| One would think it impossible to set a | | | | Smack's shop.Try as we might, we |
| creek on fire. But that was only a minor | | | | couldn't find a gas chamber big enough |
| challenge for Cousin Charley.Regular | | | | to accommodate so large a charge. |
| readers of this column have met Charley | | | | Charley, genius that he was, settled on |
| before as a disrupter of church revivals | | | | a giant blaze.After Uncle Smack had |
| and perpetrator of floods.There is yet | | | | closed his smithy for the day, Charley |
| another escapade which must be recorded | | | | pried off a couple of boards and |
| lest historians doubt the veracity of a | | | | wrestled the half-full drum of carbide |
| tale oft told in the Boot Heel of | | | | outside. We loaded it on my coaster |
| Missouri, the land of my | | | | wagon and hauled the cargo down back |
| childhood.Charley was a natural-born | | | | alleys to the edge of town where Jimson |
| hell raiser -- acknowledged leader of, | | | | Creek flowed lazily.Charley poked a hole |
| and inspiration for, stripling | | | | into the carbide container with a |
| relatives.Our Uncle Smack, a blacksmith | | | | hatchet then shoved the overturned can |
| famous for his perpetual motion machine, | | | | with his foot. Slowly at first, then |
| had a nearly-full 50-gallon canister of | | | | with gathering momentum, the barrel |
| carbide. He had shoved it into a corner | | | | lumbered into the water. A loud hiss and |
| when compressed acetylene became | | | | swirling bubbles told us the carbide was |
| available for welding.Previously, he had | | | | converting to gas."Stand back!" Charley |
| to manufacture his own torch gas with | | | | warned. "This is going to be a |
| carbide and water in a hand-assembled | | | | hum-dinger!This was unnecessary advice |
| tank. It was a risky process that made | | | | because we compatriots in crime had |
| Smack nervous.When Cousin Charley | | | | already advanced to the rear a |
| discovered he could snitch a handful of | | | | considerable distance.Casually, Charley |
| carbide through a loose board in the | | | | lit a match to an oily rag he had |
| shop wall, he thought he had discovered | | | | brought along for the occasion, and |
| the mother lode.Carbide is fascinating | | | | tossed it toward the water bubbling and |
| stuff. When mixed with water it emits | | | | hissing merrily.FOOMP!The explosion |
| acetylene gas that burns with a hot, | | | | wasn't as loud as the cannon had been, |
| bright flame.It also makes a dandy | | | | but it generated enough pressure to |
| explosive when captured in a flimsy | | | | rattle the windows of nearby houses.It |
| container or when ignited in quantity. | | | | didn't take long for a crowd to gather. |
| At one time it was widely used for car | | | | All marveled at the phenomenon of Jimson |
| headlights, miners' lamps and ceremonial | | | | Creek aflame."What in Nell is it?" |
| cannons. Carbide Bombs Charley's | | | | exclaimed Mr. Ocher, first to arrive."I |
| interest, of course, lay in its | | | | can't imagine," replied Charley with a |
| sensational properties.He soon taught | | | | well- feigned, puzzled expression on his |
| his younger followers how to construct | | | | face.Fire Brigade Pretty soon, the |
| marvelous, noisy, bombs. They consisted | | | | volunteer fire brigade raced up with its |
| of lard cans, a cup of water, and a | | | | all-purpose hand-operated pumper, |
| teaspoon of carbide in a Bull Durham | | | | tanker, and ladder wagon. The firemen |
| sack.For the modern generation, it | | | | stood around for several minutes |
| should be explained that Bull Durham was | | | | wondering what to do.How do you quench a |
| a popular smoking tobacco once upon a | | | | burning creek of water?It was the |
| time.It was sold in little cotton sacks | | | | consensus of those assembled that a well |
| with a yellow drawstring and a packet of | | | | of natural gas had erupted. That made |
| cigarette papers pasted to the side. The | | | | Mr. Ocher, owner of the adjacent land, |
| combination cost only a nickel. Big-time | | | | bug eyed.Mr. Galworthy, a shrewd |
| smokers rolled their own "coffin | | | | businessman who recognized opportunity |
| nails."Empty Bull Durham sacks were | | | | when it came knocking, offered his |
| never carelessly tossed away after the | | | | opinion of the blaze. "Just an isolated |
| original contents went up in smoke. They | | | | pocket of natural gas, Ocher, but I'll |
| had many secondary uses.Boys kept | | | | give you $50 for mineral rights -- on |
| marbles, coins, lucky charms, and other | | | | the off chance.""Not on your tin-type," |
| small treasures in them.Girls prized | | | | sputtered Mr. Ocher - visions of |
| them for keeping jacks, hop-scotch | | | | royalties turning his brain into |
| markers and shards of broken china for | | | | jelly.Fire Chief Vainey scratched his |
| make-believe tea parties.Adults had more | | | | head for awhile then allowed as how the |
| uses for Bull Durham bags than can be | | | | brigade might as well do what it knew |
| catalogued.Lard cans, likewise, were | | | | best -- squirt water on fire.The firemen |
| never discarded. They were ubiquitous | | | | sprayed the column of flame for about 10 |
| storage containers because of their wide | | | | minutes, but with out effect."Boys," |
| snap-on lids.Charley's carbide bomb was | | | | said Chief Vainey after a bit, "we look |
| elegantly simple. A teaspoon full of | | | | pretty silly throwing water on burning |
| carbide in a Bull Durham sack - | | | | water. Let it burn."No one seemed to |
| suspended by its string above a cupful | | | | wonder why Uncle Smack stood around with |
| of water in the lard can.To set off the | | | | a big grin on his face -- occasionally |
| device, one had only to push it over | | | | laughing out loud. He knew the smell of |
| with a stick -- a 10-footer was the | | | | acetylene and its attraction for |
| favored length. If you were more daring | | | | Charley.The flame withered and died in a |
| you could run past the loaded can and | | | | few more minutes. With it went Mr. |
| kick it over.The sudden creation of gas | | | | Ocher's dreams of wealth.Charley was |
| blew off the can lid with a loud bang.We | | | | happy, though, and could be heard |
| created a goodly amount of excitement | | | | murmuring to himself, "Wonder where I |
| the night we helped Charley pour three | | | | can get some more carbide?"Lindsey |
| cups of carbide into the town's old | | | | Williams is a Sun columnist who can be |
| Civil War Cannon, stuff the barrel with | | | | contacted at:Website: with several |
| rags and stones then pour water down the | | | | hundred of Lin's Editorial & At Large |
| touch-hole. Charley's Masterpiece | | | | articles written over 40 years.Also |
| Charley's masterpiece, however, was | | | | featured in its entirety is Lin's |
| setting Jimson Creek on fire.Once the | | | | groundbreaking book "Boldly Onward," |
| cannon caper had paled, Charley decided | | | | that critically analyzes and develops |
| to dispose of the remaining carbide in | | | | theories about the original Spanish |
| one grand gesture. There was about 25 | | | | explorers of America. |
| gallons of the stuff left in Uncle | | | | |