Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-06-13

A HUNT FOR
AN EXPLOSIVE

!Ou of an overcrowded cemetery
where the owners of the land get
rich on their dividends. Outside il
was rainy, damp and misty. Inside
the members were regarding each
other with disdain and calculating
what effect the humidity of the at
mosphere would have on the var
nish Of their patent leather boots.
Suppose we get out of this" said
the colonel briefly as he regarded
the street from the broad club win
dow.
where to ?" said /.
Paris" he said laconically. 80, 3
''Done," said i.
And then the bag was ordered to
be packed and the Journey began.
We left Waterloo station and we
we're trying, like old sailors, to
transform a railroad compartment
into a comfortable smoking diyan.
1t was then l first noticed the colo
nels Gladstone bag. It had been
reposing peacefully in the rack
above my head, and / threw it down
in hopes of using it for a pillow.
Somehow it slipped and fell to the
floor.
'Look outw said the colonel. eff
YOU dropped that bag a year ago
that way, l wou,dn't have giver
much for your chances of living:
no, nor mine either"
| saw then there was history In
the bag and said, "Why?"
at isn't a long y.ory. but may
keep you awake III tell YOU about
it. When / left the army and re-
turned home from India, was not
very well off. ] had studied ex-
plosives in the east, and some one
at the club recommended me to
French company which had been
formed about the same time to per-
feet a new explosive which, they
were assured, would be favorably
considered by the war Office. The
salary was good and the subject in
teresting, so l accepted their offer.
81 established my laboratory out
side of Versailles and went to work
with will. In my experiments,
however, | found myself all at once
out of nitroglycerin, which I needed
absolutely. / wrote to the company.
No dynamite was to be had. Then
| went up to the French war Office
and saw the secretary. He was sor-
ry, so very sorry, but at the present
time, in the disturbed state of the
country, etc, he regretted that it
would not be in his power to fur
nish nitroglycerin to private per
sons. However, he would do what
he could. and he gave me letter to
Colonel Majendie, chief of explo-
sives in London, who, he said, would
surely honor my request.
THAT night took the club train
to London, and next morning at 10
O'Clock found me at the chiefs of
flee. / presented my letter and stat
ed what | wanted The chief re-
garded me with suspicion (you must
remember it was during the dvna-
mite scare in England), and the
more l explained the less he beIiev-
ed me. Various officers were intro
duced, one after the other, for no
other purpose, | believe, than to
fake down my personal character
istics as professional dynamiter.
cat last the chief said that, in
accordance with articles so and so,
sections this and that of the office
rules, he would be reluctantly COM
PEELED to refuse my request.
"Then ] got tired.
81 told the chief wanted the ex-
plosive and meant to get it. But
YOU can't said he. Il WILL said l,
and carry it-through London, too,
whether you like it or no. 'Well
See,' said Majendie. you will see,'
said ], and left him.
''rhat night when walked home
TO my chambers ( felt rather dis
couraged. There was ten pounds of
nitroglycerin which | must have,
and Lord only knows how many
people Maiendie might put in the
way of my securing it. wandered
about London aimlessly for week,
and at last, when just about to de-
spair, luck turned. Near Birming-
ham, ! heard, company had been
formed to work mine and used ex
plosiyes.
II took the next train from Lon.
don and went there. There was a
little village near the place, and
from it drove out to the works.
shall never forget it. When l got
to the mine, Ismet hungry looking
man, who asked me roughly what /
wanted. | saw he was the person
was after.
Come one side / said. You
use dynamite here p
"l es, for explosives
DO you want f20?'
"Yes.'
"'Then get me ten pounds of nj
troglycerin if you cam