New-York tribune., 1879-11-22
A NEW INVENTION FOR sAND-TRUcKAGE.

SATISFACTORY TRIAL At ERIE. PESN.-A WHEEL
THAT WILL NOT SINK ~ SAND.
To the Editor Of The tribune
SIR: The wrecking of the United States
steamer Huron. Nag's Head. y. c. on the 9th Of
November. 1877, causing the loss Of nearly 100
passengers. aud nsuiiciency Of the sanlrucksge
then employed at the liiesayng stations .or rapid
moving Of cbOats the beach, called ont the in
ventiyc resources OF Captain Otnger resulting IN the
production OF his sand truck concerning which row
write. The reader hardly need be Informed that Cap
tain Ongcr Is the inventor OF he life ear with which
over 900 PASSENGERS have been saved from wrecked
vessels: that 70 him duo the csiab-
lishmeDt Of nie-sa,ing stations set
board. and the invention - the principal
life-savng Implements with which they equipped
The Importance OF his present invention be inferred
from The frequent mention. IN official report Of marine
dsascrs he difficulties experienced 10 ;ac ordinary
sand truckagc In Captain Metiyman's I,pCi. c,ncefn
ing wreck of the steamer Metropolis, Lc says Tho
sand soft and yielding that the wheels oi the
cart with their broad tes hve inches wdc cut four or
five inci,s below the surface" They could have
reached wreck with the lfebOat truck hc adds. II
they had ped by Mr. Dunton. with his horse
and cart. when about mile and hall from the sta
tio1.
On the sih mst witnessed n very thorough trial OF
the OttIngcr sand truck Erie Penn the residence OF
the The peculiar ty OF this truck lies In the
foru Of the wheel which, willie Ia other respects hko
UTGinny cart wheels, Il crs fhcG IN having TTn.
eight Inches wide. provided vita doufc fanges.
the groove formed By these doue Hingcs bring ovicf
sections by gu'a. pe'cs 50 rs 10
force tie sami inwai!s under the ru ." i"ahe soma
bed by the pressure ~ the wheel Thc1c cross pieces
also prevent The sand from rising NJ b. fJir The wheel
the truck j. moved. The ts-rnii'i difference he
,sr.n tlc Ottuyer le. and DINER. ~ Ia I'M. sectional
aangcu catching and holding Herewith tho
loose sand over which II passes 80 as 10 support the
wheel from that excessive sinkagc 10 which ordinary
wheels subjected
TINS trial was made on the northern beach OF tho
Peninsula. opposite the city, where previously the life
saving the bre station, Wlica cndraNOfng 10
their ibot from the hoat-honse 10 the grounded
schooner iea's south from the sou hrtn Pef OF the en-
trance of Prcsque Isle Bay, could dfas 10 only few
feet. The cart used by them has s1ncE-:aced wheel;
The h'-.a' INC GREY" numbering se, ncu VaDiy ule1
to move the cart bearing the susboat weighing Loo
pounds Forty men then took tie ropes ana dragged
The "a mile half Ia the space 81 two honrs aud
hsf It's wheel, sinking than three inches IN tho
% s Gss @ 81 SoS, the the e, 10 Of % "a hS ' men Sa
who dratg.d tne cart conpainnS o, ing a'sg.l %s &
me of beach, ihe sane distance. Win ;he same
eirf-boat, but with the Otungcr sanc,Iuck instead or
that uscd 10y the ifesavers, drawn by eight men, who
dragged the boat mile and hreequSricls IN one hour
aua zen Minutes not counting the detention Occaoned
bv break OF the rack Ia which the boat rested
The wheels rode the sand, despite s xcePtl0n-
ally unfayOTaDle condition because of recent snowalls.
sinking ~ f. nor taking ap Tie sand iO any percept-
ibc degree. saId-hls cf "a cen-idtrahie elevation
crossed, ana tue truck novel along "tH Its hngn
load makng path Tor it-clf In series of sandf9if3s
corresponding With the pockets ia "a; wheels wnen,
uyDa cdIfiui eNanhaii9h. sno"'u we '.A.y VI tac
sardtoms 20 be higher than the san3o N which they
made demonstrating itng up rather than sink
age Tue gang os eight cartmen seemed equal AT me
end o their pu to launching the bat and making ior
Captain william Clarke. ~ charge Of the Ere Lie
Saving StaoI present, and stated 10 c at, com
parns trial with his experience wnrn making Ter
the }els with his gang Of fcrty az the puirOprs.
he deemed the carting OF he boat without ihs
O,tinger sand-wreel almost an imVUssDility. Jnds.
ng from the trial myself, a. "eIl ~ iron
i'm when l. with al those who have WIS.
tied the seaside have shared am prepared 10 tuliy IN
dOr,e s Judgment IN the premises. Ana this brings me
10 conclude very brief reference ~ an Invention,
the value of which is certainly great by s.l ns Ibat
Knowing Captain Otngers motive Ia ~ construction
imply Oi humanity, ani iu EO"isc inspired by
love for filthy lucre. and knOwing too tie priceless
Importance apil transit OF iiebU@ts Win their geaT'
ing 10 slnkng smps. hope 1t may be tried ny those
having IN Charge the National LeSayng Service, bc-
heIimg tnat ts would give COMPLETENESS thereto
which every citizen woud re- Dice 10 see.
Erie, Penn, Nov. IL 1879. {. {. CONVERSE