The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-26

came near losing my lie ana tue i'st tor-
pedo attempted 10 shoot viii always re-
member. On the afternoon OF January Is,
1876, we received word that NJ u Co.
wished forty-quarter at well No. 81. That
night I tobk the shell over TO the well,
which was near Elk City and only few
miles from our factory, and successfully
lowered ii into the hole. The cap and wire
by which we explode the torpedo got out OF
order. and after tinkering around the hole
for half an hour with the sweat standing in
beads on our foreheads we decided that IL
would be best to draw the shell out. We
did so and found that the she'll had broken,
leaving all the explosive at the bottom Of
the hole. Nothing could be done but to
Procure another shell and explode them
both at onaf. The next night we were to
be back again. As turned into the by
way that led 10 our retreat | saw one OF
Roberts's spies on the watch and knew
we would have q race for it /; we shot ihst
well. Luckily we had excellent sleiShing,
and the danger OF an explosion OF the road
was. therefore, slight. At II O'Clock we
fastened another forty-quarter beneath b
the sleigh, with swinging rubber bands,
that kept il from the slightest jar. We
drove out into the road and stopped our
two piancing bays, that stood sixteen hand.
and could wbirl sleigh along the road in
2:40. Ju-t around the corner Of a derrick
noticed The shadow OF the spy. and, turn
ing my borses in the opposite direction
from the well ! wished TO shoot, gave
them the reigns and away we went. A.
we started, the spy with single horse and
cutter swung out into the road and fol-
lowed. Neither OF us had bcll>, we were
ont on business, not pleasure.
ARTDE WITH A TORPEDO.
"On, on we travelled until we bad
covered ten miles and the >py was half
mile in the rear. Dropping down into a
hollow | turned sharply into the woods,
Sprang out and held my horses by the br-
dies. On came the spy and passed, swear
ing and lashing his bor.e. up and over the
brow Of the next hill. Then out INTO the
road again W. went and back over the road
we came, and at A. VI. we arrived at the
well. The torpedo was taken from lis
reSting.p place, Il good laugh was had over
RObens'S 0he torpedo Isince'sO spy.
a drink OF liquor was refused, for as much
as torpedo men may drink at other times,
tnfy never do so when about to maxi shot.
Then we prepared to make the shot, ana the
question was raised a. to the forty quarts III
W
lower another she'll on top Of this One OF
the drillers proposed that we sand.pump the
stun out before we put IN the other shot.
The saud.pump is a hollow tnbe that Is run
to the bottom to take ont the stray sand.
water. etc. II was new and nOyal idea.
and at first nOne Of us realized The danger.
The sand.pump was rigged up and run TO
the bottom. II filled and we prepared TO
draw if. Then / thought OF the danger
Tie nltrO.glycerine would cling 10 the out
side OF the pump, and in rapidly ascending
these PARTICLES exploding would explode the
shell and likely Kill all in the derrick. |
then thought OF means that would he sure
delth if 1t exploded, but 10y which it
would be less liable 10 explode. Tine hole
in The casing is about six inches in diameter,
and if the rope that was TO draw the pump
up was steaded exactly in the centre OF the
hole we might escape. sent all the men
out OF the derrick, took hold on the rope
and told them TO start her Slow | never
felt that a man held his life in his hand rs |
did then. heard the wheel creak, the rope
startcd-slowly at first, but it increased In
velocity a. it neared the top. Never did |
appreciate steady nerves as then. To let
that rope sway TO on e side or the other an
inch meant dreadful death for me, so |
stood there, holding my arms at a tension
that aImos. made the blood start from my
head. on 10 one side stood the men. their
shadowy forms appearing and disappearing
in the meagre light that came from the
boiler.house. The rope, IN passing through
my hands, burned them, tore the flesh from
my bones, but still held on.
DANGEROUS UNDERTAKINGS
"The pump in coming mp would careen
slightly to this side and that, and the snap,
snap of the PARTICLES along the sides every
now and then made my hair literally stand
on end with .the imminence OF death.
Close and closer came the pump, fast and
faster run the rope, and in the short space
of a minute | lived a score OF years. My
clothes clung to my body, clanmy sweat
stood on my brow, my teeth clencbed.
Almost fainting from the tension, stood
like marble statue and could only gasp
Stop her. The pump came in sight, the
men seized it, / was safe. and fell to the
floor OF The derrick in a dead faint. After
awhile | recovered, the well was shot by
INV companion and we drove back 10 the
factory. Yes, that was my last experience
as moonllghter. | quit the business the
following dly, thankful that | had escaped
wit N my life -