Fizzled Firework

Developed by Mr. George Plimpton of New York, the 'Fat Man' Roman candle was to be the most spectacular firework ever seen. Forty inches long and weighing in at 720 pounds, Plimpton claimed that his baby would reach an unheard-of altitude of over 3,000 feet!

In front of a crowd of anxious spectators, Plimpton strode confidently to the 'Fat Boy', lit the fuse, then stepped back to a safe distance.

The 'Fat Boy' hissed. And then it whistled. And then it blew a 10-foot crater in the ground.