Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-28

part Of the revplittionIsts that II ought to
he possible to drop the shell down from
the clouds into n Spanish fort
But hOsy can IT be sent up? was the
question.
This was about thc time Mr.. G. r..
Lamson was making his experiments az
Rigby. and no man watched the skite
with more eager interest than did the
inventor Of the Canales shell Mr. Lam
son had solved the problem for the pa
triots in Cuba.
"A kite to be sure. Why not. Send up
Il kite strong enough to carry the smell
in safety. hang i over the fort or span
ish army. keep electrical connection. and
at the proper time let the man at the
battery turn his finger. and down comes
the shell into the camp of the enemy, anL
1860 bullets will start out to deal DAN
and destruction
The problem was solved. but a series OF
experiments was afterwards made else
where, and Mr.. canales is inclined 20
think that the sending up of shell
wouldn't he matter Of any great dill
Guilty. but the kite would have to be
handled with great caution. or erstwise
place.
Of course it goes without saying that
the invention has been tried. 1t may
we'll be doubted If Gen. Jose Canales out
in cuba ever faced the appalling danger
his nephew did here in Portland When IL.
tested the correctness of his own scien-
tilic conclusions, and fired the first shell.
He was doing something never before at
tempted III this world. when he sent that
shell out by the explosive force of Hn.
points powder. Prank Canales to call
him by the name by which he Is so gen
orally known. for few would think OF him
as Francisco w. canales knew perfectly
Wei the risk he was taking. but az inc
same time he was perfectly coIilioe en-
that he had made no mistake. anu the
result showed that his confidence was NOT
misplaced.
Then there came to this city repre-
sentative of the revolutionsts and the
e.. nd trial nj O shell WAS nlilp. MS
was in the early fall. There was strong
desire on the part of the cuban 10 see
the shell tried under such SircunIsta.l,,ces
rs would show whether the cartridges
would cut" their way straight out fati-
or than throw their force away bt going
upward.
Spanish fore. on which % trv the new
explosive but bright thought struck
the why not try a field of corn
They found large corn field. the corn
ripe and the field in a splendid condition
sell / Your our corn standing" liz thought
it over What do YOU want to 90 H., ne e
throw It few shells into ii and while
doing wanted him and Al OTHERS T."
keep a very respectful distance ifom ihe
scene OF course they Couiin THROW a
shell enclosing lsJ cartridges, blli th,F
could reasonably large sheR he
named his price Il, last. $50 and n "iief
accepted. Mr.. Canal"S said N"ft"rdaH.
that the corn was literally cut I'd pieces.
showing the fcarfuliy destructFt power
of the new shell. The land was piow@d
az and ruin was .gsner2lly dealt |oal 70
land and erop. The farmer ITppdptt
thought he should l.. so 10 Ia" g1nd ana
that they couldn't iniure his Land tr crop
much but The next man WHO "a HI AMI
wants permission to just throw FL tcw
shells into his corn held Viii be tolG 10
talk to som" one else.
Then they made another eXpdrinl~u
and the new shell went down inid t"..'9
A. str f4lff ~ e