New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-12-20
MORTAR SHOTS HARMLESS
Fort TOtten BOmbardment Fails
to Jar Long Islanders.
DON'T EVEN HEAR REPORTS
After Standing About on Toes
and with Fingers in Ears They
Learn That Its All Over"

To the casual traveller along the north
shore of Long Island yesterday forenoon
II must have appeared that the natives had
suddenly gone daft. and why not? All tn,
villagers aud those who make their homes
in the big country houses were standing
about inside or out. with their finger tips
in their ears and with their mouths wide
open. Likewise, their eyes were closed
tightly and they stood upon their toes.
Women would turn to men and ask: HAS
/, happened YETI" and the men would shake
their heads ard Keep on balancing on toe
tips-and nothing happened!
But there was a reason for this strange
conduct on the part of the Long Islanders.
Yesterday morning. about 10 o'clock was
the time set for the firing Of the twelve
inch mortars at Fort Totten. in Long Island
Sound, and the army officers in charge OF
the tests had been sending out warnings
for the last three days. Everybody on Long
Island living within a hve-mile radius OF
the fort had been told to prepare for sud
den shocks from The conclusion of the Dig
guns They were directed to do just what
they did Yesterday. and also TO keep all
the windows OF their houses open, so that
no glass would be broken.
Everything was carried out according TO
schedule. except that no windows on Long
Island were broken no teeth were loosened'
no eyes strained and no ear drums split. In
fact the people across the Sound from Fort
Totten did not know when the mortars
were fired. Finally, unable to bear the sus-
pense any longer. they telephoned hyster-
ically to Fort Totten asking, When are
those dreadful guns going to he fired, any
way?" Actual disappointment sounded in
their voices when they were told the guns
had already been discharged Aren't we
going to be thrown off our feet, or have
our windows broken-or something's they
demanded.
There was some little delay before the
first mortar was fired. 1t was intended to
let loose the first of the loiG-pound shells
at $50 o'clock. but the mechanism Of the
mortar carriages had to be exactly ad-
tusted. and II was Just 1919 o'clock wnen
Mortar No. J. i'm Pit a, was discharged.
terrific rod: and burst OF fame followed
the touching OF of the great bag of powder
behind the steel sfall Those who stood
bchirG the gun carriage saw the shell hurtle
in a wide arc through the air and drop with
a splash into the water about $500 yards
from shore.
The officers at the fort had previously
scnt soldier messengers TO the Long Island
towns, with orders TO report after the dis
charge Of each mortar whether any damage
had been wrought After the first shot those
in charge waited for telephone reports from
the messengers. Everything being reported
still upright and unchanged. the second
shell was fred at 1870 o'clock.
This time a score Of newspaper photog-
raphers had crowded close about the NOR
tars, despite the warnings of the officers
When the shot was fired every lens was
shattered.
Thereafter the mortars were fired at
twenty-minute intervals. each time the
range being increased. Colonel Orin b.
Mitcham, armament officer of the Eastern
Division, was in charge. and said the tests
were most satisfactory.