Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-06-25
READY FOR FLOOD.
a mupERN NOAH BUILDS HIS Ar,
Constructing n schooner Among the Noun
tsins which VIII Never ssii-Erratio
Notion of u Vermont Yankee.

tsius which VIII Never saii-Erratio
Notion OF n Vermont YANKEE.
AT the foot of the high mountain called
Tom Ball, in the northeast of Afford, W.,
has resided for IL years Aaron Arnold and
his wife, respectable worthy couple, pos
sessed Of some little property. Arnold
came to Afford from Troy, n. s., and
located where no now is. He was a sailor
years ago, circumuavigatiug the globe in
quest of whales. He we'll understood all
the mysteries Of sailors life and was
skilled as ship carpenter. Having no
children and feeling lonely, l2 years ago
he conceived the idea of building steam.
boat. Though not large in Dimensions
this was accomplished aud the boat taken
to the Hudson river, where it is now used
as q tug, towing barges up and down the
river. Tho feat so increased his passion for
shipbuilding that eight years ago, though
20 miles from tide water, among the
marble cliffs Of Afford, i'll his door yard
back of his residence he laid keel. This
| he soon removed to an old barn near by. In
secret he worked, but few neghbors
| knowing anything about it, until this
spring, when, the boat being finished ex-
| cept the masts, he tore down the barn and
| revealed to the astonished gaze of passers
a well made, two masted schooner, thirty
five feet long, ten wide and nine deep, aud
| of twenty five tons burden. The boat was
correct in all her proportions, and OF solid
| Old oak. Hundreds visited 1t, and he OBJ
tanned the soubriQuet of the Modern Noah.
The strongest trucks and four team horses
were obtained TO draw it 10 the Hudson,
and after working two days the boat was
taken TO the roadside when, owing to its
great weight-some nine tons-the iron
axles of the truck bent and the teams could
20 no further. The attempt was for the
time abandoned aud it began to be whis-
pered that NOah's ark would be left to
decay. not on Ararat, but at the foot of
Tom Bell, rs monument to the sailor who
was unwise enough to open navy yard
high and dry in Afford. Mr.. Arnold
offered neighbor $50 10 draw the boat TO
the Hudson, and it is reported that the
offer was accepted and that trucks
strong enough could be obtained at Pitts
field but this scheme has been nipped in
the bud, for the boat was set on fire and
totally destroyed. Various rumOrs
are ahoat about it. The opinion
of Aruold's best friends has been
that he had an elephant on his hands
As he is not supposed to have an enemy in
the world, some think he or some members
of his family has been wise enough to rid
themselves OF the burden, which might
have been the means of frightening horses
aud doing damage while in transit to it'd
water. 1t is also reported thu: Arnold
has passed sleepless nigh.s and trouble.
some days, rega-1!ng the prospective
failure OF eTcr again shifting the briny
deep Ia a craft of his own construction.
AS he had set his heart on it, a few friends
fear it may affect his mind, as he is now
some 20 years old, and large portion of
his fortune has been swallowed up in
eight years labor and expense. Others
think, however, that wealthy sister has
compensated him for the boat by cash
gift or deed Of the homestead where Ar.
mold resides. Be these rdmors true or
false, the sturdy schooner will never float
the noble Hudson, her sails will never
catch the breeze and Arnold will never
sniN the briny deep in his own craft.