Hell Swazey Breaks up the Dance 



A true dynamite story which shows how an im- 

 portant fact about nitro-glycerine was discovered 



By Hudson Maxim 



This story, which tells how the fact that nitro-glycerine can be made safe simply 

 by freezing it was discovered, is taken from Hudson Maxim's recently published 

 "Dynamite Stories." The author's impression of Popular Science Monthly is 

 printed on page 321. He is the inventor of the smokeless powder used in the 

 navy, one of the foremost authorities on explosives in the world, a distinguished 

 inventor, and a prominent member of the Naval Consulting Board. — EDITOR. 



A BOUT the first use of nitro-glycerine in 

 J-\ the United States as a blasting agent 

 on a large scale was in the construc- 

 tion of the Hoosac Tunnel in Massachu- 

 setts, on the Boston and Albany Railroad. 



A chemist by the name of Professor 

 Mowbray believed that the main trouble 

 with nitro-glycerine had been that it was not 

 sufficiently purified in its manufacture. He 

 induced the builders of the Hoosac Tunnel 

 to try his product. 



He put it up in tin cans, which held about 

 a quart. For transportation these were 

 carefully packed in cotton flannel. 



The method of using the dynamite was 

 to pour it into holes drilled in the rock, 

 inserting an exploder cap and fuse in the 

 usual manner. At that time it was popular- 

 ly supposed that if nitro-glycerine or dyna- 

 mite were allowed to freeze, it became very 

 highly sensitive and would explode on the 

 slightest jar. Stories were prevalent that 

 the sound of a fiddle would explode it. 



One day there came an urgent call from 

 the east end of the Tunnel for more nitro- 

 glycerine. Professor Mowbray had in his 

 employ a care-free and fear-free fellow by 

 the name of Helton Swazey. When Swazey 

 was sober, he was the soul of good nature, 

 but when drunk, which was very frequently, 

 he was as savage as a hungry cougar. This 

 peculiarity earned Helton Swazey the nick- 

 name of Hell Swazey. 



It was a very cold winter day when the call 

 came, and Professor Mowbray, learning 

 that Hell Swazey was going over the 

 mountain that very evening to attend a 

 dance, asked him if he would not take over 

 the nitro-glycerine with him. A hot-water 

 bag was placed with the nitro-glycerine and 

 all was wrapped in a heavy blanket to 

 protect it from Jack Frost. The shipment 

 was placed in the back of Swazey's sleigh. 



His best girl, whom he took with him, 

 did not know the nature of the cargo. 



The nine-mile ride over the mountain 

 was very cold. Swazey kept himself warm 

 by imbibitions from a flask of liquid caloric, 

 and to keep the young woman warm he 

 took the blanket and the hot-water bag 

 from the nitro-glycerine for her comfort, 

 leaving the explosive to the mercy of the 

 below-zero weather. 



When Swazey arrived at the dance-hall 

 to join in the frolic, he was in so ugly and 

 meddlesome a mood that he was promptly 

 put out of the hall, followed by his woman 

 companion. Swazey was mad all through. 

 He went to the sleigh, and taking an armful 

 of the cans of nitro-glycerine, returned to 

 the hall. Opening the door he proceeded to 

 hurl them at the merrymakers. 



One can struck upon the stove and 

 glanced across the room. Cans smashed 

 against wall, ceiling and floor. 



When Hell Swazey turned up for duty 

 the next morning. Professor Mowbray had 

 already heard of the escapade, but he was 

 filled with marveling why the nitro-glycerine 

 had not exploded, particularly as it must 

 have been frozen very hard. 



When Swazey entered the presence of the 

 Professor, he expected to be discharged. 



To his amazement. Professor Mowbray 

 appeared to be very much interested and 

 pleased, tapping his forehead with his 

 finger, smiling and nodding and muttering 

 to himself, "Good; good; splendid!" He 

 interrogated Swazey carefully, to be assured 

 that the nitro-glycerine was frozen hard, that 

 it had been thrown hard, that it had struck 

 hard, and that it had not exploded. 



That very night there was mailed at the 

 North Adams Post Office an application 

 for a patent for freezing nitro-glycerine to 

 make it safe to handle. 



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