The herald., 1897-08-18
THEY THOUGHT 1T WAS A BOMB
Charles Rouss Was Having His Pic
ture Taken, Thai Was ALI

A man taxing photograph in Charles
Broadway Rouss' store used blitz pulver
instead of magnesium for his fashlight;
it exploded; the employees in the store
thought he had thrown bomb and
very nearly mobbed him.
There is still some doubt in the minds
of a few of the employees about the in
tensions of the photographer. This man
his name is of no particular conse-
quence-thought it might be profitable
to take a picture of the employees. He
had no fiashlight apparatus of his own
So he borrowed lamp from another
photographer
The owner of the lamp warned the
borrower that magnesium must be used
for it was closed lamp and therefore
somewhat dangerous. The borrower
went to store to buy magnesium. The
storekeeper had none but he had blitz
pulver, which, he said, was much better
for taking flashlights. The photographer
didn't know whether this could be used
| in the lamp safely The dealer said it
made not the slightest difference.
The photographer took the dealers
word. He went to the blind mans store
| last Friday and asked permission to take
photographs. 1t was given. He thought
it would be a good tsroke of business
to first make negative of the proprietor.
| The photographer went to Mr. Rouss'
| office, which is on the second floor. Mr.,
| Rouss was sitting at his desk The pho
| tographer explained his mission to the
| stenographer. The blind millionaire
said he hadn't the slightest objection to
having his picture taken.
| The photographer arranged the fash
lights. The lamp is something like a
pipe bowl. The top is covered with
! gauze saturated with alcohol which Is
| lighted. Below it is receptacle for the
| magnesium powder Connecting with
this is tube. When the operator blows
through the tube the powder is forced
upward, where it is ignited by the blaz-
| ing alcohol and a flash follows
| Mr.. Rouss turned about in his chair
and faced. the camera. The alcohol was
lighted and the photographer said
| Ready" Then he placed his lips 10
the tube and. blew.
There was a flare ard an explosion
that seemed to make everything in the
office rattle. The report reverberateo
| tUlbQSll TIC boliOl46. IL oiiiioSt SoooCN
| panic. Those near could hear the
voice Of the blild man
What is it? A bomb?" he asked. at
did not touch me. Is anybody hurt?"
The photographer did not say word.
He knew exactly what had happened
but he was too startled to talk about it,
Clerks arc, employees began rushing into
the office
1t was mighty unpleasant for that pho
| tographer for few minutes. He feared
| the best that could happen to him would
be to be thrown out of the window.
Mr.. Rouss wanted to know if there was
any fire. He carries no insurance on his
stock. Some say it is worth $12,0O0000.
while others say its value is $1,250,000
Anyway, it is valuable and if it ever
starts to burn it will make big fire.
AT last the photographer found words
to explain what had happerisd. Bits
| pulver acts exactly like gunpowder. If
it is fired in ar open space it simply
flares up If it iS fired in a closed space
there is an explosion. When blltz pulver
is touched off in magnesium flash
| lamp there is bounG to be an explosion.
| The irstrumer rit was blown to pieces,
but there was no other damage. 1t was
decided that the photographer was
harmless, and he was told to go ahead
| a rd make his pictures.-N. Y. World.