Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-05-23
IDA LIE ROY.

lock, worked on the principal of an hour
glass, which can be set to drop q bomb.
The balloon which will DO used can be
compressed into bundle three feet square
and weighs IS to 100 pounds. This can
be filed and made ready for an ascension
In ten minutes; the ascent and descent
require eight. although 1 have studied
all the latest improvements for directing
balloons, have found none Of them work.
able against wind" said she. "Ascen-
sions near an enomy's camp would conse-
quently be very risky, as in descending
one could be carried into the camp by con-
trary winds and held or shot as spy. I
have taken many photos from various
heights between 500 and 1000 feet These
are very minute in detail, but by enlarg-
ing magnificent results can be obtained.
Such o method Of spying would become
productive of excellent results. Balloons
have this advantage, that no cannons can
be trained to reach them, and even so the
balloons do not offer enough resistance to
be perforated. They can only be pierced
by rifle balls with corrugated tips
Lieutenant Wilson of the photographic
office will carry east with him plan for
destruction. He received It recently from
q bearded tourist who claimed to have
passed several winters and summers in
the latitude Of the Klondike "That fell
low was certainly a wonder" Lieutenant
Wilson said. 81 really believe he was thor
oughly in earnest, though his plan had no
parallel In history. He came to me one
afternoon and astonished mo by asserting
that his underwear was lined with buffalo
hides. This chap was not long In getting
down to business. He said be had a cold
air invention that was simply marvellous
While he was traversing the verdant fields
of Kansas in the summer he declared he
let bag Of this chilly atmosphere explode
and. 10, the verdure was frost bitten.
These Spaniards are marks II you only
know the way to 60 about 1t, said my
caller. It's an easy matter to manufao-
ture this cold storage stuff, and 1t Is all
yours, and your enemy will fear you for
ever. Now, these little manufactures do
not occupy so much space after all. You
could locate one on every battleship in
the navy or in the tents of the command
ing officers. General Miles would not need
one, because wherever he goes there would
be frost. Suppose we get our warships
conveniently close to Havana and the forts
roundabout. Let US attach our tunnels to
the cold storage rooms, turn on the cur
rent and draft of 90 below zero would
issue forth. The Spaniards do not know
anything about freezing temperature,
and they would die in their ignorance.
You could 60 about the capital of Cuba
the next day and gather up icicles every
where. Let the cold wind blow on the
soldiers and their faces would freeze
William S. Mcdowell of Williamsburg,
Pa, and student Of the Pittsburg Law
school, has q plan which will, in his est.
nation at least, prove of great service to
our forces in their operations in Cuba.
The plan Is to make possible at mo.
ment' g notice movable fort behind whose
protection the infantry and the light artil.
lery may advance with safety upon Span.
ish troops intrenched behind sand forts or
In woods. These movable forts are to be
made by the clamping in position on the
caissons steel plates three-eighths or halt
an inch thick, feet high and wide enough
to extend or 10 inches beyond the wheels
on each side. A group Of caissons thus
equipped, Mr.. Mcdowell thinks, will
make . shield impervious to everything
except shot from the heavy feldpieces,
and one behind which considerable body
of troops may advance with speed and i'm.
munity from danger until within Q short
distance from the enemy, when the plates
may be separated and Calling guns placed
In position between them and the soldiers
deployed for an advance, the length Of
which will be materially reduced and the
number Of men who will fall greatly de-
creased. The advance of this fort, the ia
Their Of the plan continues. may be made
very simple. II the enemy is not particu-
Larry aggressive the caissons may be drawn
by horses in the usual manner, but If 1t is
necessary to move them forward under fire
another mode must be adopted. The
whif1etrees are then TO be placed ut the
yoke end of the tongue and the horses
hitched with their heads toward the cais-
son instead Of away from 1t. The progress
will then be virtually one Of backing, but
the fact that the horses advance will in
crease the rapidity Of motion. When not
in use. the plases may be slowed away in
The baggage wagopa