Bio: Pitcher, Dr. H. A. – Inventor of new Gun (1891)

Transcriber: Ellen Johnson
Contact: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Pitcher

----Source: Ogdensburg Journal (Ogdensburg, N.Y.) 12 Sep 1891

Chicago, September 11, 1891 -- Officers at Fort Sheridan range witnessed the testing of an automatic repeating rifle that bids fair to revolutionize both naval and land warfare. The gun is the invention of Dr. H. A. Pitcher of Neillsville, Wisconsin. The rifle becomes automatic by the utilization of gas produced by the combustion of the first cartridge fired. The gas escapes into a close chamber and acts on a piston that is set against a spiral spring, the recoil of which propels the piston back against a rod that sets the mechanism of the gun in motion, removes the empty cartridge, replaces it with a loaded one and cocks the gun. Its best record yesterday was eight shots in five seconds. The Army board will investigate the merits of the gun.