The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1869-02-12
A Terrible Inyenfinn

SOME months ago mechanical geni-
us, whose name we are not at liberty to
disclose, told us he had an idea which
he was endeavoring. TO "worl out" by
which very little army could be made
Irresistible against any number of enc
mics. He promised TO let us have tho
benefit Of the idea If he found that it
could be made practicable. Since then
he has diligently worked at it every
evening, Sundays not excepted, bring
ing 1t "out," as he calls 1t.
During these months his distracted
air, his isolation, the constant success
ion of hopes and fears about the success
Of his project, which would be visible
ON his face for days together, led many
of his neighbors to imagine that lie was
moro or less crazy. He brought his
long and absorbing labors to success
ful termination about four days ago,
and lad the qualification of testing tho
utility of his perfected idea, with the
most complete evidence of its practical
bility.
The invention consists of range of
guns of 0.90 bore and about forty inches
long, mounted on carriage of very
simple structure, TO be hauled by one
horse. The width of the carriage be-
tween the wheels is six feet. The gun
barrels, twelve in number, are arranged
apparently parallel to each other upon
this carriage. We say apparently, for
their line of fire is not strictly parallel,
but divergent, so that at three hundred
yards distant the twelve bullets sweep
line of about thirty feet. They are
ranged at equal distances from each
other, except In the middle, where there
is space of ten inches into which Is
placed telescope of considerable pow
er, and nice arrangement for adjust
ing the guns in taking aim. This con-
trivance enables the operator to send a
bullet through the bulls eye at sixteen
hundred yards nine times out Of ten.
The tubes themselves are rilied, are
double the strength of ordinary rifles
and are made strong at the breech by
band six inches broad and one-sixth
thick. They are all loaded at the breech
The breech pieces are all connected by
a rod, which is attached to . crank, one
turn of which opens and shuts all the
breech pieces, and loads the pieces, for
the breech pieces by this motion, are
brought in contact with twelve tubes,
placed Immediately over the breeches,
and containing the cartridges, thesame
| f.iI n Ia
tube and inserting it with precision in
its place in the gun. The guns are ma
ready for firing by as simple and rapid
a motion as the turning of crank
They are fired by another slightmotion
which drives twelve needles, inserted
in the breech for the purpose, into the
illuminate with which the cartridges
are covered. So simple, sure and rapid
are these movements, that twenty-sev-
en- rounds were fired in sixty-three sec.
onds, yesterday, at the place of trial,
out on the Hyde's Ferry Pike.
The cartridges are four inches in
length, and do not entirely explode un-
til the ball is about half way out of the
Darrel, an effect which is produced by
a nice arrangement of the material of
which they are composed. Except the
bullet the whole cartridge is combusti-
BILE, and leaves nothing behind when
fired off. The gun will send ball
three miles. The aim is always good
at 1000 yards. AT a trial yesterday
line of plank six inches broad was rails.
ed four feet from the ground and fred
at fifteen hundred yards distant, and
out of sixty shots fred forty-seven
went through and six others left marks
on the edges of the plank.
The inventor is confident that Il regi-
ment of soldiers mile and half dis.
tant could be all killed by one of these
POllyferri (the name he has given them
in four minutes. In the hands of au
intelligent, steady operator al least
ninety per cent. of the balls fired viii
: take effect. The whole affair when il
fighting trim weigs but five hundred
pounds, and is intended to be hauled Y
one horse and worked by two men, o. u
to drive and the other to operate. T.'a
loading apparatus is so arranged tha i
can be detached in moment, when the
other part Of the deadly engine beco's
perfectly useless. One Of them Cal hr
finished off complete, with horse, rt''.,
for $1,000.
The inventor, young mech,Dic,
feels jubilant at the great success Wiu.n
attended the first trial of his impUr'.ni
production, which cost him so muty
months toll and all the means which a.
had at his command. He go,~ ~
Washington in about a week to push
his fortune and TO revolutionize the nlt