The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1908-05-02
new GAS EXPLOSIVE
GASEO-MITRlTE is LATEST RIVAL
OF DYNAMITE.
Produced by Liquid Action Upon Well
Known Substances-St. Louis
Man Is lnventor-Would Sell
to Government.

st. Louis.-An invention that Is ex-
pected to revolutionize firearms and
explosives came to light when Ralston
T. Wilbur, professor of engineering at
the Christian Brothers college, was
called into consultation with Richard
H. Murphy, former mine operator,
and E. F. Lugar, stock and bond
broker. The meeting was to devise
plans for the perfection of an explosive
-"gaseo- mitrite"-with which Muir
ply has been experimenting for five
years. Six months ago he hit upon
the secret, although he had worked
on the same theory since he gave up
mining.
Murphy claims that the explosive
has five times the destructive power
of dynamite; that it is noiseless, and
that it carries little smoke. He
claims it superior to the recently in
vented "smokeless powder" as he
claims that invention is little better
than other powder, as it carries an
odor that is obnoxious. The new ex-
plosive that Murphy has invented is a
gas and is stored in steel shells.
The explosion is caused by a metal
lie spark, and the inventor claims
that it is impossible for the gas to ex-
plode without being ignited. He said
that he was waiting for a reply from
Rear Admiral Melville, retired chief Of
construction, United States navy, and
tha< ~ moe b;s ;pfaptiop "a soil the
secret to the government. He said he
would make the invention AN open
secret rather than form corporation.
Should the government refuse our Of
fer" he said, Il will offer the inven.
ton to some other power"
One of the advantages claimed for
the invention is that the gas can be
made more cheaply and it is more ef-
fective than the explosives now used
In war; 1T will replace dynamite
and powder entirely" Murphy said,
"and for this reason we are not going
to have it patented. The gases are
produced by liquid action upon sub.
stances which are well known"
Prof. Wilbur, when speaking Of the
invention, said that he thought it the
greatest of the age. ut will mean
great development in all lines" he de
clared, "as the mines can be more
easily penetrated and stone quarried
with less difficulty. / have worked
with Mr.. Murphy on the scheme fol
some time, and it was only the Other
day, after taking Mr.. Lugar In with
US, that we decided to make the thing
public. We believe we have great
Invention, and are willing to turn Il
over to the government. / have
worked four years at building war
ships for the United States. and know
the advantage the invention will have
It will mean a revolution in the meth
DDS of war, as well as in the claiming
Of earth's treasures.
What we want to do" said Mr.
Murphy, 'is to have the government
look into the invention, and then send
men to st. Louis and give us .
chance to prove the power of the ex
plosive. If the authorities are willing
we will give a demonstration near the
barracks"
Murphy resides on Laclede avenue
A few days ago an agent of the Du
Pont Powder company called on Muir
ply and Wilbur, so they state, and
wanted to learn of the invention. Muir
ply said that they did not consider
his visit important, as they did moi
contemplate selling to company.