Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-06-26

He Builds a Schooner Among the Noun
tains Which win Never Plough the
Main.
AT the foot Of the high mountain called
Tom Ball, in the northeast part Of Afford.
Mass, says a special to the Boston Globe.
has resided for thirteen years Aaron Ar
mold and his wife, respectable worthy
couple, possessed of some little property.
Arnold came to Afford from Troy, Ny,
and located where he now is. He was a
sailor years ago, eircumnavigating the
globe IN quest OF whales. He well under
stood all the mysteries of sailors life and
was skilled as ship carpenter. Having no
children and feeling lonely, twelve
years ago he conceived the idea
Of building a steamboat Though
not large in dimensions, this was accom-
plished and the boat taken to the Hudson
river, where 1t Is now used as tug, tow
ing barges up and down the river. This
feat so increased his passion for ship
building that eight years ago, though
twenty miles from tide-water, among the
marble cliffs Of Afford, in his doorvard
back OF his residence, he laid a keel. This
he soon removed to an old barn near by.
In secret he worked, but few neighbors
knowing anything about it until this
SpAAhEs NACHs tut Dual U1Iu2 1QiSneU
except the masts, he tore down the
barn and revealed to the astonished
gaze OF passers well-made two-masted
schooner, 80 feet long, 10 wide and
3 deep and of % tons burden.
The boat was correct in all her pro-
portions, and of solid old oak. Hundreds
visited it, and he obtained the soubriquet
Of the Modern Noah. The strongest trucks
and four team horses were obtained to
draw 1t to the Hudson, and. after work
ing 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 go no fur
Their. The attempt was for the time
abandoned and it began to be whispered
that NOah's Ark would be left TO decay.
not on Ararat, but at the foot of Tom
Ball, as monument to the sailor who
was unwise enough TO open navy yard
high and dry in Afford. Mr.. Arnold
offered neighbor $50 to draw the boat
to the Hudson, and it is reported that
the offer was accepted and that trucks
streng enough could be obtained at Pitts
held; but this scheme has been nipDed in
the bud, for last night the boat was set on
fire and totally destroyed. Various ru-
mers are af1oat about it. The opinion of
Arnold's best friends has been that he had
an elephant on his hands. As he is not
ouppOoCu w nave an 6ieLly III the WOftu,
some think he or some member of his
fsmily has been wise enough to rid them
selves of the burden, which might have
been the means of frightening horses and
doing damage while in transit to tide
water 1t is also reported that Arnold
has passed sleepless nights and trouble
some days, regarding the prospective
failure of ever again shutting the briny
deep in 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 70 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 a cash
gift or deed of the homestead where Ar
mold resides. Be these rumors true or
false, the sturdy schooner will never float
the noble Hudson, her sails will never
catch the breeze and Arnold will never
sniff the briny deep in his own craft.