Connecticut western news., 1871-08-11
THE AMES CANNON.

The Ames wrought iron cannon, which Commodore Hunt of the United States Navy, at Falls Village, are probably the last that will ever be Smade in this region, as the original inventor, and the only man who ever made them is deceased, and the
 ''works" in which they were made have
 passed into the possession of the Housa-
 tonic Railroad company, and are being converted into locomotive and car repair shops for the road. Last Saturday being our regular weekly ''play day" we inn proved the opportunity, by witnessing the firing of one of them. The test to which
 each was subjected was fifteen rounds,
 with 100 pound shells, which instead of
 powder, were loaded with sand. The first
 five ounds were fired with ten pounds of
 powder; the second five, with fifteen
 pounds; and the third five with twenty pounds. The powder used, was Dupont's
 best cannon powder. We were permitted
 to see the manner in which such huge
 charges are packed for transportation.
 They are enclosed in cloth bags, and packed
 in square copper cans, which are covered with box, nailed with tenpenny copper
 nails, and bound with copper hoops.
 We were informed that copper is used for
 the fastenings, on account of its safety
 against igniting the powder. The gun we
 saw tested, weighs seven tons, two hun
 dred and ten pounds, which was brought
 from the ''works" to the place for firing it, about quarter of a mile,-on MT. Elias Scoville's mammouth rock puller drawn by three yoke of oxen. The six cannon
 just tested, vary but little in weight, the one
 mentioned being as light as any of them,
 and lighter than most of them. ....
 They are fired into bank, at distance
 of about forty rods, and the Commodore thought they penetrated to distsnce of about thirty feet in the bank. We admired the courage of the lady who boldly stepped forward and politely requested permission
 to fire the last of the first five rounds of , ten pounds of powder. She did it bravely. Isn't this 8 thoroughly practica! argument : in favor of ''woman suffrage?" Will they not fight our battles for us A dashine } damsel from the rock-crowned hills ot P Cornwall, not to be outdone, gaily tripped s forward and fired shot with fifteen pounds 2 of powder, but with this she couldn't re i main content, and afterward fired one ot ! the heaviest charges of twenty pounds. Y; We take it for granted that these are not f the class of women who faint at the mear
 est tri1e; but we have no idea they wan e to vote If they do, and should ask for tht :, privilege, let's let them do it; who cares 8 Having tincture of the courage of thu :; Irishman who walked boldly up to on, t of the enemy in battle and cut off bi + foot, and when asked by the Captain why l, he didn't cut off his head, said ''fath ant ), be jabbers, his head was already off, we Il seeing that our chance for the display o our remarkable intrepidity, was rapidl. r. passing away, tremblingly grasped the rope It and jerked the percussion fire into the las n1 of the twenty pound charges, and sent tn y last iron bolt into the sand, which comple 7, ted the firing for the day. We heard tn d gun Uery distinctly that time. These gun y have been pronounced by Commodor
 Hunt, ''the best gal1as % the qoorl9." w e wish to acknowledge our obligations | i Messrs Brinton, Landon. and other gentle d men, who had charge of the gun, for coul Il tesies shown us, and information obtaine l. ! of them