Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1885-10-15
ABOUT INVENTORS.
Cranks Who Expect to Revolu-
tionize the World.
Principally Engaged In Seeking Capital
ist-Hair- Drained Projects-Some Of
the Wonderful Secrets Told by
Their DISCOVERIES.

1.-THE woods are full of cranks,"
tersely remarked the proprietor of
prominent uptown resort to reporter.
"You can fall up against them without
the slightest effort and find them mild
ly insane on all subjects under the sun.
Most of them have inventions out of
which they expect to make millions in
very short time, and if you give them
half chance they'll talk you silly in
ten minutes. You'd be surprised to see
some of these inventive cranks. They
are men of wide information and pos
sessed of solid sense when discussing
any subject but their invention. Ifyou
want to 60 out looking for them adj
wise you to strap brass cannon on your
back, SO you can silence them as soon
as you feel your brain begin to waver.
S'help my goodness, there comes one of
them now! I'll introduce you"
At this moment gray-haired, gray
bearded man entered the place, who,
instead of having the appearance of a
crank, looked like solid, highly intel
lgept citizen. He was introduced to
the reporter and conversed in the most
suave and pleasing manner until the
proprietor, with sly wink, questioned
him about his submarine boat. Then
his face lighted up and he began to
speak rapidly and with some incoher-
cncc regarding the subject on which his
mind was turned.
"That boat is coming on all right l
have it perfect now and will let you see
it work in few days"
This gentleman is capitalist, said
the proprietor, indicating the reporter,
land would like to know something of
your invention. If it strikes him as a
good thing he may invest
"A good thing" cried the crank, his
face shining at the allusion to capital,
as he almost embraced the reporter,
'come in here and sit down. I'll show
ayou something that will make you fab
I" ulously rich" and, rubbing his hands
glcefully together, he piloted the way
to back room. Seating himself at a
table and waving the reporter toAs
chair, he began violently wordy az
tack on his new-found victim. 1--WE
got boat that / can work under the
water with perfect ease, without danger,
and the cost of making them is COM
paratively light. They can be used not
only for all submarine work, but in case
of war | can easily destroy an entire
fleet without danger to myself. If you
will promise to keep my secret will
tell you about it."
The promise was given. and he con-
tinued: ''The boat is about twelve feet
long, tightly decked over, with the ex-
ception of a place for the operator. The
propelling power is electricity, which
carry in the bow of the boat in power.
full storage batteries of my own inven.
ton, that will furnish steady power fol
many hours. The batteries are con
nected with the propeller by cables, and
the speed can b. regulated at will. The
operator or engineer sits in the center
much in the same manner as man sits
in canoe. A heavy glass half globe
fits over the aperture through which the
operators shoulders come above the
gunwales of the boat. and directly in
front of him is a luminous dial board
which shows him exactly the depth he
has reached and also indicates the dis
lance traversed On the shoulders anC
back of the operator is is rubber KNAPP
sack containing a false pair of lungs
which are really the most remarkable
part of the invention. Over his head i
"a helmet something similar to that useC
by divers, but very different in interna
construction. From the mouth of tn,
helmet is 4 tubing connecting with the
false lungs. in such a manner that il
breathing the exhalation from the oper
ator's lungs is conveyed through tn,
knapsack, where it is purified by pass
ing through composition of causti
soda and tow, and returning through
another tube is inhaled again as pur
air. HThis, you see, does away entirel,
with help from the surface. Anothe
thing of great advantage and not seel
on any other submarine boat ever tried
my boat shows no bubbles on the sur
face of the water to indicate her where
abouts. can 60 under a man-of-wa
and lifting off the half globe of glas
let torpedo loose that fastens itself
by means of powerful magnet, to tn
hull, where il will hang until the shi
moves or the tide causes little whee
attached to the end of the torpedo +
whirl. Each revolution of the whee
brings the electric pins closer together
and when they meet the ship is gone
A whole fleet can be fixed in this wa
in very short time. Thus you Sc
what a factor this invention is destine
to be in naval warfare"
The reporter was gradually slippin
under the table, and the proprietor SET
ing that he was in danger of falling int
trance came to the rescue and tol
the crank to call again. The crank di.
liked 10 let go of his new-found frienr
but he saw twas policy for him TO d,
part
That" said the proprietor, sis onl
one among the small army of inveutiv
lunatics who come here occasionally |
give me the first chance to invest
their crazy ideas. Another fellow hs
sets of springs. with which he propose
TO propel a small boat through III
water at the rate of a mile. minut,
The springs, he says, are coiled on
spool. being tempered as they 81
coiled. These springs are to be fastene
by some means 10 screw and the
force controlled by means of leve
and when the power of one is exhanste
another slides into its place. He sa,
he is going 10 astonish the world /
coming down the Hudson River one I
these DAYS at m lie minute Anotht
one has some kind of : cannon or cat
pull with which he says he can shoot