San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1893-03-25
RAPID FIRING GUNS.
HOW THE INVENTOR OF THE CAT
LING STRUGGLED AT FIRST.


RecoiI Is Hude to DO the Work.
A white haired, white bearded old man
of striking presence and nervous man
ners is familiar and frequent figure at
one of the mp town hotels. His name is
Richard j. Gatling, and he is the invent
or of the Gatling gun, which has played
in modern warfare larger and more eff
fective part than any other instrument
of destruction. DR.. Gatling has been a
great traveller as well as a close and care
full observer, and is delightful and in
structive companion. While chatting
with him the other evening he told me
the curious and interesting story of the
origin of the Gatling gun. DR.. Gatling
was born in South Carolina and received
his medical training here in New York
"In 1861" said he, IL was living in
Indianapolis. My residence was near
the depot, and often saw troops of vol
unteers leaving for the front or when
the dead bodies were brought home for
burial. was surprised to note that the
number Ct men killed by sickness was
actual baf,a. One 0ay observed that
of ninete, cOrsys which arrived at tie
depot only three had been killed in bat
tie. Then the thought struck me that if
a gun could be constructed capable of
doing the work of a hundred men and
requiring but two or three to operate it
the horrors and the duration of war
would be wonderfully lessened.
81 set to work at once, and in a few
months completed the first Gatling gun
My first guns were built in Cincinnati
and were able to fire from $50 to $50
shots per minute Six had been com
pleted when the factory burned down
and the guns were destroyed. Follow
ing this accident | had thirteen guns
made at what is now the type foundry
in Cincinnati, and those sent on by my
partner a wealthy merchant of Cincin-
natl, to Washington to persuade the
government to introduce them. He took
them to Baltimore, where he left twelve,
and went with the other to Washington
The chief of the ordnance department at
the time was an old fogy. He received
him coldly, told him he had no faith in
bio orn and that ba heIiayed tbo+ airt
lock mrslets we're on tho whole tbo
let ,,,oonors fo, ,,,o,.foro T., - 10
would have nothing to do with him.
"My partner then left Washington
and returned to Baltimore. Ben Butler
,,as tboro with his trooos o. ~
boord of tba o,,rs and bo as,,oJ - Daa
them work AZ soon nc ho Lod dono w
bo cold bo would brv tbo,, on b;s o,,,,,
responsibility and iid co g;vino biz
,,o,,ol,or Co., SO Oo0 Co... t,,o,,, n'
MOI, hod tbis nosbod b,,t - 49,, p 20;
tboro rvas a o,root foII j., no,.I, 40 IN nn0
bogs which no had naciod ~ Ch;o 'VDo
III, tho orrooto +;o,, ff No. ia '.e''9"
soId In rord Tho brool, =, tbo ,',am
I,ot rrirod hir, and nv, 49,, ,.aa.
With him
&C. fnr 4ho e,st +,,.o,4,. o -,
,,odo 81 oroat nos4 ~ ,r,,cgo7f I", n''I
nntI;n " D. P,,tIon tnSi. H. ,eCel'In
Ia L9ro.,,t r.;tI, L;,,, ~ .La So 2 '.nS II"
e,,i IT, 49,: NV 80 wv VI
a,oota5 80 ,'t' ~ ,,,'l- -, my
. - ~ ''l't'
f ~ Il az
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aIso 10 Az, n5 hfn;a 49, VI i1"'0po' anu
''' I'll t,,'| - "rio a. No.
i I,,"" H. ~; 800 O. %'i w. 80 INTEREST
80 e,a nI ~ NV -i.!-Ainl uii, III
=, ,"P'N''9 VI ny CIV "'oVl "'ci,o qu"litieS
'ile most IT, lorHllo@ole rlEal Oh Ine eating
gun llll"ni . naAIIl' from whose oralh
II Slrah8' Is one oi VHe greatest OF hylng
inNen'oiS' " man vi splenulu lhtellect
anu S"Pel" Il'' energy Long be-
ior9 nc oeCalhe famous as q gun invent
Vi lie uau acLie'eu uisIlhcIloh as an
eiec'IlcI''il' anu II Is wen known that ne
', was Narrowly anticipated Oy Euison IN
me Pei'Io'ins oi 'iie incahuesceht lght.
ueii l went SCUM DIS d" sOIuier IN the
rams many years ago, Saiu M Maxim
not long SINCE ana nreu my hrst mus
he' 'le recon- Hnocheu me down. Ever
SINCE l was ooy hdu Experienced
Win TOOLS ana WOOD In making little
cannon, ana when fell down a new
not put that vigorous recOil to soma
good use. When | went to London | OK
perimented a long while. and nv gun is
the result. The principle is simnle The
e,c,.,.; I r-y., ,,,.y ia -. -