The Portland daily press., 1897-07-30
MOVING BIG GUNS.
Four Soon to be Put in Position at
Portland Head.
Nj ortar Carriages Arrive at Fort Prebie-
New Works at Portland Head.


The work of putting the big guns in
position at Portland Head is going on
apace. Two of the great gun carriages
were moved over from the landing at Fort
Preble several months ago. The other
two have arrived and the contract for
moving them has already been let to the
Portland Sanitary company. When these
two carriages are over in place the re
doubt there will be ready for the four
great disappearing cannons which are to
afford the armament of the works already
constructed These four guns have al
ready arrived at the government pier at
Fort Preble and the same parties who
move the carriages are to move the guns
The breech pieces, which have the i'm
portant mechanisns for firing have al
ready been carried over.
The work of moving the guns is of con-
siderable magnitude. Each gun is thirty
feet long, and weighs sixty seven thous-
and pounds. or about thirty five tons.
There is no wagon in this city capable of
carrying so heavy a load, and even il
there were it would take forty oxen to
pull it. The Maine and New Hampshire
Granite Company have great vain that
is capable of carrying a block of granite
weighing fifty tons; and at first the SAM
tary Company thought of getting it for
use in the transportation of the cannon.
But the Cape road is very narrow and
billy, and it was finally decided that the
best way to do would be to use skids,
dragging the cannon along on creased
planks, by the aid of block and tackle.
Even for this six horses will probably be
required.
When these four great guns are in posi-
ton on their carriages the government
will have in ambush behind the Portland
Head redoubt the only modern great guns
in the state.
When it is remembered that the recoil of
one of these guns after it is fired has the
momentum of an express train going at
speed it will be easier to appreciate what
engines they are. Even the practice with
the old guns of Port Preble is apt to play
havoc with the window panes of the cot
tages on that part of the shore; and when
the battleship Massachusetts fired the
salute of twenty one guns on her recent
visit here, the noise on the Cape shore
was SO deafening that the dogs crawled
whimpering under the houses. So when
the four great guns begin at Portland
Head there will be apt to be quite a COM
motion on the Cape. This generation
may not hear it, however.
The four guns are evidently not the
only ones that are to go up at Portland
Head. Thousands of barrels of cement
are being. landed at the. fort and hauled to
the Head to be used in more extensive
works that are under way. just what
these works are is not known definitely,
since the government is now guarding
its Notifications work very jealousy. No
visitors are allowed on the works or the
reservations, and even the wives of work
men are not allowed to come on with
their husbands. Of course a camera is
not tolerated there at all.
The works at Fort Preble are going on
constantly and great amount of excava-
ton has been made. Sixteen mortar car
riages have arrived at the.fort and will be
moved into position as soon as the works
are ready for them.