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