The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1881-02-23
How A Great Engineer Got His Start.

James B. Eads was born in Indiana in
1920 lie - slender III form, neat N
dress, genial, courteous md nearly sixty
years of age. In 1888, his father started
down the Ohio River with his isn'lyy
proposing 70 settle in Wisconsin. The
boat caught fife, and his scanty fumi-
tme and clothing were bVrned. Young
Eads hardly escaped ashore with his
pantnloous, shirt and cap, Taking res-
sage on another boat this boy OF thirteen
landed in st. Louis with his parents, his
little bare feet first touching TIE rocky
shore oi the city ON the very spot where
he afterward located and bull the largest
steel bridge i'll the World, over the Mis-
sissippi-one of the most iIilCpNt feats
Of engineering ever performed IN
AmeMCa.
At the age Of nlnc, Young fads made
n short trip on the Ohio, when Chs en-
| gineer Of the steamboat explained to
him so clearly the construction of the
steam engine, that before he was year
older he bUilt q little working model OF
it, so perfect in its parts md movements
| that his schoolmates would frequently
| go home with him after school to see it
work. A locomotive engine, driven by
a concealed raj, Uoe one m hls next jul
yenile ieats in mechanical engineering.
| From eight to thirteen he attended
school after which, from necessity, he
was placed in n dry goods store.
| Over the store, III - Louis, where he
was engaged, his employer hyed He
was an old bachelor, and having observed
the tastes OF his clerk, gave him his first
book on engineering. The old gentle
mans library furnished esening com
panions for him during the five years he
was employed Finally, hls health fail
ing, at the age of nineteen, he went ON
Mississippi River steamer, from which
time to the present day that great river
has been to him an all absorbing study.
Soon lfterward, he found II partner
ship with 4, friend, and built small
boat to raise cargoes of vessels sunk in
the Mississippi While this boat was
building he made his first venture in
submarine engineering, on the lower
rapids of the river, by the recovery OF
| several tons Of lead. He hired a scow or
hatboat and anchored it over the wreck
| An experienced diver clad in armor,
who had been hired at considerable ex-
pense in Buffalo, was lowered into the
water; but the rapids were so swift that
the diver, encased in strong armor,
feared to be sunk to the bottom. Young
Eads determined to succeed, and finding
it impracticable to use the armor, went
ashore, purchased whisky barrel,
| knocked out the head attached the air
| pump hose to it, fastening several heavy
| weighs to the open end of the barrel
then swinging it on to derrick he had
| practical diving-bell, tho best use |
ever heard made of whisky barrel.
Neither the diver nor my of the crew
would 60 down in the contrivmce, SO the
damtlcss young engineer, having full
confidence in what he had read in books,
was lowered within the barrel down tc
the bottom, the lower end of the barrel
being open. The water was sixteen fee
deep and very swift. Finding the wreck
he remained in it a full hour, hitchine
ropes to pig-lead until ton or so wa
safely hoisted into his own boat; thel
making y signal by small line attached
to the barrel lie was lifted on deck, anC
took command again, The sunken cargo
was soon successfully raised, and wa
sold. and netted n handsome profit
| which, increased by other successes, Ell
abled enegetic Eads to build larger boats
with powerful pumps and machinery ol
them for lifting entire vessels.