Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-06-09
THEY INVENTED ARMoRED CARS.
Chilians Get Their Idea From Two Wide
Awake Americans.

10 hedT-AumlTdl james Ia. JOutOb duu
Lieut.. w. w. Kimball, of the United
States steamship Tennessee, which went
to Aspinwall in 1885 in company with
the fleet of the North Atlantic Squadron
to attend TO the American shipping in
terestS at that point which were threat
ened by the Columbian insurrectiOn, be-
longs the distinction of having invented
and fitted up the first armOred railway
engine and cars for use in warfare
along the line of the railway. The idea
OF these two American naval officers
seems to have been seized upon by the
Chilians. who rugged up a similar train,
consisting of an engine and cars armed
with cannon and rifle, as recently told
in the columns of the New York
World, the discharge OF which
created great havoc and damage
among the ranks Of the Government
troops, who were not prepared for such
an unexpected onslaught. 1t was
claimed that the idea was original with
the Gillian insurgents, but reference
to the printed reports Of Lieut.. Kim
ball, on file in the Navy Department,
Bureau of Navigation, Office of Naval
Intelligence, for the year 1885, disprove
the claim.
Cartagena was in the hands OF the
Nationalist under Santo Domingo VIA,
beSieged by the RevolutiOnistS about
about 5000 strong under Gen. Gaitan.
The Panama Railroad and Pacific Mail
property was guarded in ASpinwall by
the leading force of the Galena, of the
North Atlantic squadron, and at Pan
81 GhananHn9h Relief
trains had been run over the road TAX
ng refugees from and bringing food to
ASpinwall, but the transit was percar-
iouS and the superintendent OF the road
declined to attempt regular traffic until
protection was assured. On the even
ing OF April 10 orders were issued by
the cOmmander-in-chief tor the landing
of force sufficient for opening and
maintaining the transit and protecting
all American interests upon the road.
Orders were given to fit up two hat
cars with steel bullet-prOof breast
works, gun platforms, ETC., and this
work was done under the direction OF
the two officers first named, who fur
nished the designs. ASpinwall had
been burned and the flagship had been
ordered 10 proceed from Colon to
Panama, and it was while on this trip
that the idea of constructing the hrSt
irOnclad railway cars was put into
practical operation, and the result
reached its fruition in the yards OF the
Panama Railroad Company under the
direction Of Mr.. Mr.. George A. Burt,
the railway superintendent, who fur
nished the material and the men and
the quarters in which the cars were
armOred.
These cars were intended for post
duty in case Of regular opposition by
the revolutioniStS, as we'll as for the
patrol OF the line after the transit was
opened, thus showing that it was the
same idea in mind as that of the
CHILEAN RevolutionistS that the cars
were fitted up and sent out. Following
is a description of the cars, as taken
from the official reports of the govern
ment:
Stancions standing A inches above the
floor of the car were firmly wedged in
the sockets, and inside them were
placed one-half inch steel boiler plates
40 inches wide. The bottom edges OF
the plates were held in place by cleats
running the length of the cars, and the
top edges by iron clips depending from
bolts passed through the heads Of the
stancions in the two inches of head that
projected above the plate. The clips
were held hard against them by nuts
upon the bolts. The ends of the car
were too wide for the steel plate at
hand, and so two thicknesSeS OF one
fourth inch iron were used there.
AmidShips of the cars on both sides
were spaces without shields, wide enough
TO admit a Calling or 12-pOunder 5. b.
howitzer field carriage by cutting" the
wheels back and forth, These spaces
were left as embraSureS for the 12-pound-
err :. b. guns, and for openings through
which TO diSembark either of the field
pieces of the armament. A plate was
provided and fitted with clips for use as
port shutter on the diSengaged side,
and eye-bolts were fitted for making
fast the breeching to keep the guns
from recoiling too violently against the
shutter or from going overheard IL the
rear embraSure were left open. At
each end of the car were platforms 10
inches high, feet in fore aft dimensions
and the width OF the car inside the
shield, one of which was occupied by
the short Calling on field carriage, and
the other served as a base into which to
frame and brace the HotchkiSS cannon
standard These platforms were built in
order TO lift the Calling and HotchkiSS
high enough to fire en- barbette. Thus
all three guns could be fired abeam.
while the HOtchkiSS and Calling gave
fire ahead and astern. To the staunch-
cons were spiked uprightS carrying a
roof covered with waterproof felt. A
wire was stretched around under the
caves and awning curtains, bent so that
rain and smoke could be kept out. BY
paving little attention to Stowage car
so fitted was found TO be cOmmodious
enough to comfortably take its arma-
ment with a full supply of ammunition,
crew of thirty men all told, with arms
and equipments, two days rations and
water, and still leave room enough to
work the gun and deliver small amount
of fire.
The effect of this armOred train on
the revolutiOniStS is thus described:
''The force detailed for Matachin and
Panama moved out at 3 p. m. in
two trains, the first train be-
ing comprised of an armored car
ahead and in the rear with passenger
coaches carrying marines and paSsen-
gers, sc. At this time Pana-
ma was in the hands of the Revolution
lists, and ASpinwall was held by the
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