St. Tammany farmer., 1891-01-31
WITH A TORPEDO-MAN.
Shooting an Oh Wen in Pennsyl.
vania
Ono MANS Experience with Nltro-Clycer,
Sne In the Oil Fielas Of the Key.
Stone Ssate-U.stting Looso
the SGO.DOVil"

"Want to go well-shooting, do your
said my friend the broker as We stood
in the Petroleum Exchange at Oil City.
swell. every one to his taste. Now
nothing would induce me to traYel with
. torpedo-man. However, I'll fx it foz
you"
was thereupon introduced to quiet
young man. who said he was . we'll
shooter. was going to torpedo . we'll
some six miles out in tho country st
daylight the next morning, and would
be very glad to have me 60 with linn.
At four o'clock the following morn
ing Iawaited, at the stable where he kept
his spirited team, the coming Of my
new friend. A few minutes later he
appeared. bearing on his shoulder a
bundle Of new tin tubes ten feet long
The torpedo-wagon in which We were
to ride was an open, single-seated box
buggy hung on the lightest and most
delicate steel springs The scat was
hinged and swung forward. Beneath
it was a strong box divided into six
square padded compartments To my
great relief they were empty.
While sleepy hostler was harness
ing the team-tw0 jet-black spirited
young animals, for atorpedo-man prides
himself upon the mettle Of his horses
my companion affixed to the left-hand
side of the buggy two curved iron rests,
something like those placed 1t the back
of a victims head by a photographer.
They are also padded. and in them was
laid and securely lashed the bundle Of
tin tubes. In the buggy. behind the
seat, were placed . heavy iron reel on
which were wound some two thousand
feet of stout oil-soaked cord, . coil Of
fuse. another Of small wire, and . ''go-
devil" As We took our places and tho
lively team sprang away ventured to
remind the torpedo-man that he had
forgotten his nitro-glycerine.
'Oh, no. haven't" he laughed Il
am not allowed to bring it into town,
but keep it in several small magazines
some miles out in tho woods. near the
different roads that I have to travel.
There is one not far from the we'll We
arc going to shoot this morning. 90 that
We .sha'n't have to drive moro than
mile with the stun aboard"
The morning air seemed to intoxicate
our team, for they danced along the
road, occasionally springinR from side
to side in mock terror OF stump .
black bowlder. or the puff Of steam from
. pumping-engine. These exhibitions
of equine rccklessness and disregard OF
consequences were by no means reas-
suring, and would have been most alarm
ing had the 'stuff'' been under our bug
gy seat
We passed several teams. and the
moment their drivers caught sight Of
the cleaning tin tubes that denoted
the character Of our equipage. they
drew as far as possible tc the side Of
the road. and respectfully waited Tor Us
to pass.
'Oh yes" said the torpedo man; 81
always have all the room want. Nobody
ever crowds this outfit"
At length we were high up on the
hilltop where the hot morning sun
had dissipated the mist that still lay
like soft gray blanket over the low
lands All At once we turned sharply
to the left and directly into the dense
forest The trees had been cut from
the rude trail that We now followed,
but their stumps remained. Over these,
over loose rocks. and through bog holes
the active horses scambled. and the
light buggy bounced with such plunges
and slides that it WAS difficult to retain
ones seat
ssIs the magazine In hereT asked
Eyes; only . short distance ahead"
ssYou surely don't drive out this way
With the glycerine aboards"
"Why, Of course. This is the only
road. Il isn't . first-class one. I'll al
low; but If it was too good. inquisitive
folks might be tempted 70 come In here.
It's safe enough. though. The supply
wagon came in here only the day before
yesterday with . thousand pounds OF
the STUFF and got through all right
There's the place. now"
As he spoke the torpedo-wan halted
his team in front Of . small. window
less building Of rough boards. thesingls
eesa Of which was fastened II aa-ee.