No wonder we were afraid of Damascus

[John Davis]

Hopefully our Editors will forgive me for pulling back the curtains on a future Parkers in Pulp article, but I thought this might add to the discussion.

July 24, 1898, San Antonio Sunday Light, “Mr. Chas. Chabot while gunning for doves Friday afternoon with Mr. A. C. Pancoast, had a narrow escape from severe injury or probably instant death. He was using Walsrode powder in shells supposed to contain 24 grains of chained lightning’ as the boys call it, in a sixteen gauge Parker gun. Mr. Chabot fired at a dove crossing the road when the shell in the right barrel exploded, tearing out a piece of Damascus steel nearest the breech about four inches long which disappeared in the circumambient air. The effects of the explosion knocked Mr. Chabot down and severely powder-burned his face; otherwise he escaped injury. Strange to say, that just about one year ago he met with a like accident, the left barrel of his gun being blown off. Messrs. Parker Bros. on being informed of the last year’s accident gladly replaced a new set of barrels for those exploded. There is hardly any doubt but what the shell which exploded the gun contained an overload, as Mr. George Chabot, his brother, is authority for the fact that he has used Walsrode smokeless powder for the past three years without an accident.” [Author’s Note: First for the curious, “circumambient” is defined as “surrounding.” Second, what else would you expect from something referred to as “chained lightning?”]

December 24, 1898, Denton Journal, Denton, Maryland, “Sheriff Rice’s fine Parker gun burst while he was shooting partridges on Wednesday last. The powder used was the smokeless kind and thought to be very strong. A large piece of the left barrel was blown off, and Mr. Rice was badly burned about the face.” [Author’s Note: Another blown barrel. These articles serve to illustrate that the transition to smokeless powder could be a hazardous one.]

December, 1898, Sporting Life, “Parker Bros., of Meriden, Conn., manufacturers of the popular high-grade Parker gun, have issued notice to the trade of an important addition to their line. The circular is as follows: ‘We can now supply you with a Plain Black Barrel, that we do not hesitate to recommend as a hard, tough and thoroughly reliable barrel and in consequence is suitable to shooting nitro powders. We unhesitatingly recommend them for trap and pigeon guns when a party desires a barrel similar to the Whitworth Fluid Pressed Steel. We have decided to name them Titanic Steel, by which name they will be known and stamped on the top rib. They will be made in the $100, $150 and $200 list, and will be kept up to the high standard that has characterized our guns of these grades.” [Author’s Note: Parker Brothers finally enters the fluid steel market in earnest.]