New Ulm Enterprise (New Ulm, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 42, Ed. 1 Friday, July 7, 1916 Page: 8 of 10
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NEW ULM ENTERPRISE, NEW ULM, TEXAS
LIQUID FIRE IS
THE INVENTION
OF AUSTRALIAN
Eccentric John Macgarrigle Sold
War Device to German
Government.
KEPT COMPOSITION A SECRET
Jealous Inventor Wanted to Rid Land
©f Noxious Bushes—Observers De-
scribe Tests of Machine—Was
Man of Remarkable Talents.
Sydney, Australia.—The German
liquid fire-spraying device in use on
the war’s western front sprang nbt
from Teutonic brains, but from the
head of an eccentric Australian, John
■Macgarrigle. This fact has just been
learned here, but it has ample corrobo-
ration. Macgarrigle is dead, but the
hideous engine he contrived still ex-
ists, and it is being recalled by inti-
Xnates of his that several years ago he
Went to Germany and there sold the
thing to the military powers of that
land.
He had previously tried the British
‘war office and the Commonwealth
government, but the former declined
to treat with him on the ground that
his invention was in contravention to
the laws of humanity and the princi-
iPies of The Hague convention, while
the latter simply ignored his proffer
apparently as being that of a crank.
He also tried the French or the Italian
government—it is not certain which—
With equally fruitless results, but
When it came to the kaiser’s country
he had a warm reception.
•'The German government snapped it
Up," he told several of his friends. “I
Was over to Germany some time ago
and I got this off and several other
patents.”
Macgarrigle, commonly called “Jim-
hay" Macgarrigle, was a genius, but,
like most of his stamp, erratic and un-
businesslike, and he died poor and vir-
tually unknown. One of his traits was
excessive secretiveness — although
there can be no question that he was
M wonder in his way—which forbade
his committing any of his inchoate
ideas to paper, with the result that
they went to the grave with him; and
he was so impracticable in judging his
own works that the more humane of
them could not be commercialized for
his and the general good. So, beyond
the fire-squirt and the few other in-
ventions which he “got off” in Ger-
many, there is little to show for his
Versatility and ingenuity.
His “Fire-Squirt Ship.”
Macgarrigle’s home was at Warn-
fceral, near Gosford, New South Wales,
Where he maintained a laboratory.
George Z. Dupain, a friend, writing of
the old fellow to the Daily Telegraph,
Bays:
’"After dwelling on the virtues of
his quick-drying cement, anti-fouling
paint, patent boot polish, a street car
ticket system, explosives and other
things, he led me back to his house,
'and showed me the plan of a peculiar
Vessel which looked like a man-of-war.
It was roughly drawn, for old Macgar-
Tigie was a bad,penman, but as soon
las he began to explain matters I un-
<derstood. This was what he called
his patent fire-squirt ship. It was built
’to carry a certain liquid below tbe wa-
terline, and in every portion of the
hull there were, ball-shaped affairs,
Which, he explained, could not be
pierced by any modern projectile. In-
deed, the whole vessel seemed to be
made in such a way that no portion
Was other than round. He had cer-
tain receptacles for enormous pumps
Worked by hydraulic pressure, and
these pumps would throw a liquid up
to three or four miles, and even more,
according to their size.
“He explained that a German had
invented a pump to throw a liquid five
miles. Whether this was correct or
not I never took the trouble to find
out, but when old Macgarrigle had ex-
plained more details, which 1 could
not quite follow, he told me about his
fire squirt. He pledged me to secrecy.
“He told me that he had found a
chemical compound which would take
tire when it came into contact with
the air. With further experimentation
he had resolved this into a liquid
form, preserving the same properties,
and then he hit upon applying it to
war purposes. This liquid, he ex-
plained, would burn a certain time,
and when on fire its density was re-
duced and it would run about any-
where and burn everything it came in
contact with. A constant stream of
the stuff would burn incessantly. Its
temperature was high enough to pro-
duce a dull red heat in either iron or
steel, and if the pressure in the firing
apparatus was increased it would
shrivel up everything it came into con-
tact with. He went on to explain that
it could be fired in a modern shell
which, when it had burst, would
spread the liquid.
“I began to think the man was a
maniac and looked around for a meth-
od of escape in case he might go com-
pletely off his head. However, he
calmed down and I took courage to
question him about this ghastly ma-
chine, even demanding that he should
give me proof that what he said was
true. He laughed and said that if I
came up next evening at dusk he
would prove the truth of his remarks.
First Exhibit of Liquid Fire.
“Well, I went. Furthermore, I took
some friends. Macgarrigle did not ob-
ject in the least He took us outside
on the slope of Mount Pleasant (the
inventor lived on Mount Pleasant) and
made us all sit down at about ten
yards distant from him. He disap-
peared for a while in the bush and
then came back with what I imagined
to be an old oil drum and an ordinary
large garden spray. I could not see
what he was doing because he turned
his back on us, but presently he held
the spray up in the air.
“I saw him stand firmly as if to
make an effort, then he quickly
pressed the handle of the squirt and a
long stream of white fire shot out
from the muzzle of the spray and fell
to the ground, there burning brightly
for an instant.
“The thing was done so quickly and
all was 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 possibili-
ties of the fire squirt. I examined the
spray carefully (it was just light
enough to distinguish objects at short
range), pulled out the plunger, smelled
it and tried to seek any clue as to the
nature of the stuff. When Macgarrigle
saw what I was doing he laughed
heartily and said I wouldn’t find any-
thing there. However, I noted that he
had evidently screwed off the top of
the spray when squirting the liquid,
because he had failed to put it back
properly, and also that the leather
plunger was slightly chhrred. 1 care-
fully noted the place where the fire
had fallen and took the trouble to ex-
amine it early next day, and, sure
enough, all the herbage was burned and
wherever the liquid had run only
charred vegetation remained. I was
astounded. I perceived immediately
that his words were true, and the pos-
sibilities of his invention were qo
mighty as to make me temporarily
shudder.”
Mr. Dupain became much attached
to Macgarrigle and spent many hours
with him. Once when he meant to
pay the inventor a surprise visit he
learned that the old man had departed
for Europe; but as soon as he learned
of Macgarrigle’s return he sought his
home and heard from Macgarrigle
that he had sold his fire squirt to Ger-
many.
It appears from an account of Mac-
garrigle given to the Daily Telegraph
by another friend, a newspaper man,
that the fire machine was designed al-
so for the destruction of prickly pear,
which is one of the curses of Australia
and has already ruined huge tracts of
good land in Queensland. This con-
tributor says:
“He told me that he had offered to
clear the whole of the pear in Queens-
land under certain terms, but the gov-
ernment had turned it down. This
seemed at first inexplicable, as at the
time the government was offering a re-
ward of $50,000 for any effective plan
for getting rid of the pest. When 1
told him this he scouted the idea of
anything so paltry and dealt with a
sum of that sort with the contempt of
a multimillionaire.
“He said that the only condition un-
der which he would show his hand was
that he should receive all expenses
and get the freehold of all the land
he cleared. As there were at the
time about 20,000,000 acres affected
one may understand the reason for
turning down the offer. The area now,
by the way, runs into 30,000,000 acres.
As I expressed doubt about the effec-
tiveness of his plan, he invited me to
his place the following night to see
the squirt at work. But it was a con-
dition that no one was to accompany
.me. I kept the appointment.
“He began operations by seating me
in a chair, from which I was not to
move. By this means he made it im-
possible for me to get a close glimpse
of the machine, but the drum which
carried the oil seemed in the darkness
to be similar in shape to the recepta-
cle which appears in pictures of those
Germans at the front engaged in this
sort of warfare. He told me he was
ready, after pumping up the machine,
and then let it go. It ejected a con-
stant stream of liquid fire from a short
hose length for some minutes, spurt-
ing over a distance of about forty feet.
With the same mysterious manner
that he had begun operations, he bun-
dled the plant up and put it away in a
room and locked the door.
“Then he sat down beside me and
yarned. After urging that this thing
would not only destroy prickly pear,
but noxious shrubbery and weeds of
all sorts, he told me that what it was
originally intended for was an instru-
ment of warfare. ‘Man,’ he said with
great confidence, ‘this thing would de-
stroy soldiers as if they were rats.
What bayonet charge could stand up
against it? My idea is not a small
squirt like this, but as large as a big
fire-fighting hose sending out a stream
of fire with as much force and volume
as the biggest water hydrant in Syd-
ney.’
“A character of this sort naturally
aroused interest, especially as he be-
gan to talk about synthetic rubber
which he could make for 25 cents a
pound (at a time when the genuine ar-
ticle was about $2.50); cements he
could make at absurdly low rates,
tiles, bricks, explosives, anti-fouling
paint, boot dressings and other things.
I began to think that I had struck an
Edison.”
The journalist believes that Macgar-
rigle sold the explosive just men-
tioned to the Germans, and he adds:
“It was terribly destructive, as an
equal quantity of it with gelignite tore
a hole in a piece of galvanized iron
four times its size.”
Fred Wright of Sydney robs the ac-
counts of Macgarrigle cf something of
their romance by saying that the in-
ventor, whom he knew well, “frequent-
ly suggested ‘wildcat’ schemes for the
employment of' chemicals for the de-
struction of prickly pear and the ex-
termination of rabbits." And he goes
on: “Mr. Macgarrigle’s spray consisted
of a solution of phosphorus in an in-
flammable liquid. He tried bisulphide
of carbon as a solvent for his phos-
phorus and then mixed this with other
combustible liquids. There was noth-
ing particularly original in the Idea
and it was not at all safe to handle.
We afterward experimented with hy-
drogen phosphide for fire sprays. His
explosive consisted of a grass-tree gum
compound."
WRLS ENJOY CHICKEN FARM
They Were Stenographers in Chicago,
but Now Have Place of
Their Own.
Chicago.—Miss Gertrude Croxton
And Miss Rose May have discovered
the joy of life. Four years ago they
lived at Forty-fifth street and Indiana
avenue. They were stenographers and
they found life just one sheet of paper
lifter another, without much else.
They dropped the whole tiresome
mess and went to a spot outside of
Slue Island. They call it Woodside.
And there they manipulate a chicken
?arm that keeps them in zest from one
year’s end to the other.
“We have bought one hat apiece
Since w’e came here,” said Miss Crox-
ton. They cost thirty cents each.
Clothes? We never use them. We
■wear overalls, and we never have oc-
casion to dress. We work, and we
like it. We go to Chicago once a year
©n business. Then we hurry back. We
sleep five hours a night in winter
■and less in summer. We are busy all
the time—and healthy. We are only
sorry we delayed coming here.”
PARAGUAY TO LEARN ENGLISH
President Authorizes Study of Lan-
guage in National Colleges of
the Country.
Asuncion, Paraguay.—Under date of
March 28 the president of Paraguay1'
issued a decree providing for the
study of English in the national col-
leges, to be given the same impor-
tance as the other prescribed studies
and the teachers to receive the same
salaries as those of other branches.
The president bases his action upon
the recognized value of learning Eng-
lish and “in conformity with the rec-
ommendation adopted by the recent
Pan-American Scientific congress in
Washington.” I
Years ago English was. taught in the
colleges of Paraguay, but was super-
seded by German.
Last year the United States pro-
duced 560,000 tons of zinc.
CATCH FISH ON TREE LIMBS
Followers of Izaak Walton Have
Great Sport at Winsted, Conn.,
Says Truthful Scribe.
Winsted, Conn.—They are catching
fish in trees at Highland lake this
spring.
More than 100 perch have been
taken from the limbs of trees by fish-
ermen this week. The perch have
spawned on the boughs of hemlock
trees, and whenever worm-baited
hooks appear in their midst the perch
leap for the worms.
The hemlock trees were sunk in
the lake near the west shore of Sec-
ond bay last winter by “preparedness
fishermen” after large holes had been
cut in the ice.
Music With Joy Rides.
Bellefontaine, O.—Persons living In
Bellefontaine believe they have origi-
nated something new for evening auto-
mobile rides. They are carrying small
phonographs with them in their cars
and enjoying music as they ride.
The KITCnm
iiiiiniiiiiiiiii
LookForThis Name
—Goethe.
VALUABLE HINTS.
saM!
Texas Directory
OLD-FASHIONED DISHES.
W. N. U., HOUSTON. NO. 28-1916.
GALLSTONES
and set it at the time
is to be started or the
or taken out of the
but an instant to pro-
There is always room at the top be-
cause so many men would rather re-
main in the wine cellar.
with asso
to givf
perfectlj
incongru-
blespoonful
milk, a half teaspoonful of salt, and
one and a half cupfuls of flour, sifted,
with two teaspoonfuls of baking pow-
der, beat again and fold in the well-
beaten whites of the eggs and bake in
three .piepans. The mixture should
not be more than half an inch thick
in each. As soon as they are baked,
butter and pile them one on top of
the other and send to the table piping
hot.
Popovers.—Beat two eggs without
separating, add a cupful of milk, and
then add this slowly to a cupful of
flour mixed with a teaspoonful of salt.
Grease very hot gem pans and bake 40
minutes in a hot oven.
Dumplings.—Take a cupful of milk,
add one egg, a little salt and flour,
enough to make a stiff mixture; add-
ing two teaspoonfuls of baking pow-
der. Drop from a spoon and cook
eight minutes without removing the
cover. If a teaspoon is used for drop-
ping, eight minutes is sufficient time
for cooking.
Custard Souffle.—Put two table-
spoonfuls of butter in a saucepan and
when bubbling hot add two table-
spoonfuls of flour, blend well and add
a cupful of milk; cool until smooth.
Add four egg yolks, beaten with two
tablespoonfuls of sugar and set away
to cool. Half an hour before serving
fold in the beaten whites and bake
in a pudding dish set in hot water.
Serve with creamy sauce.
Are you in earnest? Seize this very
minute
What you can do, or think you can,
begin it.
Texas Optical Co.
EXPERT OPTICIANS
GLASSES THAT SATISFY
Mail us your broken glasses and
we will repair and return the same
day as received by parcel post.
EYES TESTED FREE
515 MAIN STREET, HOUSTON, TEX.
F. W. Heitmann Go.
HOUSTON, TEXAS
HARDWARE,
MILL SUPPLIES,
METAL, ETC.
6‘Roofing a Spooialty"
order. If not, do
the comfort of your family,
things have real value shut there
away for a time at least and they
will be all the more appreciated when
brought out again.
Emerson says, “a lady is serene,”
doctors tell us that hurry like worry
is death to good looks and an enemy
to health as well. The people whe
accomplish the most in the world are
those who plan their work well and
serenely accomplish it. Did you ever
time yourself on a certain piece ol
work; for example the making and
frying of a rule of doughnuts? If sc
you will know the time needed and
will know what to plan for. Ol
course, there are always the unex-
pected interruptions which we can-
not plan on, but it is wise to know
the length of time it takes to do cer-
tain pieces of work. If mistresses
had a better understanding of these
things there would be more peace and
harmony in the household. A maid
who had a two weeks’ washing under
way should not be asked to prepare
a dinner for invited guests. It is such
inconsiderate women who are helping
to keep the servant problem still un-
solved, and are always looking for a
servant. If one is possessed with the
precious power of concentration, use
an alarm clock
that the dinner
bread put into
oven. It takes
vide this security and it so relieves
the mind that the whole attention
may be put upon what ever work is
at hand.
Tapioca baked with sour apples and
served with sugar and eream is an-
other simple and wholesome dessert.
When we learn to keep our sense
of proportion, and know that, how-
ever, desirable it may be to have the
washing out early, a sweet temper,
a calm and quiet mind are much more
to be desired arwl vastly more appre*
elated by the home folks.
With all the new and fancy dishes
that are daily being originated and
which we enjoy, there
are none, no matter how
tasty that quite take the
place of the things we
knew and liked in child-
hood.
Sally Lunn.—Separate
the yolks from the
whites of two eggs, beat
the yolks, add a table-
spoonful of sugar, a ta-
of shortehing, a cupful of
An alm in life is the only fortune
worth finding; and it is not to be
found in foreign lands, but in the
heart itself.—R. L. Stevenson.
A man has to live with himself and
he should see that he always has good
company.—Chas. Hughes.
C. L & Theo. Bering, Jr., Inc.
698-611 Main and 1009 Capitol Aveaee
Houston
AUTO SUPPLIES and
BASE BALL OUTFITS
CATALOG FREE
Stock Saddles
GUARANTEED
Wo have been making leather
goods for more than 28 years.
Write us for prices.
A. IT. HESS & SON
305 Travis St., Houston ■ Tex.
GENERAL HARDWARE
AND SUPPLIES
Contractors Supplies, Builders
Hardware, Etc. Prices and In-
formation furnished on request
PEDEN IRON & STEEL CO.
HOUSTON SAN ANTONIO
PARCEL POST
When in need of
CLEANING, DYEING or
LAUNDRY WORK
think of us
GOOD WORK —QUICK WORK
Model Laundry, Houston, Texas
Libby’s Sweet, Sour and Dill
Pickles are piquant and firm.
Your summer meals and
picnic baskets are not com-
plete without them.
Insist on Libby's at your
grocer’s.
Libby, MSNeill & Libby
Chicago
Have you gone through your home
this pring putting away many pieces
of bric-a-brac toe
choice
ciation
away,
useless,
ous things taking
up space and caus
ing needless han
dling to keep ir
so, for the sake ol
If tht
MASURY'S AUTO PAINTS
Will Malto YoorOaiP
look Like Now
Ask your dealer for color card.
JAMES BUTE COMPANY
Cor. Texas Ave. and Fannin St., Houston, Tex.
liri I O BLOCKED
S^PackJges
of
Olives
Pickles
Avoid operations. Positive remedy— IT’D 17 KT
(No Results sure Write for our jT
big Book ot Truth and FacU To-Day.
GrLhtone Remedy Co.,Dept.€-60>21DS»DearhoniSt..Chicaf»
Mil I IlIRDlf
ffi LL WL Hn “
BElIL&a BlUlIll all kinds ot Hardwood.
Write or call
HOUSTON CO-OPERATIVE MEG. CO.
2001 Conti Street Houston. Texas
AGENTS WANTED
3ICHHATSMA01WEU
TEX. & LA. HAT CO.
403 Travis St. Houston, Tex.
— it’s a quality-mark lor exception,
ally good table dainties.
Our Manzanilla and Queen Olives,
plain or stuffed, are from the famous
olive groves in Spain,
nim SECRET SERV1CE C0MPAHY’
runmiw o iKC m Houston, Texas
General Offices, St. Louis, Mo. Operate
for Individuals Firms and Corporations
PATENTS
Obtained and trademarks and copyrights regis-
tered. Write for Inventor’s Guide Book. Offices at
709 Kress Bldg., Houston,Tex. Phone Preston 4790.
HARDWAY & CATHEY
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Glaeser, Edwin. New Ulm Enterprise (New Ulm, Tex.), Vol. 6, No. 42, Ed. 1 Friday, July 7, 1916, newspaper, July 7, 1916; New Ulm, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1189211/m1/8/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Nesbitt Memorial Library.