The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-01-23
A SINGULAR MAN.
The Life and I1cccntricitics Of John.
'g',,uCf,,ll

BOYDTON, VA, Jan. 22.-Special--A
singular man lived in Mecklenburg before
the civil war He was eccentric, but was
a man of some scientific IDEAS, ana LOT
q person whose opportunities Tor an euu-
cation were very limited. he was re-
markable. He lived on his farm, some
six miles east Of Boydton. and was by
occupation a planter. 49,
He owned a few slaves and lived COM
fortably well; was married and had sev-
cral children.
In his early life Mr.. Tunstall followed
the trade of printer, and lived In Rich
mond. He had the distinction of being
foreman in the old Enquirer newspaper
office while that distinguished editor, the
late Thomas Ritchie, had charge of 1t.
Mr.. Tunstall had much more education
than most printers. and such was his
familiarity with the printing business that
1t was said that he could read a paper
upside down as well as il held properly.
He only died about three years since.
He was very punctilious about his rights,
and while the surveyors were SD VtylnS
the route for the Atlantic and ia2ville
railroad, he, with gun in hand, ferDld
their surveying his lands unless the tnsl-
neer i'll charge showed ann me cnaftet
CREATING The RICH. to do SO.
For several years before the civil. war,
he N co-partnership with his brother
James, conducted a dry goods business
on the old Boydton and Petersburg plank
road, some six miles east of here. While
engaged in business he conceived the idea
of producing rain by mechanical
mears To this end he built brick tow
er, with stone foundation. some eighty
feet high The tower was built some
what after the style of a pyramid, with
an opening at the top.
II Efoo5 in or near the centre OF Inc
fsu1I His theory was to build big
ire in The furnace TO the tower, using
corn cobs for fuel, which would produce
a: very heavy, thick smoke, and the &C
ION of the smoke upon the atmosphere
would cause rainfall and by this means
he could have a supply of water Tor ms
thirsty crops during the trying droushts
of summer, but his theory would not
work. Since then It's thought that there
was some reason for the theory, as 1t
has. in a measure. been practically de-
,nonstrated by the effect OF smoke made
in battle. for it Is. said that frequently
= ftcr a big battle, when the smoke is
thick and heavy, a rain follows:
1t has been spoken Of as Tunstalis
folly
of his eccentric!t:es. On one occasion u
Is said that clock repairer Glanced 10
call in at Mr.. Tunstalrs to spend the
night. The next morning Mr.. Tunstall
told the clock repairer that he had a
spring on his place which was very effi-
cacious for the ills that human nature
was heir TO, and that he wanted him to
60 with him to the spring and try the
water The clock man consented. so they
went to try the virtues of the water
The clock repairer drank freely. He was
told By Mr.. Tunstail that he had no.
drank enough. He again drank. and still
he was told that he needed more. This
time the stranger became frightened and
ran Oft. leaving all of his tools with the
family. He has never been seen or heard
OF since that day, although it has been
thirty years since the incident. Mr.. run run
sta,l. In speaking of the circumstance
not long before his death. told a gentle
man. who was at his house, that he had
the Tools and was ready to deliver them
whenever the owner called for them