The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-27

room az least hundred feet in height
and 40 feet on a side, and almost iili-
ing the wall opposite 10 Us was an in
tricate display of wheels. lovers. rods
and polished plates. This We had no
doubt was one end 81 the great engine
which opened and shut the great gates
that could dam an ocean.
"There IS no one in sight" said Col
oncl Smith.
"Thsn We must act quickly" said Mr.
Edison
where" he said. turning to Alma, "is
tho handle by turning which you saw
tho Marian close the gatcs?'
Alma looked about In bcwilderment
The mechanism before us was so com
plicatcd that even an expert mechani-
clan would have been eXcusable for find
ING himself unable 20 understand it
There were scores OF knobs and handles.
all rlistoning In The electric light any
one of which as far as the uninstructed
could tell. might have been the master
key that controlled tho whole complex
apparatus
quick" said Sir. j ON, where IS
IT,"
The girl IN her confusion ran this way
and that, gazing hopc.essly upon the ma
chncry. but evidently utterly unable TO
help as
To remain here inactive was not mere
IS 20 invite destruction for ourselves, but
was sure 20 bring certain failure upon
the purpose OF tho expedition. All Of us
began instantly 10 look about I'm search
Of the proper handle, seizing every crank
and wheel In sight and striving 70 turn
a..
"Stop that" shouted Air. Edison. you
may set the whole thing wrong. Don't
touch anything until We have found the
right lever"
But 10 find that seemed TO most Of us
now utterly beyond the power Of man.
IL was al this critical moment that
the wonderful depth and reach Of Mr..
Edisou's mechanical genius displayed
itself lie stepped back ran las eye
quickly over the whole Immense mass
OF wheels handles. bolts. bars and lev
ors. paused for an Instant. as If making
% his mind. then said decidedly.
"There II u.s." and stepping quickly for
ward. selected a small wheel amid a
dozen others. an furnished al the cir
conference with handles like those Of
a pilots wheel and. giving b. quick
wrench. turned il half way around.
AT that instant a startling shout fell
upon our ears. There was a thundcrous
clatter behind u.s. and. turning. we saw
three gigantic Martans rushing forward.
sweep them! Sweep them cried
Colonel Smith. as he brought his dis
intocratOr 20 bear. Mr. Phillips and |
instantly followed his example. and thus
we swept the Martians into eternity.
while Mr. Edison coolly continued his
nominations of the wheel
The effect of what be was doing be-
came apparent ln less than half a min
ute. 4 SILVER ran through The mass Of
machinery and shook the entire build
Look! look" cried Sidney Phillips,
who had stepped little apart from tho
others
We all ran to his side and found
ourselves in front Of "a great window
which opened through the side of he
house. giving q view of what lay in front
OF &c. There cleaning iu the electric
lights. We saw The Syrus Major. its wa
tiers washing high against the walls Of
the vast power house. Running directly
out from The shore. there was am I'M
mense metallic gate at least 900 yards
600 length and rising so feet above the
present level Of the water
This great gate was slowly swinging
upon an invisible hinge IN such man
ner that go a few minutes IL would evil
IDENTIFY stand across the current OF mo
Syris Major az right angles
Beyond was a second gate which was
moving In the same manner Further
on was a third gate and then another,
and another. as far as the eye could
reach evidently extending in an un-
broken series completely across the great
strait.
Ae the gates with accelerated motion
when the current caught them changed
together We bcheld a spectacle that al
most stopped the beating OF our hearts.
The great Syrtis seemed 10 gather r.
self for a moment, and then II leaped
upon the obs .ruction and hurried us
waters into one vast foamng geyser that
seemed TO shoot "a thousand feet SKY
ward,
But the metal gates withstood tho
shock though buried from our sight In
the SETTLING white mass and the hai-
FED waters Instantly swrled round IN
ten thousand gigantic eddies rising 10
the level Of our window and beginning
10 iuundate the powder house before We
fairly comprehended our peril
1--WE have done the work. said Mr.
Edison. smiling grmly. Now we ma
better get out Of this before the flood
bursts upon us"
The warning came none too soon. u
was necessary to act upon 10 al once II
we would have our lives. Even before
we could reach the entrance 90 the long
passage through which We had come
had risen half way 10 our knees. Col
onel Smith. catching Alma under HIS arm.
led the way. The roar OF tho madden
cd torrent behind deafcned us.
As we ran through the passage. the
water followed u.s. with a wicked swish
ing sound. and in five seconds it was
above our knees. IN ten seconds up TO
our waists
The great danger now was that We
should be swept from our feet and once
down IN that torrent there would have
been little chance Of our ever getting
our heads above It's level Supporting /
ourselves % best we could with the aid /
OF tho walls We partly ran and were |
partly swept along. until we reached !
he outer end OF the passage and emerg- /
ad into the open air the MOOD s~lrhns /
about our shoulders.
Here there was an opportunity TO p.
clutch some OF the ornamental work /
surrounding the doorway. and thus we /
managed to stay our mad progress. and !
gradually 70 work out Of the current !
mill We found that the water. having |
now an abur ance OF room 10 spread. |
lad fallen again as low as our knees.
But suddenly We heard the thunder |
1f the banks. tumblng behind us and |
To- the right and left and the savage /
rrowl OF the released water as It sprang |
through the breaches.
TO my dying day I think. I shall not |
forget the sight OF a great fluid column |
hat burst through the dixie at the edge /
N the grove OF trees and. by the ire
ncndous impetus OF its rush. seemed |
turned into a solid thing.
Like an enormous ram. II plOwed the /
,on to a depth of twenty feet. uproot-
ny acres OF the immense trees Ike stub