The Dickson County herald. (Dickson, Tenn.) 1907-1979, 1916-07-07


was other than round. He had GER.
tain receptacies for enormous pumps
worked by hydraulic pressure, and
these pumps would throw q liquid up
to three or four miles, and even more.
according to their size.
HE explained that q German had
inyented. q pump TO throw "a liquid exs
miles, Whether this was correct or
not | never took the trouble to find
out. but when old Macgarrigle had 9
planned moro details. which ! could
not quite follow, he told me about his
fire squirt, He pledged me to secrecy,
He told me that he had found n
chemical compound which would take
fire when II came into contact with
tho air, With further experimentation
he had resolved this into q liquid
fern. preserving the same properties,
and then he hit upon applying Il to
war purposes. This liquid, he PIX.
planned, would burn q certain time,
and when on fire its density was Q
duced and II would run about any.
where and burn everything II anne in
contact WITH. A constant stream OF
the stun would burn necessarily. Its
temperature was high enough to pro.
duce q dull red heat In either iron or
steel, and X the pressure In the firing
apparatus was increased II would
shrivel up everything It came into con.
tact with. He went on to explain that
It could DO fred In q modern shell
which. when Il had burst. would
spread the liquid. He became so en-.
thusiastic over this invention that his
eyes glittered and he paced his labo-
ratory. making convulsiye gestures
aud saying that the nation that bought
this invention would have the power
| OF controlling the world and. II neces,
sary. OF stopping war altogether.
Il began 10 think the man was N
maniac and looked around for a meth.
cd OF escape in case he might 20 com.
pletely on his head, However. he
Gained down and | took courage 10
question him about this CHASTITY ma.
chine. even demanding that he should
give me proof that what he said was
true, He laughed and said that II
anne up next evening at dusk he
would prove the truth OF his remarks,
First Exhibit Of Liquid Fire.
Well, | went. Furthermore. | took
some friends. Macxarriele did not OBJ
ject In the least. He took US, outside
on the slope OF Mount Pleasant (the
inventor lived on Mount pleasantly and
yards distant from him, He disap
peared for a while in the bush and
then came back with what | imagined
to be an Old oil drum and an ordinary
large garden spray. ! could not see
what be was doing because he turned
his back on us but presently he held
the spray w In the air.
Il saw him stand firmly ss Il to
make an effort, then he quickly
pressed the handle II the squirt aud a
long stream Of white fire. shot out
from the muyZle Vt the spray ana fell
to the ground, there burning brightly
for an instant
The thing was done go quickly and
all vas over in such a short time that
we were nonplused. Then Macgarrigle
walked calmly toward us and handed
me the spray. saying Well. what do
you think OF my invention now He
gave US then a lecture on the possibilt
ties Of the FIRE squirt. examined the
spray carefully tt was Just light
enough to distinguish objects at short
range. pulled out the plunger. smelled
II and tried TO seek any clue az to the
nature Of the stun, When Macgarrigle
saw what ! was doing he laughed
heartily and said I wouldn't find any.
thing there. However, noted that he
had evidently screwed OF the top Of
the spray when squirting the liquid.
because he had failed to put II back
properly, and also thar the leather
pluuger was slightly charred. l care
fully noted the place where the hre
had fallen and took the trouble 10 ex-
anime II early next day, and. sure
enough. all the heritage Was burned and
wherever the liquid lad run only
charred vegetation remained. was
astcunded. | perceived Immediately
that his words were true. a,Ed the pos,
sihilitias OF his invention were 70
mighty as TO make me temporarily
shpdder.
Mr.. nspain became much attached
90 Mscgarrtgie and spent many hours
with him, Once when he meant &c
pay the inventor Q surprise visit he
learned that the old man had departed