The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-07-31
The Modern Noah.

At the foot of the high mountain
called Tom Ball, in the northeast part
OF Afford, has resided for thirteen
years Aaron Arnold and his wife, re-
spectacle worthy couple, possessed of
some little property. Arnold came to
Afford from Troy, N. Y. and located
wnere he now is. He was sailor
years ago, circumnavigating the globe
in quest of whales. He well under
stood all the mysteries of a sailor s
life, and was skilled as ship-carpen-
ter. Having no children and feeling
lonely, twelve years ago he conceived
the idea of building q steamboat
Though not large in dimensions. this
was accomplished, and the boat was
taken to the Hudson river, whore it is
now used as tug, towing barges up
and down the river. This feat SO in
creased his passion for ship-building
that eight years ago, though twenty
miles from tide-water, among the
marble cliffs of Afford, in his door
yard back Of his residence, he laid the
keel This he soon removed to an old
barn near by. In secret he worked.
but few OF his neighbors knowing any,
thing about it until this Spring, when,
the boat being finished except the
masts, he tore down the barn and re-
vealed to the astonished gaze of passers
well-made, two-masted schooner.
thirty-tive feet long, ten wide and nine
deep. and of twenty-five tons burden.
The boat was correct in all her proper
tons, and of solid old oak. Hundreds
visited it, and he obtained the soubri-
quet of the Modern Noah.
The strongest trucks and four-team
horses were obtained to draw it to 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 go no furth-
er. The attempt was for the time
abandoned, and it began to be whis-
pered 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 a
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,
I'd that trucks strong enough could
be obtained at Pittsfeld; but this
scheme has been nipped in the bud,
for, last night, the boat was set on fire
and totally destroyed. Various rum
ors are atloat about it. The opinion of
Arnold'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
member of his family had been wise
enough to rid themselves of the bur-
den, which might have been the means
of frightening horses and doing dam
age while in transit to tide-water. 1t
is also reported that Arnold has passed
sleepless nights and troublesome days,
regarding the prospective failure of
ever again shifting the briny deep in
craft OF his own construction. AS he
had set his heart on it, few friends
fear it may affect his mind, as he is
now some 20 years old, and large
portion OF his fortune hoe boon oval
lowed up in eight years labor and ex-
pense. Others think, however, that q
wealthy sister has compensated him for
the boat by a cash gift or deed of the
homestead where Arnold 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 Great
harrington On ~ Cor.