The Monte Vista journal., 1908-08-29
ARMY OFFICERS AsroMisHeD sy
SUCCESS or THE
INVENTION.
SERVICE RIFLE USED
NEW ATTACHMENT DOES AWAY
WITH sEvENrY.FoUR PER
CENT OF NOISE.

Springfield. Mass.-In the presence
Of committee Of United States army
officers, Hiram Percy Maxim, the vet
eran inventor. has demonstrated be-
You'd all doubt that the noiseless gun
which he has invented IL . success.
He proved during the tests held both
in the armory and in the fields near
North Wilbraham that his new gun
can be fired within $50 feet Of . per-
son without that person hearing any
noise excepting one sounding as IL
someone were swapping his fingers.
To drive home to the minds of the
officers the tremendous revolution
which this gun would cause In war
fare. Maxim utilized little cricket
which he found In bush. The officers
could hear the cricket chirp at dis
lance Of fifty yards. And they heard
It chirp even when the Maxim gun
was being fred.
Those present at the test. which was
the olacial government test. were MIR.
Maxim. Acting Commander Major
Norton. Captain Allen. Lieutenant
Meals. Henry southey. city engineer
Of Hartford. Conn. and six enlisted
regular army men.
The party went to he armory.
where tests for penetration. noiseless-
ness and accuracy were conducted.
One Of the soldiers. . crack shot with
the ride. fred the regular army gun
several times. the explosions ringing
out above the noises Of the factory
where Uncle Sam makes small arms.
Then Maxim adjusted His noise
killer" 70 the weapon. The oHacers
stood about. waiting anxiously:
couple Of u soldiers sniled b n In
credulous way.
The sharpshooter took ain At
target far down the yard. He pulled
the trigger. From the white metal
plate moro than 100 yards away there
came sharp metallic sound. The bull
let had plowed into the steel. but not
. sound excepting . soft one. ~ Of
fingers swapping. came from the gun.
Then slowly . slight kissing. so
light ~ to b hardly audible. was
heard and the odacers looked ut one
another In bewilderment. The soldier
who did the firing looked at the
weapon In bis hands and held Il from
him an instant. then laughed In .
childish way. He realized that hs had
In his possession weapon with which
be could slay from the hoasstops
and have none know from wheace the
bullets came. The party adjourned to
the aelds.
Forty regulation cartridges we're
given 70 the msrksmen. The o0csrs
posted themselves 5000 yards from
where the shaspshooter stood and he
was given the word to Gre. Nsthodi.
cally he sped bullet after bullet 10 .
distant target. 1t the time the Ger.
vice gun emitting . report that was
audible 5000 feet away In the village.
He was then sisnaled 70 and Maxim
adjusted the "noise killer" hight
times the soldier ared and eight times
he hit the target All The time tho
o@cers we're coming closer TO him.
They could hear the steel projectiie
smash against the target-0ut they
heard % other sound. Finally, when
within $50 feet Of the solder, they
heard faint sound. Il was the ham
mer Of the gun striking the cartridge.
But they heard nothing moro, nor did
they see smoke o. dre coming from
the weapon.
Maxim. grim and jubllant. raised his
hand. The cricket WAS ehirpins. sev.
sral oe the oaAcials, diviniag his par.
pose, hurried away and reported that
they could hear the chatter Of the In.
sect $50 test away.
The little fellow made merry ~
hard that even he click q The ham.
mer On tho cartridge could Doe b
heard.
Not coatent Maxim invited ~ o..
pefts % he lake neaf North Wllbrn.
ham. One q the soldiers wAs posted
ACROSS tAe water, ~ yards distant.
A target va erected noas Q little
booth - occspieA. Nat times he
Aeard The 0teel jackste1 bulIot plNmgs
lato al eattea o. tAe lisc-6at b
hoard 70 oeher eouna. althoagh the
p>aoo = Q Wilderness end even The
low nurnufs q tAs town . noe peas.
tssts Il ~
TIE eaesrs ulaAs sa,euiaasoss aad
asreed that ~ ssa y % pr esat
noeea!eea my eaeal1ee. Aewevef.
nat hardiy ieas sl.frel Ausins ~
~, ~ that WAeu ~ 1asau i0voo.
~ Ne 1re1 1909 e ~ epooeaeoeo
se1Sre4. Hal theeo boon . s9al11ng q
leaves, - ~ thogO 49, tASSlng
one1e ~ olDoogO - 80, ~ ~
9 ~ h000oe g - poooo q u
US0Doe oo014 ~ hoVo - n00fl.