Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-11
ANOTHER WAR TERROR
Shown by Two Practical Tests to Be
a Pronounced Success.
MONSTER PROJECTILES OF DEATH,
DR.. Justins Big Dynamite Shells Are Fear
fully Destructive.
RESULTS OF THIS NEW EXPERIMENT


ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DTsPATCH.l
SYRACUSE, Sept. 10.-Dr. Joel G. Justin
the inventor of the dynamite cartridge, by a
practical test of his invention at Perryyille,
Madison county to-day, proved its value to
the science of ordnance. Since Dr. Justin's
disastrous experiments he has confined his
attention more closely to the mechanical
construction of the projectile of which he is
the inventor. The shells first used were
rough and imperfect in their construction
and weak in some parts, where they should
have been strong,
The doctor was certain that the principle
was all right at all times, but the failures
made forced him to acknowledge to him
self that he was ignorant of the action of
the shell when it was being projected from
the gun. To this problem he addressed
himself, and the results of the experiments
to-day satisfied him that he had solved it.
In the experiments made a perfected she'll
was used. Three shots in all were fired,
two of them from a five-inch Parrott rifle
and one from an eight-ineh Blakley gun.
The range over which these were thrown
was about half mile in length and termi-
mated at great wall of limestone rock.
HEAVILY CHARGED SHELLS.
The two five-inch shells we're the first
thrown. These were loaded with Al ounces
of nitro-gelatine each. Seven pounds of
powder was used in the gun. The powder
in the gun was exploded by means OF cleo
tricity. On the first discharge there was a
puff of smoke, followed by a deafening roar
as the shell was sent spinning against the
limestone wall. There it rebounded several
hundred feet into the air and gilt
tered in the sunlight. 1t then fell into the
bed of the creek in the bottom of the ravine,
without having been exploded.
As it has been the object of the inventor in
making these experiments to get the shell to
shot was looked upon as the most successful
of all, as it did not explode after having
been driven with such terrific force against
the rocks. The second small shell was fired
with like success, though it landed in soft
earth below the rock ledge where the other
shell had struck. This shell did not eI-
plode, and when recovered, the nitro-gela-
tine and the inner chamber of the shell were
found to be in the same condition as when
loaded into the shell.
A MONSTER PRoJECTILE.
The grand display, however, was when
the large shell was thrown from the Blakely
gun. This contained $50 pounds of nitro
gelatine, and was expelled from the gun by
so pounds of powder. The first puff of
smoke from the gun had not time to rise
foot before the monster projectile struck
the target. The she'll was seen to strike
first and then the roar of the cannon was
heard. Then great rocks, boulders earth and
shrubs filled the air in the vicinity of the
target. Following this was heard the second
report, that of shell exploding.
The sight vas about two seconds more
rapid than the transmission of sound in
each instance, so that the effects OF the shot
could be seen before the explosion was
heard The explosion of the $50 pounds Of
nitro-gelatine dislodged about II tons of
limestone rock, which rolled down into the
ravine, tearing up the small trees in its path
by the roots.
away when three rousiDg cheers were sent
up by the spectators for DR.. Justin and his
shell. Another experiment will be made
during the present month, at which there
will be delegation from the Italian Gov
ernment and from our own Government.