Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-08-30
A WEB-FOOT GENIUS.


motive power, which, in the opinion of
experienced engineers and scientific
gentlemen who have examined the
working model, will not only supplant
the present steam engines in use but
largely increase the uses to which ma
chinery can be applied with profit.
Strange to say, the invention which
promises such great results is the pro-
duct of boy but eighteen years of age,
who was born and reared in Oregon.
Frank G. Crouch, is the name of
the young genius. His father settled
on alarm in Douglas county over twenty
years ago, and the only educational
advantages enjoyed by the young man
were those afforded by the country
school. At very early age he demon
strated q wonderful ingenuity in the
construction of windmills and water
wheels. Before he was ten years of
age he built toy saw-mill, which was
the wonder of the inhabitants for miles
around. Natural philosophy and chem
istry were his favorite studies, not only
faithfully followed in school, but fairly
revealed in out Of school hours. He
was continually testing the theories of
the book by actual experiments, and
propuced results which astonished his
elders. The frivolous amusements of
other children he turned from, and his
entire time was occupied not only in
practically demonstrating what he saw
in print, but endeavoring to improve on
the original.
Up to about four or five years
ago, when he went with his father to
Portland, he never had seen tele-
graphic instrument, yet instead of hav-
ing it's operation explained to him, he
astonished the operator with q more
profound elucidation of it's workings
than the operator himself could have
given. Upon his return home he con-
structed an instrument, made a battery,
and in rude way could telegraph with
it. He came near losing his life at
this period, from the strength of bat
terry which he had constructed, receiv-
ing shock which laid him up for
month. In this connection it may be
stated that this young man has perfect
ed system of telegraph whereby mes
sages may be sent and received on board
train of cars, whether standing still
or moving at the rate of fifty miles an
hour. The young man fully explained
this system to Chronicle reporter,
showing plainly that it is feasible, but
as his application for patent is not
yet filed it would be unfair to make it
public. This system also renders col
lisions impossible and greatly reduces
the chances of accidents of all kinds.
It has been tested on twelve miles of
road and found to work like charm.
Another of his inventions, from which
his friends and practical machinists ex-
pect great results, is a self-regulating
water feed, to be applied to boilers.
The great majority of explosions which
occur are caused by the water getting
low through the carelessness of engin-
eers. By this arrangement the water
in the boiler will always be kept at q
certain hight, rendering explosions i'm
possible, requiring no attention from
the engineer and dispensing with the
water-gauges.
Among all the inventions to which
this young man has applied his atten-
tion the one which he was most desirous
of bringing before the public was his
new steam engine.
His father, who is plain, practical
farmer, endeavored to turn his attention
from machinery and electricity to the
everyday life of the farm, but finally
he was persuaded by the constant and
unceasing opportunities of the youth
to go with him to Portland and en-
deavor to get some capitalists to supply
the money to bring out the inventions
of the boy. They met with poor sue
cess in Portland, and the father, whose
means are limited, endeavored to per-
suade his son to return home. The
young man would not listen to such
proposition and finally induced his fa-
ther to come on down to San Francisco.
They met with poor success here at first,
but young Crouch finally succeeded in
getting miniature model of his engine
manufactured. He took it down to
San Jose, where several old friends of
the Crouch family reside.
At Judge Hester's residence, on the
Alameda road, the little engine, with
but two-inch cylinder and two-inch
stroke, was applied to a large straw
cutter, ordinarily worked by very
strong mule. It easily handled the
machine, and accomplished work which
the mule could not, cutting off grape
vines and barrel hoops as readily as
straw. The mule was substituted for
the little engine, and brought to dead
stop when these things were put in the
machine. Judge Moore and Mr.. Bish-
op at once took stock in the undertak-
ing. With the means furnished by
them large engine is now being con-
structed at machine shop San Fran
cisco, which WI bc :" onoral'3n 'uuu.
Tho motir clajmcl t5J "e oaa ca.51o
y that Ivy It steam is coaeor,'d into q
wonderfully expansive @9T, py being
sufetuea!oj "a combination with a'r
th"a sIy'o. 10 a comparatively small