Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Top 5 most Overrated Rifle Cartridges

Little Known Facts about Firearms: The 45 Elias Steamer
Copyright 2015 - Cletus Tenderloin


.........Elias Martineau

In 1889, Elias Martineau, of the Louisiana ‘salt water boiled chicken' Martineaus, constructed the first steam driven, self-contained cartridge – the 45 Elias Steamer.

Elias lived just outside of Lafayette, in the newly created Acadia Parish. God bless him, his intentions were honorable, but he just wasn’t too bright. He figured to capitalize on the family idea of using boiled salt water from the Gulf. Instead of cooking chicken though, he wanted to use steam to propel bullets. Sadly, neither the Martineau chicken recipe nor Elias’ steam driven bullet idea took off.

Originally, Elias thought that he could create something that would rival the black powder and new smokeless powder cartridges of the day. He worked hard to build a tiny steam chamber and water reservoir inside a 45-70 case. He chose the 45-70 because of its availability and the sheer number of single shot rifles piled up in his shed.

For about 18 months he worked tirelessly, modifying cases with wee chambers and a single, steam driven piston. The effort took most of his time and ruined his eyesight. When it became too difficult to use even large magnifying glasses, he imported ‘illegals’ from Tennessee to labor in his small shed. He was determined to succeed, despite employing people from the Smoky Mountains.

Had Elias made one or two prototypes before going into mass production, he might have realized his idea wouldn’t hold water. Or, more to the point, wouldn’t hold enough water. While the principle of steam pressure had been proven in locomotives, it was a new idea in bullet propulsion. This was the golden age of firearms however, when a new idea was born every week, and testing procedures were not standardized.

In July of 1890, Elias’ small staff had produced 10 steam driven cartridges, and the day of testing had arrived. Five men went into Martineau’s backyard, set up a firing bench, a target stand, and one fellow even remembered to bring refreshments and lunch. The very first target was a 30x30 piece of deer hide, held onto the stand with wire.

At the firing line, Elias' men piled boxes of bottles, cans, old shoes and boots, hats and even a small chicken in a cage. After the initial test on the deer hide, these items were to be shot up to demonstrate the accuracy and firepower of the 45 Elias Steamer.

Elias carefully laid out the ten new cartridges on the table. He put on a new shirt, combed his hair and called for his rifle – a well-used Springfield trapdoor. Calvin Victor, his assistant, brought it to him and motioned for the camera. This was a historic moment! That’s when Elias' employees realized that in their haste to construct this new steam driven cartridge, they had forgot to modify a rifle to fire it. So they went home.

Sadly, Elias Martineau would not live to see his dream come true. Two months after the failed test, he was struck and killed by a driverless horse and buggy in the laneway of his farm, while walking to the outhouse.

And now you know the best of the story!