Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-03-31
THE MAN WHO INVENTED THE LIFE.
CAR,

CAR.
Last winter. in Washington, the
habitues of the Capitol became very
familiar with a figure that haunted
its corridors-a figure alert and erect
in spite of the snow-thatch Time had
laid on its head, aud possessed of the
manner and dignity that go with the
title of "old school"
1t was Captain Douglass Ottinger,
of the Revenue Marine; and he was
asking. in his 87th year, to be retired
on full pay in consideration of ser
vices rendered.
His name is known only to the
marine authorities of the world, the
service and his friends; but there are
thousands of people who owe their
lives to him-for he is the inventor of
the life-car, the ball and line and the
famous sand-wheel.
The life-car is his first born and
dearest invention. He spent his
freshest enthusiasm on it; and carried
his faith in the floating capacity of
its corrugated iron form to the point
of being shut up in it and drawn
through the East river. He toiled
and struggled until he got it intro
duced into the wrecking stations, and
then went to California in command
of the first vessel that carried the
'49ers round the Horn to the Ell Do
RADIO of their hopes and dreams.
The life-car lay in the stations,
scorned by the wreckers, derided as
a madman's dream and condemned
as useless, until the wreck of the
Ayrshire, which CHANGED on Christ
mas Eve, off the coast of Brigantine
Beach, N. j.
1t had been a hard season, and, as
the Oath wore ON. the weather grew
thicker and nastier every moment.
The wind woke and squalled over the
sea until the surface, as far as eye
could reach, was yard-thick with
foam. The gale bore dead on shore,
and the waves hurried before it so
rapidly that they could hardly curl
and break before they were torn by
the storm and tramplsd down by the
"white horses" behind them. The
I sand flew along the beach, whipping
and singing whatever it met; and the
air was filled with the roar OF the
tempest.
The coast guard kept watch with
an anxiety which was born not alto
gether Of humanity in the abstract
and at IL o'clock concluded they
might turn in.
They had hardly reached this de
cision when a sound came up from
the sea that was neither the breaking
surf nor the wind; and they knew
ship was running to wreck, and was
crying for help through the iron
mouths of her guns.
They limbered up the wagon,
mounted the life-boat, and were on
the shore in fewer minutes than a
landsman would think possible. The
clouds were driving faster than the
water; the snow and sleet fell like ar
rows; the sea had grown wilder; and,
outlined againt scud and drift, they
could make out a large brig. She
was plunging and rearing, as if she
knew lee shore sang for her bones;
and yet, struggle as she might, she
C1kuG u0ox0l Will CNOxy 4O4ls
As the gale swept by, it brought
the sound of voices shouting, and
once the shrill, high cry of a woman.
The men looked at each other, as
white as the storm; then shook hands
quietly all around, and got into the
boat.
The waves tore the oars away, and
threw the boat high on the beach.
Again they launched her; and again
they were pitched back. bruised, half
drowned, and one with his right hand
smashed.
But the cry of the woman's voice
knelled over the water; and in their
extremity they thought of the life
car.
Anything was better than inaction,
even "Ottinger's folly;" and they hur-
ried back to the station as if they
were part of the storm. The car, the
mortar, the arrows and the ball and
line were soon on the leach. The
charge was rammed home; the in
structions, in German. French and
English, fastened to the line; and then
the mortar
Burat = hole in the night.
The ship meantime had dlifted 80
near that Death ran under her keel
and the piping wall OF children
mingled with the other noises OF
dread.
The captain of the vessel told me,
years after, that he should never for
get that night. They had fred all
the dry powder they had-for the
whole place was awash--and had got
never sound from beyond the break
ers. Suddenly a puff OF fame APP
peared, and in q few seconds some
thing whizzed down his face and fell
at his feet. twas line scarce larger
than his fore6nger-but it came from
shore!
He did what his sea- training i'm
PEELED him to do--began to haul the
rope home. Something stru OK his
hands; the pinnacle light showed him
q slip OF wood covered with letters.
He read, and then hauled away cheer
fully. Ahawser slipped ever the side;
and after that came sharp black
nose OF iron; and then--the ife-car.
One OF the men volunteered to go
aloft and rig the rope over a block;
and did it tOo-brave fellow!
Than came the question OF who