Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1881-11-09

they deemed it prudent to jog along.
Deer came ont and sought the CON-
panionship of cattle and horses, and
paid no attention to persons rushing
past theM.-HetrotI Free Press.
CASTING A MONSTER GUN.
A Ball to be Ihroun T'Welce Miles
An immsnse gun was cast at the
Scott Iron Works October "A. The
claim is that it will work revolution
in gunnery. 1t is twenty-five feet long
and warranted to throw a shot dozen
miles. 1t is known as the Lyman
Haskell accelerating or multicharge
gun. The casting was a success and
was witnessed by Q number Of visitors
from other cities
The Scott Works, are under tie con-
troll of the Reading Iron Company and
occupy nearly block on North
Eighth street. During the rebellion
many of the heapifst oannen used by
the Northern army were cast and fin
ished at these works and tested on the
proving grounds several miles below
Reading. The reputation of the works
became widespread, and their recent
construction If the N 1st powerful cot
ton presses in the world has added
much to their fame. Superintendent
John G.. West, of the works, had di-
rect charge of the casting. At two
O'Clock this morning two reverberat-
ing furnaces In the foundry were
charged with $4,000 pounds of iron.
This iron was cold-blast charcoal ma
teriaI from four different iron furnaces
in this section. The flask containing
the immense mould was placed up
right in one of the deep gun pits that
was used in casting cannon during war
times The patterns and mould were
constructed here after drawings fur
nished by the inventors.
THE CASTING
The casting began at three o'clock.
Both furnaces were tapped at the same
time. The molten iron from one was
conducted in an iron trough, lined with
clay, to the mould, and that from the
other was tapped into large iron
ladle attached to crane and from
this poured into the mould. The met
al from one furnace ran down through
an opening between the flask and the
mould to the breech, while that from
the other furnace ran down in the
same manner on the opposite side OF
the mould They mingled together at
the bottom and rose until the mould
was entirely filed. Six minutes were
consumed in the casting. The section
of the gun cast to-day measured fifteen
feet one and half inches. The re-
naming section will be cast later.
During the casting Professor Hart
well, of the Scientific Amert an. took
a Photographic view Of the scene, in
cluding the huge ladle, vhith has n
capacity Of eleven tons Of metal The
inventor exhibited the drawings aud a
large wooden model of the gun, and
explained the power oftbe penetration
of the accelerating cannon. The cast
ing was satisfactory throughout and
the metal will have to remain in the
mould some time, probably two weeks,
before it is cool 1t will then be taken
out TO the machine shop and finished
up, to be taken to Sandy Hook for an
official trial
HOW THE GUN WILL BE LOADED.
When finished the gun will be
| twenty-five feet long and have a bore
of six inches in diameter. Along the
bore four pockets are located, in each
of which a charge Of powder will be
placed, which will be discharged at
the proper periods, with view Of ac-
celebrating the speed Of the ball after it
has left the chamber in the gun and
during it's rapid progress through the
bore. The charge of powder necessary
is reckoned at one hundred and thirty
pounds and the weight Of the shot one
hundred and fifty pounds. 1t is con-
fidently claimed by the inventors that
the ball can be thrown distance OF
ten or twelve miles and that it can be
forced through solid mass Of wrought
iron two feet thick. The greatest di-
ameter at the breech is twenty six
inches The inventors are j. r. Has.
keli, Of Passaic, n. D., and Of lis
Broadway, New York and A. S. Ly-
man, also OF New York. Both men
are wel-known inventors and have
made the subject Of ordnance study
Mr. Haskell was present at the casting
to-day. He says that the theory ol
this invention is the gradual accumu.
lation of velocity or power by a sue
cesson Of charges of powder exploded
behind the projectile as it passes along
the bore of the gun. The inertia o.
the shot is first overcome by msder
ate charge Of coarse-grained, slow
burning powder and then repeated
charges Of quick-burning powder arc
applied in succession until greatly
increased velocity is attained