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