Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1902-04-18
A HUNT FOR
AN EXPLOSIVE

you 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. EfEasfs
"Where to? ?" said 1.
"Paris," he said laconically.
"Done, "ssaid l.
And then the bag was ordered to
be packed and the journey began.
We left Waterloo station and we
were trying, like old sailors, to
transform a railroad compartment
into a comfortable smoking divan.
1t was then l first noticed the colo
neps Gladstone bag. 1t had been
reposing peacefully in the rack
above my head, and l threw it down
in hopes of using it for a pillow.
Somehow it slipped and fell to the
floor.
'ELook out" said the colonel. eff
you dropped that bag a year ago
that way, / wouldn't have given
much for your chances of living;
no, nor mine either"
saw then there was a history in
the bag and said, "Why ?"
cit isn't long story, but may
keep you awake. I'll tell you about
it. When left the army and re-
turned home from India, l was not
very well of. l had studied ex-
plosives in the east, and some one
at the club recommended me to a
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 a will. In my experiments,
however, / found myself all at once
out of nitroglycerin, which 1 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 a 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. Ipresented my letter and stat
ed what l wanted. The chief re-
garded me with suspicion (you must
remember it was during the dyna-
mite scare in England), and the
more l explained the less he believ-
ed me. Various officers were intro
duced, one after the other, for no
other purpose, / believe, than to
take down my personal character
istics as professional dynamiter.
cat last the chief said that, in
accordance with articles so and so,
ions this and that of the office
+, he would be reluctantly COM
ID to refuse my request.
hen / got tired.
told the chief I wanted the ex-
We and meant to get it. But
can't said he. 4 WILL said 1,
carry it through London, too,
her You like it or no. We'll
said Majendie. you will see,'
and ] left him.
hat night when ! walked home
" chambers | felt rather dis
ICED. There was ten pounds OF
lycerin which / must have,
ord only knows how many
Majendie might put in the
my securing it. | wandered
London aimlessly for week,
last, when just about to de-
luck turned. Near Birming-
heard, company had been
to work a mine and used ex-
plosives.
81 took the next train from Lon
don and went there. There was a