Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-29

ously the final arrangements of the men
who are busying themselves about the
breech of the 55-foot monster. When an
electrical firing attachment has been made
and the last of the men disappear In the
nearby bomb-proof there Is an anxious
wait for the instant of action. timid
mind might conjure up endless possibilities
involved in the pending explosion
It is difficult to determine without the
suggestion of some one OF experience
whether the breech or the muzzie. of the
gun should be watched, and The knowledge
that a dozen veterans have taken refuge
in that bomb proof, and that every man in
the valley has been warned by an alarm
whistle to seek safety tempts the observer
to suspect the entire length and breadth OF
the rife for results. Suddenly one becomes
impressed that the gun has been fired He
feels 1t before the flame bursts from the
muzzle of the gen: before the dense volume
of smoke rushes across the valley; before
the awful THUNDER of the thing reaches his
ears. An instant before these impressions
are gathered by his eyes and ears he is
conscious OF a sort of deadening numbness
of the senses. and later he is told that this
was Simultaneous with the explosion OF
the charge I'm the barrel OF the cannon the
vibratory sensations of which were COM
municated through earth and air before
sight or hearing responded to the situation
X
Indian Head stands for all that is effect
i've In the United States navy. 1t Is the
stepping stone to an efficiency that has at
tanned for sea forces a place In the
front rank Of the powers of the earth.
Errors of omission or of commission are
not countenanced at the proving grounds.
and inaccuracies of the most minute char
acter call for a general halt in the pro-
ceedings under way and. an entire rehearsal
with the view of rectifying the mistake.
slight though II may have seemed. An
error in a calculation here to the thou
ssndth part Of a unit might be so seriously
aggravated in the course OF continuing the
tests as to render absolutely worthless the
entire undertaking and negative the use
fulness OF the most excellent piece of ma
chinery. The preservation of the records
is with s much care as Is the safegnard-
ing of highly priced family tree Wher-
ever gun or armament Is assigned the his
tory OF it's trial. together with the deduc-
tions made by the experts who conducted
it, go too for the informa ton and guidance
of those who must familisrize themselves
with the traits of the piece In actual serv-
ice.
Indian Head Is rich in legend. Three
hundred years ago this section OF the coun-
try was occupied by the Algonquin stock OF
Indians. a large and powerful nation. COM
prising a half dozen big tribes and numer-
Gus smaller ones. A branch OF the row"
batans. who formed the southern wing OF
the Algonquins populated the region In
which Indian Head is now situated the
Iroquois invaded the Algonquin territory
and possessed themselves or a portion Oh
n and about the wars that resulted cluster
most of the old tales told OF the place.
Various traditions ascribe various Origins
of the name. embracing narratives OF
romance and of tragedy. Some keen-eyeo
persons contend that Indian Head was SO
named because one of the>ciins. from
point in the river. presents the prom e OF an
Indian. but this suggestion Is spnrneo Dy
the majority Of natives of CORVALLIS
Neck. who prefer to believe the origin lay
in one or another of the thrilling tales
handed down TO them by their fathers