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