By Shawn Skager

The Courier-Herald

Buckley City Councilman Bob Olson may be the best armed politician on the Plateau.

Not content with simple hand-carried firearms, Olson - a self-professed collector of oddities - boasts ownership of a pair of Civil-War Era reproduction cannons.

&#8220I've always been interested in things that make noise,” he said.

Olson's artillery - a small version called a mortar that fires soup cans, plus a carriage-mounted, 1,475-pound cannon that fires lead balls - were acquired by the former utility worker 10 years ago.

&#8220I found them in an old junkyard in Federal Way,” Olson said. &#8220The guy who owned them didn't know where he got them.”

According to Olson, he bought the cannons mainly to amuse himself.

Olson said after he negotiated the sale of the carriage-mounted gun, the former owner pointed out that he had another gun, as well as accessories, such as cannon-balls and a mold to make the projectiles for the gun.

&#8220We used to shoot it (the carriage mounted cannon) in the woods,” Olson said. &#8220And you could see the alder trees falling down.”

Olson admitted that he has also fired projectiles out of the mortar as well.

&#8220We would shoot soup cans full of concrete,” Olson said. &#8220We'd paint them yellow and just watch them fly.”

These days, Olson said he mostly just fires the cannon with a load of powder and no projectile, especially on the Fourth of July.

Although the threat of cannon balls raining down on his neighbors is non-existent, Olson said that the firing of his ordnance has created some funny moments in his neighborhood.

&#8220Once I pulled out my cannon and fired it off,” he said. &#8220My neighbor came over with coffee all over the front of his shirt. He asked me if I could warn him next time.”

In addition to amusing his neighbors, Olson's cannons also have led to some good-natured kidding on the council.

&#8220I told him that he was the loose cannon on the council,” Mayor Pat Johnson said. &#8220But Bob has always been over there, with the rest of us over here. He lives to the beat of a different drummer.”

Olson laughed after hearing the Mayor's remark.

&#8220Yes, I beat my drum with only one stick,” he said. &#8220But I think it's important to have humor in your life. You have to laugh at yourself.”