Year: 1876

sion followed.


"Now I'll burn little, to show that it
will not explode from fire.


The fragments were gathered into a
little pile, several whole and broken cyl.
inders were lain on, for good measure,
apparently, and the powder man coolly
stopped over the heap, containing dyna-
mite enough to lay in ruins any house in
st. Louis, and, striking match applied
it to the substance. The flame caught,
slowly at first, rapidly afterward, now on
a little projection, then on round surface,
until tho whole pile was burning with
fierce pink fame and intense brilliancy,
and such great heat that no one could
stand within dozen feet of it. For sew
eral minutes it hissed and glowed, and then
subsidcd, leaving rock-like residue, which
speedily hardened to the similitude Of
white quartz. Though the Kissing was
tremendous, and the light aud heat over
powering, there was not the faintest ex-
plosion. Mr. Julian stated that in the
burning of the meter ten thousand pounds
of dynamite burned without an explosion,
and that the company he represents lost
two thousand pounds by the burning of
the jersey City warehouse the other day,
no explosion attending either calamity.


After showing that it could not be ham
mered into explosion nor persuaded to go
off by any other way than comparatively
slow combustion, Mr.. Julian proceeded to
demonstrate that when frozen it could not
be exploded even with illuminate cap and
fuse. 4 stick of dynamite was suitably
prepared by a little boring with penknife
to receive the cap and fuse the latter was
lighted the cap went off with sharp re.
port but the chunk of explosive was found
cracked and broken by the explosion of
the cap, but otherwise unchanged.


In order finally, to prove that the ma.
terial could be exploded, the dynamite
man took II portion of an unfrozen cart
ridge, which he carried in his pocket, and
the lockers on could not fail to be impress. !
ed with the small size of the piece, and
the effect the operator seemed to expect
from it. After preparing the dynamite,
the illuminate cap and the fuse, and after
warning the Others to get at respectful
distance, he placed the charge beneath the !
river bank, among some large, loose stones,
lighted the fuse, and, hastily scrambling
up the bank, he " lit out at his best pace,
which was fully cqualled by that of the
other eager scientists


A safe distance was attained, and after |
moments pause, an explosion like that |
of FOUNDER was heard under the
bank, the earth trembled, and stones and |
dirt flew up vigorously. Examination re-
vealed the fact that the blocks Of stone
were thrown hither and thither, large
quantity of dirt from the bank had been
shaken down, and quite noticeable effects
had resulted In answer to the inquiry as
to whether the unfrozen dynamite was la
bic to explode from an accidental spark,
Mr.. Julian simply took long cartridge
of unfrozen substance, and, lighting one
end of it with match, held it in his hand .
while burning. The Globe. Democrat man
anxious to distinguish himself, reached for
it, and, holding it till the burning drops
of fluid fell on his hand, passed it over to
another.


Subsequent inquiries revealed the fact
that dynamite, though having eight times
the explosive force of guupowder, is re-
garded by all the railroad companies as
perfectly harmless, being shipped as ordi-
nary freight over all American roads. The
principal factory of the Atlantic Giant
Powder Company is at Drakesvillc, New
Jersey, and there is branch factory in
California, The use of it in this country
is much more general among miners than
is usually supposed, as may be judged by
the sale in Missouri which amounts to
more than fifty thousand pounds year.
Mr.. Julian thinks that the Thomas explo.
sion was not caused by the fall of the cask,
but that there must have been illuminate
caps prepared, and the sudden jar to the
clock-work caused the explosion of these,
and consequently of the dynamite. 1t has
been stated that dynamite cartridges are
prepared with illuminate cap ready for
explosion, but this is absurd. No factory
in the world would run the risk Of manu-
featuring such cartridges. lFt 4