Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-17
0. H. Berry & Co.,
PORTABLE BREAsTwoRKs.
Machines Constructed for Use OF
Army I'm Raiding Rife Pits.
Main and Tenth Streets.
(Washington Evening Star-i4th.l

Washington Evening Star-i4th.l
Two hundred portable protective
shields for use in the invading army or
the United States in Cuba for raiding
rifle pits have been manufactured in this
city at the woodworking mills Of Belt q
Dyer, Thirteenth and c streets, north
west, and will be shipped probably to-mor-
row 10 Tampa, Fla, where the headquar-
tiers Of the army are now located Tne
portable breast-works." as the affairs
are dubbed by the workmen engaged on
them, consist OF two large wooden wheels
at either emu OF wooden axle about
seven feet long To this axle is at
tached a twenty-foot ladder, the ladder
being fastened about eighteen inches
from one Of its ends The ladder is used
as lever for the shield. which is fas-
tened TO the short protruding end while
the longer portion of the climbing APP
paratus is used az the msans of push
ing the affair along.
With the steel plate in front Of them
proof against all infantry bullets, it is
believed tina. a small detachment Of SOL
diers will be enabled TO take rifle pit
filed with men. It is TO avoid the raking
fire OF fhe sharpshooters that the shield
Is designed and is TO be used Once adju-
cent TO the pit or works the ladder Is
let 20. The shield swings down in
vertical position between the wheels
and beneath the axle. while the ladder
is brought TO a perpendicular position.
1t may now be used for scaling purposes.
An the wood work for the protectors
has been made by Belt & Dyer. but the
steel Is the product of New Jersey
foundry They will be shipped 10
Tampa in pieces. to be assembled either
1riFfh
army on Cuban or Porto Rican soil.
The shields are very simple indeed.
and We're made comparatively rough
IN order that the plans may be followed
and now shields constructed by soldiers
In the field
The wooden wheels. made Of seven
LAYERS Of plank. are feet 3 inches in
diameter. the rims being six inches wide
and eight deep. -Four boards at right
angles take the place of spokes. the
wheels are made wide and light. in order
that they may be easily pushed through
the soft earth and sand. The axle is
about six inches in diameter, ana Is
turned Of hard wood.
The ladder levers are well-made affairs
OF oiled wood with round rungs. Push
inc from between these rungs the sol
der will be safely protected from
any infantry fire. from the front, the
shield al the other end of the ladder
being 5x6 feet In size. The shield Is con-
structed of two plates of Harveyized
steel. one-eighth of an inch in thickness
bottled on either side of hard wood seven
eighths of an inch in thickness This
shield has been tested and found to be
absolutely bullet proof, although a small
machine gun would doubtless play havoc
with IL.
one Of the steel shields has been ship
ped 10 washington, and an entire port
able protector, which has somewhat
the appearance in construction Of the
battering ram of olden days, has been
SET DID. to be inspected by the army
authorities some time this afternoon or
tomorrow. The order for the machines
was given some ten days ago. and they
were all completed within the specified
time. The shields will be shipped direct
" from the New Jersey foundry, while
the wood portion will go through from
this city.