The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-16
A PERiLoUs ADVENTURE.
An Actors Marrow Escape-Released by a
Torpedo Gun.

Torpedo Gun.
A number of gentlemen were discussing Paul
Boyton's recent adventure In attaching dummy
torpedo to tho British ship Garnet, the
other night, in an uptown cafe, when one as
serted that it was 'the bravest act ever per-
formed In these waters"
mot by good deal" reioined another He
didn't take half the risk that Frank Currier did. "
"Who is Frank Currier, came like chorus
HE is young actor. Three or four years
ago he made trip in the Fenian su bmarine tor
pedo boat, and got stuck in the mud at the bot
tom OF the bay, and for awhile he didn't know
but that the boat would prove an iron coffin that
would keep him there till it rusted to pieces. or
until Gabriel blew his horn"
When Mr. Currier was asked next day to tell
of his adventure he said:
My home is at Saltersville NJ j., and / have
been knocking about the water ever since L
was child. When the so-called Fenian sub
marine boat was built, became much inter
ested In her and visited her frequently. In so
doing l formed the acquaintanceship of her
engineer and DR.. Holland, who was said to own
her. One Sunday morning, while she lay at
Pamrapo was on Pat McGehan's dock, talking
to the engineer, when DR.. Holland came from
the boat.
How would you like to take a sailF said he
In that iron potP | asked. Yes, he replied
Now, l had been on nettles for weeks to get
this chance, so | didn't weaken a bit when he
>
bottom, don't come. They say that if she ever
strikes a mud bank she will stick to it. | don't
believe it, but I'm going to try / didn't believe
1t, either, and soon we were on board the non
descript.
''Of all the queer craft ever saw she was the
queerest. Not above thirty feet long, she
looked like piece of gigantic cigar pointed at
both ends and fitted with a screw propeller at
one OF them. She was about eight feet BEAM
and when in proper trim for surface navigation
a bon fyxyn51 nnhn Nf hnn Inn
above water. Amidships she had sort of cap
about five feet long and half as wide, and 1t
stood about six inches above the hull In the
front and sides of this cap were six plate glass
windows and in its top was a round trap or man
hole, the only means o. entering the boat This
manhole had a cover which could be fastened on
water tight. Directly beneath was sheet-iron
chair, on which the navigator sat while govern
ing the movements of the vessel his eyes being
then on line with the middle of the windows.
1--WE received many warnings as we embarked,
but both had faith in the vessel, and neither o.
us knew much about the sticking qualities of
the mud in the bottom of the bay, SO we paid
little heed to them. AS soon as got down in
the hold took stock of my surroundings. In
front of the chair was a space about five feet
long and three wide~ On the starboard side was
the engine, a Strengthening machine, some
thing IN appearance like the pump of a good
sized steamer There was no coal or steam
used. In starting, Dr. Holland took piece of
cotton waste, saturated it with oil, put it in
chamber set fire to it, and in ten minutes the
engine was ready for use. On the port side
were three air tanks, two filled with air for
breathing and the third for the charges of
the pneumatic gun, which was arranged so
that its muzzle was on line with the
cutwater. There was air enough in the
other tanks to last three men for forty eight
hours Several gauges told how much air had
been used and also the pressure in the boat
forgot to tell you that on both quarters were
two horizontal iron wings or fanges, which were
operated from the inside. which, when placed at
an angle, would elevate her stern and thus send
her down in the water, or the reverse When
all was in readiness the top was screwed down
tight and we started for Robins Reef light dis
tant about three miles. We made it in about
twenty minutes, and shortly thereafter we were
in the middle of the ship channel. We had
two lights in cabin and, after glance at
them to see that they were all right, the Doctor
said:
"'Now we will 60 down.
SAT that he moved part of the machinery.
Then heard rush of water into a compart-
msnt. and she settled SO much by the head that
had to take hold of a cleat to brace myself
Then the fianges on the quarters were turned
so that she would be sent down at an angle of
about thirty degrees Now brace yourself we'll,
said the Doctor, for | am going to throw her
wide OPEN ! obeyed as best / could, and
the next moment he started the engine at full
speed
III mace CerrlDlo noise, ana Tor the nrSt time
began to realize the perllous nature of my po
sition 1t didn't take long to reach the bottom
and we struck it with such force that, though
the Doctor and l had braced ourselves as firmly
as possible, and were holding on to cleats be-
sides, we were hurled from orr places and
brought up against the breech of the gun.
We'll, here we are, said l. What nextp
"'What nextp replied the Doctor. why, to
get free, if possible. We are stuck in mud
bank, and now III try and back her out
1.-The shock of the collision had put out one of
our lights and the other was burning SO dimly that
it hardly seemed to make tho darkness visible
l wished myself ashore with all my heart, and
thought what fool was to venture on such q
trip. The Doctor set the engine at work pump
ing out the compartment forward, and in a little
while the guage showed that it was dry. Then
he reversed the propeller, but it couldn't bulge
her. For ten minutes the humping of my
heart was as loud to me as the 'clang, clang Of
the engine. Still we were fast. The Doctor
stopped the engine and tried to find some hope
II, int the looked $50 Of dsmon MS face
faint CLEAN of the lamp Then a full sense Of
my danger flashed on me. There was in an
iron pot at the bottom of the bay, stuck fast in
the mud, and my nautical knowledge told me
that the propeller, with its limited amount of
power, could not free u.s. 1t was true there was
air enough in the tanks to sustain life for a
couple of days, but that only insured lingering
instead of a speedy death. l moved back to the
chair and raised my hand to open the cap of the
manhole. No. To do that were instant DEATH
for the water would come in with such force that
/ could not push my body through, and we
would be drowned like rats
g is there any chance to free herP gasped.
II think there is replied the Doctor, who
charging the gun. Brace yourself and
I'll touch her of, and we'll see what that will do
second later he touched her off, and the
shock was so great that l was overthrown. An
other second and | knew that we were clear of
the mud, for she was almost on an even keel. A
moment later the sunlight was streaming through
our headlights, and I was thanking God in as
fervent prayer as ever was offered by mortal
man. Looking forward, could see that the nose
of our boat was muddy for fully eight feet back
of the cutwater, SO must have gone into the
bank about that distance. A darky, who had
been fishing near by, was so frightened at our
strange appearance, we bobbed up to the
face, that he seized his oars and rowed away
almost white with terror. We were not above
half an hour getting back to our place of depart
ure, and when found myself ashore again, be-