Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1890-05-28
THE CANNON EXPLODED.
Unexpected Result of DR.. JUS
tins Experiment.
THE AIR WAS FILLED WITH IRON.

SYRACUSE, y. H., May 2S.--The expert
ment Of firing dynamite shells from
rifed powder gun at Perryville proved to
be a most thrilling exhibition. The big
gun used by DIR. Justin not only burst into
a thousand pieces, hut also narrowly es-
capped killing scores of people Hundreds
Of lives were imperiled and many came
within hairs breadth OF being mangled
to death Thousands of people came to
see the test which promised TO revolution
ize modern warfarn The United States
government sent Commander Jewell, Of
the torpedo station at Newport, the Chi
nese and Japanese governments were rep
resented by Yung Wing. ex-commissloner
Of education, and other officers of the
army we're present to examine into the ex-
periments. There were many ladies'. too
who wanted to see the big gun explode its
dynamite cartridge against the massive
stone cliff
A Picturesque scqne.
Tho scene OF the test WAS In one Of the
most picturesque glens of central New
York The big Bakeley ri flo was mounted
on it's gun carriage in sort Of amphi-
theatre, and the target was the perpendicu-
lar cliff about half mile distant. over
which the water from the hillsides poured
The gun used for the experiment was one
which had served the Confederates during
the war for a Geld piece. The dynamite
shell upon which DR.. Justin bases his pat
ent is inches IN diameter and "A inches
Iona It incases several wooden boxes
containing about sixteen pounds of dyna-
mite. About thirty pounds OF compressed
cannon powder are necessary for each dis
charge.
The Gun Exploded.
Over 1000 people swarmed In the woods
when Or. Justin emerged from his labora-
tory carrying the first charge, and little
later the signal for firing was given Many
took up positions near the big gun, but the
greater portion took TO the bill half a mile
away. In minute more the fuse began 10
burn, and 0 half second later there was a
puff Of smoke Almoet at the same time
an awful report rent the air, and the thou
sands of spectators stood aghast as great
pieces Of steel shot through the air in all
| directions, hewing down trees, ploughing
up the earth, and falling among the people
on the hill. Fortunately everybody sue
ceeded in getting out of the way when the
debris descended One huge piece weigh
| ing over 900 pounds famed boys hal
from his head as il buried itself three fee
in the earth az bis side.
BInny miraculous Escapes.
Down in the ravine the escapes from In
slant death were remarkable and 10 man
cases miraculous Inventor Justin had en-
sconced himself behind q large tree shor
distance away In order TO watch the cours
Of events The breech Of the big gun
whizzed by his head and buried itself in th
ground ten yards away. Mr.. Dennison, 0
Syracuse, one Of the potent lawyers VIII
had secured DR.. Justin hts patent haI
taken refuge with ono or two friends be
hind big stump near the creek Ever
mans hair stood on end as the right arm
Of the rifle shot over their heads, begrim
ing them with powder and dirt in il
flight. An amateur photographer ba
placed his little camera In position an
pulled the slide when the explosion oC
Cured
The poor fellow was scared almost out @
his wits as q huge piece of the breech burie
itself in the earth few feet from him. 4
boy named McNulty, far up the hill, wa
hit in the foot with piece Of the shell.
Found a Mile Away.
Pieces Of the huge jackets were scattere
all over, and also pieces Of the steel she
which inclosed the dynamite cartridge
These pieces were forced into ridges wher
the explosion had flattened them into tn
rifling of the cannon ard several wer
"buckledn or wrinkled by the pressure O
the powder behind. Several pieces Of th
big gun were found a mile away. How sue
an awful explosion could have occuTre
with the woods so full Of people withou
injury to any one seems beyond huma
knowledge
Dr. Justin stiIl Hopes.
DIR. Justin was found looking for portion
Of the shell up the rayine in support OF hi
theory that the powder explosion was frs
and the dynamite she'll a second later. ii
succeeded in finding bRs of the shell nea
the cliff, showing conclusively that the fai
ure of the experiment was in a measure du
to the weakness OF the Bakeley rifle. Sai
DR.. Justin: II don't think my eUperimeu
has failed utterly; the weakness of the shell
as well as the worn out condition Of the oil
gun had much TO do with this afternoon
explosion. The rife markings on portion
Of the shell have found show that th
explosion was, in all probability, caused b
the breaking Of the outer steel casip
through flaws in the metal We shall tryl
l
Was the Experiment Success?
From other sources il is learned that th
shell had evidently burst at the rear enc
not where the dynamite was, and ind
cations of dynamite or of the brass inne
she'll were found near the gun.
On the contrary, piece Of the brass she
and piece of leather with dynamite sti
on i6 were picked up near the target, and
section of the steel bullet, still hot, wa
brought down from the neighboring vi
lage, where 1t had buried itself It is, there
fore, believed that the inner shell contain
ing the dynamite and the steel bullet wer
thrown from the gun and exploded at th
target the explosion throwing the bulle
up over into the village, about mile ava.
A number Of the spectators say they say
the shell, meaning the brass one, strike an
explode at the target If so, the exper
ment was success in spite Of the explosio
Of the gun.
DIR. Justin's Scheme.
DR.. Justin's hopes Of success are base
upon compressed air. The shell inoased
load of dynamite weighing sixteen pound:
which was practically suspended in fir
cushion Of compressed air. When the pow
der explodes the she'll is projected forwar
and the dynamite inside comes back agains
the air cushion. Thus the inertia is ovei
come and the dynamite does not eXplod
until it strikes the object at which 1t
aimed.
Good News for Miners