Comments on: Sometimes You Just Have to Shoot the General Land Office

By: Bradley Denton

Bradley Denton — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 00:28:11 +0000

Thanks, Mr. Kerr. I look forward to your book.

No doubt the tale of Angelina Eberly, as usually told here in Austin, does not quite jibe with how the Archives War cannon shot really happened — as your research indicates.

Nevertheless, I agree with your final comment. Or, to paraphrase a famous line from THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALANCE:

“This is the West, sir. When the legend becomes fact, blog the legend!”

By: Jeff Kerr

Jeff Kerr — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 15:43:12 +0000

Angelina Eberly’s story is indeed fascinating. I include it in my book “Seat of Empire” due out next spring with State House Press. There is little doubt that she was present when the cannon was fired. Contemporary accounts, however, leave room for doubt about who exactly applied the match that fired the gun. Most of the men were out of town chasing Indians at the time. Someone noticed the activity at the land office. The cannon was rolled across the street by several bystanders. Eberly evidently taunted the men to take action. As the cannon was about to be fired, she reportedly shoved the barrel more towards the land office. Someone then lit the fuse. Whether this was Angelina Eberly is not clear, but do you honestly think that a group of 19th century Texan men would have stood by while a woman fired the cannon? Anyway, it probably doesn’t matter. If the story isn’t true, it should be!

By: Stuart

Stuart — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:36:06 +0000

Oops! Thanks for the correction. Guthrie is not one of those towns that embeds itself in forefront of memory. It is as famous for its nightlife as it is for its culture. 0 = 0

By: Casey Hamilton

Casey Hamilton — Sat, 03 May 2008 05:56:57 +0000

Actually, regarding Oklahoma, the former state capital was Guthrie, states the former legislative flack. They’ve built a thriving tourist industry from this fact.

By: Bill Bottorff

Bill Bottorff — Fri, 02 May 2008 23:31:23 +0000

Madeleine, you might look at the following link:
http://www.cannon-mania.com/
They have a “carbide canon” that is pretty good for big bangs. You load it with little pebbles of carbide and drip some water in them and it generates acetylene gas which is highly explosive and LOUD. Lots of fun! I ran into a guy here in Austin who built a mortar that would shoot bowling balls. What fun!
Bill

By: Steven Gould

Steven Gould — Fri, 02 May 2008 20:00:17 +0000

Well, Mad, if you can't get the figure you can always go for the beer.

By: Madeleine Robins

Madeleine Robins — Fri, 02 May 2008 17:04:51 +0000

Steve, what I really want is a tourist tschotske that I could keep on my desk. Something like those models of Sigmund Freud or Jane Austen. Even if the smaller bronze is available, I’m sure it’s out of my price range.

By: Steven Gould

Steven Gould — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:57:08 +0000

Mad, a small scale model exists but I'm not sure it's available.

By: Steven Gould

Steven Gould — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:53:46 +0000

I hereby declare that the Capitol of the State of New Mexico shall forever be Truth-or-Consequences! (Archival Raid to follow.)

By: Stuart

Stuart — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:11:21 +0000

Oklahoma has its own version. The state capital was at Enid until an intrepid band of citizens stole the state seal in the middle of the night and took it to Oklahoma City.

Since the state itself was stolen from the Indians twice it is only fitting. When I say twice it is because the original inhabitants were displaced by tribes that were brought from the east and then the land was stolen from them for the sake of white settlers.

By: Tom Kastan

Tom Kastan — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:37:47 +0000

Alonzo E. Horton sucessfully moved the city of San Diego from Old Town to near the bay (Horton’s Addition) by transporting the archives in the dead of night. This must have been more common than I thought.

By: Madeleine Robins

Madeleine Robins — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:16:32 +0000

Does anyone make souvenir scale models of Mrs. Eberly? Cause I’d sure like to have one. As a lifelong fan of archivists and librarians (and big Blammo! noises) of course.

Excellent.

By: Maureen McQ

Maureen McQ — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:25:41 +0000

Dear Brad,

I live in a universe that is parallel to yours lets call it California) where certain things you describe in this fine blog are different in the reality where I reside. Some of those differences are quite sad. We do not, for example, have flying monkeys in our Flint Hills. (http://eatourbrains.com/EoB/2006/12/21/no-place-like-it/)
So when I read something like this, I naturally assume that anything this…fantastical is perhaps not true in my universe. As it turns out, I have underestimated Texas, which even in my reality is a truly strange place.

By: Morgan J. Locke

Morgan J. Locke — Fri, 02 May 2008 04:15:10 +0000

Bloody brilliant. Only in Texas.