Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-08-06
THOUSANDS Of FISH
KILLED BY SHOCK
Four Tons of Dynamite Set
off In One Charge Near
Winter Quarter.

uwUusSt xoosSss
The story of a man at sea in little
schooner of II tons, sleeping upon an
internal combination of eight tons of
dynamite, a barrel of gasoline. kerosene
oil, illuminate of mercury IN exploders,
parlor matches and redhOt cooking
stove is somewhat interesting. as told
by him
In giving his experiences this gentle
man tells of the explosion of four tons
of dynamite to blow mp derelict vessel.
This, he claims, is the first time this
quantity has been exploded at one time.
The conclusion of this explosion killed
thousands of pounds of fish which after
ward fioated on the surface.
The experience is unfolded by Mr. AL
bert Mott. who for about 35 years has
been an employee of the United States
Engineers Office in, Baltimore now in
charge of Lieut.. Col. r. L. Hoxie. Corps
of Engineers, United States Army.
Among other duties of Colonel Hoxie is
that of removing wrecks that form an
obstruction To navigation. Among the
wrecks on the Atlantic coast were two
iron steamers loaded with iron ore.
which were decided menace To naviga-
ton i'm the coastwise trade. One was
am English steamer, the Sutton. about
3l4 feet long, and had been wrecked on
Fenwick Island shoal, off the Maryland
coast. The other was the Spanish
steamer Urlarte No. 4. about 2S5 feet
long, which had been wrecked ON Win.
ter Quarter shoal. off the Maryland
coast
Colonel Hoxie made contracts to have
these wrecks removed, and directed Mr..
Mott 70, ha ft,n nd that rho
terms of the contract were complied
with. The contracts required that the
wreck should be removed within six
months, but the work was done in about
two months.
SAT ON DYNAMITE AND SMOKED.
Mr.. Mott started for the derelict in
the little vessel. making himself as COM
Portable as the conditions would allow.
Mr.. Mott says sleeping on "A volcano
was a trifie in comparison. There were
eight persons on the cockle-shell. and
no room for chairs. Like most seafar-
ing men, all were persistent smokers.
To enjoy smoke. one must sit down
and become cOntemplative. These
sailors and wreckers used luxury to the
limit. They sat. they contemplated and
they smoked; but they utilized for chairs
the boxes of dynamite. Mr.. Mott pro-
tested. The men smiled. Then Mr.
Mott joined in.
IMAGINED HIMSELF BLOWN TO ATOMS.
He sat. He smoked. After while.
after many days, and also after his
nerves had settled, the Government man
really enjoyed the sensations of vivid
imagination, seeing himself go up in
the air with bang. He wondered how
fast he would travel; how many parts
there would be of him up there, and
whether il would break his pipe. All
well; il was all matter of smoke, any
way; here or hereafter. The marine
diver suggested that in this case, where
there was smoke there would be fire
The Government man protested against
such jests under such conditions.
TOOK "BRAcER" TO STEADY NERVES.
One night four thunder storms came
MP from four different directions. The
Government man took fairly good dose
of Dutch courage. The crew came to
him in a body and said they also were
afraid of a combination of dynamite.
thunder and lightning when coming
from four different directions. but the
Government man produced the receipt
tatAC iiAuSetatCu tiAC AdOt
was no more nerve cure LETT.
The thunder rolled, the lightning
flashed, the sea dashed and the Captain
consoled all hands by telling them not to
worry. for if the lightning struck they
would never know it. Then the Captain
told stories. He said that lightning
would never strike a white man if he
was near colored man or a cat He
said in "a former vessel he always called
the colored cook to stand by him when
he had n trick at the wheel i'm q gust
On the present vessel there was no such
person, so the Captain dashed the cat to
the spOkes The Government man pro-
tested that the cat made more noise than
the thunder
FOUR TONS OF DYNAMITE EXPLODED.
But. through trials and vicissitudes,
at last came the day when four tons of
dynamite had been placed by the diver
as near the keel of the wrecked steam
er as possible. Matters had to be rush
ed, for it required q comparatively
calm sea. or the dynamite would be
lost. Four tons of dynamite had never
befor,. been exploded at one time, ac-
cording tn Mr. Mott, and no one knew
what the effect would be. A battery
with 1000 feet of wire was placed in a
row boat; the mine. having an exploder
ON the end. being inserted in one 30
pound box of the dynamite. The boat
was rowed off 1000 feet and the battery
sprung. but the charge did not go of.
An examination showed that the wire
had been short circuited by the cutting
of Il sharp steel plate of the hull of the
wreck. The weather was getting
rough; haste was absolutely necessary,
so the dynamite was again connected
mp with only 1900 feet of wire. The
battery was again operated, and like
magic, to use Mr. Motifs words, there
sprang into view the most magnificent
and awe-inspiring spectacle It was ever
the fortune of mortal to behold. Rising
up to the heavens were the waters of the
sea in one great mass about 400 feet
broad and about 500 feet high, with a
pinnacle of dazzling wilderness through
which myriads of rainbows danced,
resting upon dark base of water and
sand-a liquid. limpid monument; so
symmetrical. so artistic that the grand
Thought was inspired. none but divine
hands can aecomnliSh -