The Howard union. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-20
Singular Freak of a Monomaniao.

A New York correspondent thus depicts
the freaks of an inmate Of lunatic asylum
Has anybody noticed the miniature fort
OF the top Of Blackwel's Island, to the north
of the Lunatic Asylum II is the work Of
an insane man, who has spent half his life
upon it. He lost his mind in Mexico, or
somewhere where high privates were in de-
mand, and just escaped beng Mr.. Arm
strong, or Mr.. Parrot, or Mr.. Whitworth,
by going crazy.
Gunnery was what allied him-and for
LITIGATION.
He was found TO be quite hopeless, and,
obedient TO his monomania, they gave him
: ntrenching tools, and told MIN to fortily the
island.
He took The geographical and geological
bearings of it with the accuracy of West
Pointer, and concluded that any attack up
: on it would come from the Sound. So he
devised seacOast battery, with bomb proof,
u approached by dyke with sluices and gates,
u and mounting heavy ordnance.
! There never was a more patient worker
y for humsnity or patriotism than this poor
10 added head. Nobody else being insane up
&c on the same point, he could get no assist
3 ance. All the other monomaniacs had oil
/ on the brain, or poetry, or capital punish
: ment, or negro suffrage, and were quite as
g devoted and jealous as he upon their sew.
70 eral claims.0
So the old soldier, with long sigh and G
+ brave heart, took up his single shovel and
J commenced to build The whole fort by him
lie self
e. He wheeled barrow after barrow Of eartf
D. into the sea, Juggling from morning to night
SO until at last he raised narrow causeway
from the mainland to rock at the end OF {
ID long sand bar. With pebbles and shells
81 and stones from the river, he walled thu
al causeway until it became permanent. AL
1t this was not q months or a years work
ne year after year passed over his gray hairs
er but he kept on wheeling, wheeling Th
TO great city on the greater island required pro
us lection, and he was making its egis. S
ca he went on like the men who threw up til
'e' Charleston redoubts, and for fear that h
" might be late to his task, he left his bed j
a' the asylum altogether, and built himself
lie lonely hut close 10 his place of labor. Her
he slept and dwelt in the company of hi
&C. assuring conscience only; and when at las
'a' his path was done, he set 10 work at hi
VI fort.
GU. The result of all those years is before u
~ His battery is sodded green, with parape
y. beam, ditch, magazine, revetments, abatti
po,' and it mounts mock or quaker guns upo
I'm carriages of capital construction, looking u
'ns the sound towards He'll Gate, like real al
Nv biters of dominion.
~ The old lunatic is and failing br
iiu he is not satisfied. His fort is done, b
i'" not his whole duty. So he has projected
'"' water battery and sea-wall around the el
' tire island, and means 10 bring 10 bear upc
Nv it all the knowledge of Vauban and Tod
'0' ben. When the island is impregnable
oe' will wrap his mantle about him md die
~ ~ his battery.
Tvs For the truth Of all this story, let anybo'
Gil, passing up the East river look upon 4
Of island tip, and see an old man ditching al
0u building, and the little fort close by HI
l0n' bristling with popguns