Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/847

 Popular Science Monthly

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���The guarding of this railroad bridge across the Pecos River on the Mexican frontier was accomplished by means of acetylene search-lights located on the banks below the bridge

��Protecting a Bridge from Villa with Acetylene Lamps

DURING the trouble in Mexico it was feared along the frontier that the Mexican desperadoes might destroy American bridges, thereby preventing, or more or less seriously hindering, the effort of the American troops ordered across the border in capturing bloodthirsty Villa. On several occasions bands of maraud- ers threatened to dynamite the bridge of the Southern Pacific Railroad, which stretches, a delicate steel thread, across the Pecos River. The Southern Pacific Railroad bridge which is three hundred and twenty feet in length, spans the lower course of the Pecos River where it flows into the Rio Grande. The bridge is one of the most important connecting links in the southern branch of the Texas division of the railroad, and its demolition, a comparatively easy matter, would cause a tremendous loss because of the delay in freight shipments. To forestall the plans of a possible Villa dynamite squad, troops were stationed at regular points along the roadbed of the river. At several places underneath the bridge, powerful acetylene search-lights were turned on at night. Because of the vigilance of the 19th United States In- fantry, which was stationed on the bridge, the Mexicans made no attacks.

��The Gentlest Bullet

A CAT may be killed i^y shooting, but the use of chloroform is generally considered more humane. Shooting has

��its merciful side also, and during the period of the present war, much has been said regarding the most humane bullet. The bullet used by the French infantry •cannot be said to be desirable, yet it is perhaps the least painful and produces the fewest bad effects of any now in use. Its swiftness enables it to pass right through the body and to cut a very small, clean hole, without tearing the surrounding tissue. The chance of^ escaping important nerve centers is thus greatly increased.

The greatest injury is caused by tear- bones. Many heavy bullets act in this way as well as the dum-dum bullets, so much talked about last year. Shrap- nel balls are not so disastrous in their effects. They have so little force back of them that they seldom penetrate bey^ond the outer ^. ^y
 * ing open the tissues and splitting the

muscular 11^ -r

coating. if

���Vigilant American troopers kept the calcium focused on the delicate steel structure all night

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