Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1879-08-14
MlistsIlaueuns &eadina,
EADS. THE ENGINEER.

cy and success. The great work of creating
a 30-foot channel at the mouth of the river
has been accomplished and the amount Of
money for which Capt. Eads agreed to do the
work has been found sufficient, 50 that the
hackers of Capt. Eads and the government
are both satisfied. Eads made his name as
the builder of the St. Louis Bridge, one Of
the greatest works of the century, The un-
dertaking, although perfect triumph Of en-
gineering skill, brought Financial disaster
to the company which supplied the funds.
1t was too great work for private corpo-
ration. 1t is said that Eads, while watch
ing its erection saw so many novel opportu-
mites for the exercise of igenuity and skill
that he took out no less than two hundred
patents on devices which were suggested to
him. The bridge was hardly completed be-
fore Eads brought forward his plan for open
ing the mouth Of Mississippi. From the first
he had strenuous opposition of the engineers
of the army. The most eminent engineers
were detailed to report on his scheme, and
they reported against it. Eads pressed his
plan, and commission was sent by the gov.
ernment to examine the jetties at the mouth
of the Danube. The report was not unfavor.
able. Eads secured the political influence Of
the whole Mississippi Valley, and carried the
necessary legislation through Congress. An
appropriation of four or FIVE millions was re.
quired, and Congress appropriated it, to be
paid in installments. Eads went to work, and
got along slowly at first. He had great OBJ
stacles to overcome, and it was found that the
amount of money needed to carry on the
work exceeded the amount of the nstallments
Two years in succession Capt. Eads was
obliged to come here and ask favors of Con.
gress and the Executive. The engineers and
many others continued to doubt the ultimate
success of his idea. The Cincinnati CONNER
cial opposed it constantly and denounced ii
as humbug. Unforeseen obstacles arose tc
delay the work. 1t was found that the water
confined between the jetties did not scour the
channel out evenly. Large Jumps Of mud
were left, which required artificial means fol
their removal. Capt Eads was obliged tc
go to Pittsburg, and spend nearly 100000 fol
6 dredging vessel Of entirely novel design
He began with channel in the pass, in some
places only eight feet deep, and and the cur
rents at first secured it out slowly. But after
he reached a depth of twenty-five feet, he
began to see success before him. The deeper
the channel became the more rapidly it deep
ened. The other day he obtained depth OF
thirty feet, WHICH was all he ever agreed to
secure. His success was complete, and the
engineers we're nowhere. Eads is smalish
and rather fragile looking man. A peculiar
pallor of his skin and very quiet manner make
him seem even smaller than he is. But he
has very thoughtful and determined face
He looks like man who has the utmost con-
6dence in himself and who knows how to
wait. The personal influence of his exer'
cised here by virtue of his connection with
the jetties has been enormous. When he
wanted favors from Congress and the Presi
dent he took rooms at the Riggs House and
became "a society man." With his carriage
he drove about town every night, attending
the receptions and entertainments No man
was more frequently seen at the White House
in the winter evenings. He understood the
arts of society and early ingratiated himself
with Mrs. Hayes. He did the agreeable to
all the members wives and could give the
elderly lobbyists lessons in the science of "get.
ting votes" 1t was he who was mainly in,
strumental in inducing the President to aban.
don the idea of vetoing the river and har
Dor appropriation bill last March. Sherman
had talked Mr.. Hayes into the idea and the
veto message was written and lay in the Presi
dents room at the Capitol in the last hours Of
the session. Eads rallied tremendous pres
sure from senators and members and carried
his point.
Now that his jetties have won the day, he
is turning his attention to ship railway
across the Isthmus of Panama. That is an
idea which is less likely to succeed. but il
would not be surprising to see Eads raise a
few millions of dollars and try it. He will
always have some big scheme on hand. Like
many other inventors and leading men he
does not enrich himself by his ideas. Oh
course there was no money for him in the St
Louis bridge beyond his salary as an engineer
and he will not make much more out of the
jetties.
THE PULPIT Vo1cE.-Many clergymen
have pulpit voice. When they are out Of
church they speak as other people do. They
do not EN- ploy deep chest-note when they
inquire of the butcher respecting the price OF
roast beef, and they do not use dismal mon
otone when they discuss domestic matters with
their wives and children. But as soon as they
get into church they unconsciously assume an
artificial tone; and they are apt to do this
when they have any devotional functions to
perform. 1t has often been observed that, il
ministsr, who is chatting easily and natural
ly at table, should be asked to say grace, he
will suddenly assume his pulpit voice, articu-
late with it during the ceremony and then re-
sumo the conversation in his proper voice with
the dexterity OF ventriloquist. The pulpit
voice is probably attributable, in large de-
gree, to desire to give solemnity and impres
siveness to the performance 1t results from
an effort to convey to the hearers the deep
sense of awe which may fairly be supposed to
sufuse the clerical mind. But the result to
the listener is far more likely to be an almost
irresistible tendency to 60 to sleep. The eff:
fective voice always is the natural voice
The skillful actor touches every chord in the
entire gamut of passion, and he gives force
and effect to every phase of sentiment, with.
out putting any undue strain upon his vocal
machinery. A great truth must be far more
impressive when it is urged in the speakers
ordinary tones, modified only by whatever in
fuence of sincere feeling may govern the
speakers mind, than when it is offered in an
artificial voice, about which there can be no
suggestion of genuine passion.
The KINGS MOUNTAIN CENTENNIAL.-
The proceedings of the meeting which was
held at Kings Mountain for the purpose of
taking the initiatory steps in the matter of
the celebration of the centennial anniversary
of the revolutionary battle fought there, have
attracted widespread attention, and the uu.
dertaking meets with warm communication on