The Topeka state journal., 1897-08-27
A Little Piece of 1t No Bigger
Than Your Hand
Thrown Into Chicago HarbOr
Where it Explodes.
A COLUMN OF WATER
And Dead Fish Twenty-Five
Feet High, Shoots Up.
This Wonderful Explosive In
vented by a Boy of 19.

Chicago, Aug. PA small brass pro-
jectile, measuring four by one and one
quarter inches, was thrown in the lake
off Van Buren street from the govern
ment pier and at depth of five feet it
exploded. A. volume of water shot up
25 feet into the air and dead fish bobbed
up to the surface and foated about,
mute testimonials to the destructiveness
of theNexplosive.
The name of this new explosive, which
is the discovery of two Chicago men, is
mlrex. From recent experiments its in
VentorS claim it is not wild statement
to say that mirex will revoIutionize
modern marine warfare.
Unlike the marine tOrpedo-the most
perfect destroying projectile now known
TO naval engineers-mirex in a compar-
atively small brass casing can be
thrown from a cannon at any distance
desired under 20 miles and dropping in
to the water at the side of a man of
war Will sink at a stated depth and ex-
plode with annihilating results. No
wire has to be connected with the new
projectile as is the case with the sub
marine torpedo. The mirex projectile
does not pierce the steel armor of
gunboat but simply settles in the water
at depth of 5, 10, Is, 20 or any number
of feet the operator may wish and then
explodes.
Its discoverers are Herman G. Pfef-
fer, salesman for Browning, King &
Co, and William S. barley, connected
with the Clenfost Hosiery company
They are not expert chemists and nlirex
luck and good deal of hard work and
enterprise. John II. EdeImann,
wealthy former Philadelphian has such
faith in the virtue of mirex as a de-
stroyer of ship and navies, that he is
backing it literally with his money.
Mr.. Pfeffer is a modest man of %
years, and in speaking of the explosive
said: 1T is neither liquid. nor solid, nor
a powder aXDRTiOnPnfinR
with it Darley and myself smoke our
pipes and handle it as we would SO
mixture and its name signifies nothing.
1t explodeS at any depth we desire, the
explosion depending on the quantity and
quality OF the composition we place in
I'VE are now having gun 1hodeI
constructed in Chicago and within six
weeks this cannon will be finished and
presented to the United States navy
department. 1t will throw a projectile
8 inches long and three and a half inch
es in diameter. This will blow into
atoms any ship that will float in the
lake. Each one of these shells will cost
about $20 vastly cheaper than torpe-
does now in use and far more accurate
and destructive"
Mr.. DarIey is only 10 years of age.
He will not divulge the character or ma
ture of the new explosive.
The projectile used in these expert
ments is about the size of a giant fire
cracker, and the ends of the cylinder
are closed with a substance that looks
like tin foil.
Mr.. Darley was once connected with
the navy department and this expert
ence caused him to take exceptional in
terest in marine matters. He is well
acquainted with officials and it is said
they are following the tests with great
interest.
From all that could be gained at the
experiments, it. is probable that mirex
is a composition of a few well known
49,. I'll
tricity and explode under water sub
jected to a certain pressure. Just why
they explode under these conditions,
Iy understand