River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-04-28

in public prints, on the street corners
and throughout the entire country be-
cause he did not take speedy action
TO avenge the destruction of the bat
tleship Maine and the villainous muir
der of our sailors.
We in Washington, who understand
the situation, have not been impatient
with the president at all. We under
stand that this great country, like a
giant as compared with Spain, had
been bound and manacled by penuri-
BUSINESS. Congressional appropriations
bad hear, s--..-. -II 49,.
our sea coast defenses were practical
" dismantled; while our war vessels
were without shot, shell or powder
with which to make the great guns eff
fective. President Mckinley under
stood this matter thoroughly. AL
though he was as anxious as any citi-
zen of the country to drive from this
peaceful continent the savages of Spain.
he maintained a dignified silence, re-
sorted to the delays of diplomacy, and
held congress in check until the army
and navy were well equipped and ready
to strike the blow.
Only as late as April the defenses
of the national capital were completed.
On that Saturday afternoon the sec
rotary of war, with leading army off
GERS, went down the river to make final
tests of the disappearing guns near
Fort Washington and Sheridan's point.
The guns were found to be in position,
ready for business, and several shots
were fired.
These great guns are situated on
slightly rising knobs, in solid masonry,
200 feet from the rivers brink. No ri
fled cannon on earth could penetrate
the heavy clay soil to that depth. With
in the masonry are built disappearing
gun carriages, which work perfectly.
BY turning a lever the gun and car
riage, weighing a total of about 100000
pounds, gradually rise to the surface,
button is pressed, the gun is fired, and
the recoiI causes it to settle gently back
into its place.
Each gun is loaded and sighted down
in that masonry cavern. The river is
plated, and the aim is taken to strike
any object entering a certain plat. 1t
is marvellous to see the gunners down
there, sighting their great guns by
mathematics.
Three shots were fired, at distances
Of three miles, five miles and seven
miles, and the points indicated in the
river were struck with absolute pre-
cision The guns belch forth 600
pounds of solid metal. and hurl them
that distance with as much accuracy
as an experienced rifeman would pick
off an enemy at distance of 100 yards.
There are seven of these guns. Their
exact location has never been given,
and will not be given for publication.
They are on the Virginia and Maryland
shores Of the Potomac; and no fleet of
war vessels could pass up the chan
mel after coming within their range.
They have a clear sweep of the Potomac
for ten miles, and the guns have power
to throw their masses of metal a dis
lance of IA miles.
The scenery about them is beautiful,
picturesque and peaceful. Smooth
sloping swards of grass greet the eye.
There are trees, shrubbery and hedge
fences in sight; but no sign of cannons
or fortificatlors. The enemy could take
10 aim, unless at the cannons while
they are for second on the surface,
in the act Of firing. 1t takes 10 sec
onds for a shot "a 90 seven miles. The
guns are perfectly safe from the enemy.
And i'm addition 20 these batteries the
submarine mines which have been laid
in the channel of the Potomac would
prove to be powerful enough to de-
stroy any ships of war in the world.
At last the national capital is safe from
attack by water.
During the past two months of hasty
preparation defenses for our larger
cities have been completed. Because of
The necessity Of this work the presi-
dent has sought delay. He has also
prayed and hoped for peace. Cur peo-
pie have been too anxious for war. too
anxious to rush into hostilities. As a
matter of fact, if this country had un-
dertakcn to at once avenge the crime
which was committed in Havana har-
Dor we would have been Inundated by
temporary defeat at the hanIs of the
perpetrators Of that crime.
Everyone wildly remembers the
shock which filed our land when news
came Of the explosion of the Maine;
and the president was advised by many
men Of prominence TO at once send our
( fleet to lombard Havana, and arbitrate
afterwards But he wisely forebore and
resisted such counselors-
Every day OF delay made this country
stronger and made Spain weaker. Our
resources we're being developed; and