Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-10-23
MBAss OF SAVING HUMAN LIFE.

All who have visited any of our great
national or international expositions have
noticed that the exhibit of apparatus for
destroying lie is far larger than that for
saving 1t. The Gfe-destroying apparatus
includes firearms OF all kinds, improved
ammunition, torpedoes, and an infinite
variety OF smaller articles. The life-pre-
serving apparatus is often limited to few
belts 1lled with cork, and some light boats
Designed to save persons from drowning in
time OF shlpwreck. During the past few
years more attention has been given to the
matter OF saving human life. Several fire.
escapes have been invented and brought
into use In large cities. The fire departments
no longer limit their endeavors to putting
ont flames IN burning buildings. They
have apparatus for saving life as well as
properly. The firemen first endeavor to
save the inmates of building, and then TO
prevent the property from being destroyed.
Every year the brakes on railway cars are
improved, 30 that now train can be
stopped when running at full speed quicker
than carriage drawn by horses. 1t is
now proposed to have a pilot on each en-
gine drawing passenger train, whose sole
duty shall consist in looking out for dan.
gers and giving an alarm when it becomes
necessary. By the adoption of various
precautionary measures the loss of life on
passenger trains, in most European coun.
tries, diminishes year by year, though the
number OF persons carried in cars has
largely increased. In another decade it is
likely that the railway will furnish the
safest method of travelling.
Recently device has been brought into
hutr. e. a..
lifeboats from the deck of vessel on the
occasion of storm or collision. 1t allows
the passengers to take their seats in the
boat, swings it over the side of the vessel,
and deposits it in the water. 1t is man
aged by small number of men, and re-.
quires but few moments to launch boat.
Another invention has been brought out for
| preventing collisions of sailing vessels or
steamers. 1t produces the same results as
the air or hand brake that is operated on
railway trains tits operated the moment
another boat or obstruction is discovered,
and the vessel is brought to full stop
1t Is believed that a steamer may be stopped
by means OF 1t as quickly as train of cars
are by the action of the air brake. The
device is represented as having the same
relation to vessel that a flo has to a
iAsiA' NV oPP1i"suS WAS Ttc6nLlY Tried
near Boston, and was pronounced entirely
successful in its operations. A steamer
propelled by an engine of sixty.horse
power, and moving at the rate of twenty
miles an hour, was brought to a stop within
ten feet OF the spot where the alarm was
given. No shock or jar was felt as when
train Of cars is stopped, as the water
through which the vessel moves is a Weld.
ing body. The reports of many collisions
show that the pilot has several minutes
warning OF danger, but is unable to avert
disaster In SO short time with The means
at his command. The number of steamers
now plying between the United States and
Great Britain has become so great that the
dangers from collisions have multiplied ex.
ceedlngly. The invention is therefore
timely, and deserves to be thoroughly
tested.