New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-27
DIR. JUSTIN'S GUN EXPLODES,
THE INVENTORS SECOND EXPERIMENT
ENDS DISASTROUSLY.
HE FIRES ONE SHOT SUCCESSFULLY, HowEvEBs
SCORES OF LIVES IN DANGER WHEN TILE
GREAT GUN BURST INTO FRAGMENTS.
IBY TELEGRAPH TO THE -RiBUSE.1

lbf TELE0hfH 10 The shbUNEJ
Rome n. Y, Aug. 26.--The private trial Of
DR.. Justin's dynamite she'll at Perryvile, Madison
County, this afternoon, resulted in terrible ex-
ploson when the last shot was fired. The big
gun, weighing l0,500 pounds, blew into .
thousand pieces. Two cartridges containing dyna.
mite were fired The first one was great sue
cess, and the second complete failure. There
many miraculous escapes. The gun that
exploded to-day purchased by DIR. Justin
about month ago from the South Boston Iron
Works, Boston. The gun is nine-inch Blakely
rifle, similar in style to the one that exploded
at the last experiment on May q.
The trial this afternoon was intended to be .
private affair." but over 300 people were pres
ent. A special train left Canastota at l o'clock
and arrived at Perryville about | 80. It was
about ? o'clock when everybody had reached u
safe distance from the gun on the hillsdes, and
DIR. Justin gave the warning. At 2 IL the gun
was loaded with twenty pounds Of powder. that
was fired for the purpose Of clearing out the gun.
Immediately after the firing of the gunpowder .
dummy shell filled with sawdnst and earth.
weighing 275 pounds, was fired from the gun by
thirty pounds of powder. This was done TO test
the gun, as it. had not been used since the Civil
War. The gun was found to be in perfect or
der and a shell weighing 275 pounds and con-
tanning IA 1-2 pounds of dynamite carried
to the bore. In short notice the shell was put
into the gun, and everything was ready about
o'clock for the firing of the dynamite shell.
The gun charged with thirty pounds Of
powder for this shot, it was for the discharge OF
the dummy. Or. Justin lit the fuse and ran to
the bomb-proof, where he secreted himself. Most
Of the spectators were on the hills, about mile
away, but many were within 200 or 300 feet Of
the gun behind trees. The fuse burned two min
utes, and then a loud report was heard crack
ling and crashing quickly followed 1t was the
explosion of the. shell on the rock. 1t was On
interesting sight, and even before the sounds OF
the crash had died ont the crowd began TO cheer
DR.. Justin. For over half an hour he was busy
receiving congratulations.
In the meantime DIR. Justns assistants had
prepared the second shell with IA l-2 pounds OF
dynamite This shell also weighed .275 pounds
and was fired by thirty pounds of powder. To
the surprise of all the gun exploded, flying in all
directions and endangering many lives. Nearly
hundred narrow escapes were reported. Three
or four large parts of the gun were thrown away
I'D into the village of Perryville, over mile and
a half from the gun. The explosion caused much
surprise The first shell was the most perfect
! one of the two, and it is thought that II the
shells had been made wholly of forged steel there
would have been no explosion Forged steel was
those present were Lieutenant L. p. Davidson, OF
| Oswego; and O. G. Stables, proprietor of the
| Willard House Washington, d. G.