blast
ing inside Of a month or two each
year. Having to spend SIS for a
blasting machine. If he desires to
shoot his explosives by the electric
method, strikes him as unnecessary
when he can get dry cells for 40 cents
or so cents apiece. 1t is usually
necessary to connect five or six Of
the common size dry cells in order to
produce enough voltage to overcome
the resistance of two or three blast
ing caps and the necessary leading
wire, but even so, this apparatus does
not cost very much and sometimes
can be obtained already assembled.
A battery Of dry cells may fire the
charge satisfactorily when the cells
are fresh but 1t Is far from safe, be-
cause It's terminals or binding posts
are alive. whereas the binding posts
on blasting machine are dead e1-
cept at the moment 1t Is being oper-
ated. With blasting machine, when
farmer connects the wires and oper-
ates the machine, II for some reason
the blast does not fire, he can go over
the wiring and safely mend any
breaks he may find without detach-
Ing the leading wires from the blast
Ing machine, provided there Is no
one around to tamper with the ma
chine. With a dry cell battery, 1t is
different. II he forgets to disconnect
the leading wires and goes near the
charge, finds break in the wiring
and makes the connection, the shot
will fire and he Is likely to be killed.
In fact, number OF accidents have
happened in this way which have re-
suited In an unjustihed fear Of dyna-
mite when fairly the blame could be
attached only to the use of dry cell
battery and carelessness.
Some of these dry cell batteries
assembled in metal cases have caused
premature explosions by an acct
dental contact between one wire and
the metal case when the case was
wet and the other wire was already
connected to one binding post. There
Is more than one instance where a
blaster with one wire connected to
one binding post and the other in his
hand, has allowed the free wire acct
dentally to touch the case and has
been killed by the resultant explo-
sion.
Blasting machines are sometimes
extemporized on the farm from dry
cells and switches Of various kinds,
but these are never safe as blasting
machines scientifically made and
tested by the manufacturers of explo-
sives. Even spring switches are not
infallible as they are likely to fail
to function and cause an accident by
being short-circuited.
A regular blasting machine Is q
mechanical device entirely. There
are no chemicals in 1t and the cleo
tricity is generated by converting
the muscular power Of the man to
electrical power through the magnetic
or dynamo. While 1t may cost a
little more than dry cells, 1t is more
than worth the difference on account
OF It's greater length OF life and the
much greater safety to the operator.
The 1925 enrolment OF 276 boys
and girls in club work In agriculture
and home economics Is the largest
ever obtained in Adams county. The