Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1885-10-15


fireman up on to the roof Of a burning
building. His object is to have the
fireman fasten ropes, by which lives can
be saved just imagine big, fat fire.
man sailing through the air with rope
fastened to him, and alighting on a
burning roof. There ought to be .
place to put these fellows" and the
proprietor east disguised look at a
dozen or so crazy looking models that
had been left with him for investiga
ton.
The reporter met men who would in
vent anything from portable post holes
to non-meltable snowballs to wear in
ones pocket on hot days to keep chilly.
The first one of the gang to drop Ia
was a regular who is seen at the place
once every day 10 find out if the pro-
prietor has found any one to invest in
wonderful air ship, of which he al
ways carries elaborate plans. He was
duly presented, and when he found he
was at least in the presence of a wealthy
man his assumption OF dignity aud the
carelessness with which he spoke oil
hundreds of thousands of dollars were
appalling. Some royal investments in
Siberian lands had temporarily embar-
raised him, and in consequence he
would consent to take in partner in
his great air-ship enterprise, which
would not only startle the world, but
quite likely the entire universe. The
man seemed about sixty-fye years old,
straight and tall, a restless, nervou;
manner and flow of language when
speaking of his invention that would
make stenographer sick. He I'M
rolled his drawings after convincing
himself that there was no one to over.
hear. There were plans of boats, bal
looms, electric apparatus, valves, cables,
propeller wheels and rudders of every
description.
"There you see," he said, "the boa
is propelled through the air by means
of electric machines working this pow
erful propeller. The bouyancy is at
tanned by using four large balloons at,
tached to the boat by strong cables
These balloons are inflated by gas man.
ufactured aboard the boat, and the
altitude is. regulated by means OF a
system of valves that will enable me to
ascend or descend at will The pro.
pellor is strong enough to 90 right
through the fiercest storm or the bal
looms are great enough to carry me
above them. assure you, my dear sir,
that this will revolutionize the means
of transportation. Railroad trains and
steamships are too slow. Why, | can
easily carry passengers and freight
from New York to Londen in three
days Now, what do you think of that?
Don't you think there are immense
fortunes in it?'
The reporter mildly expressed somt
doubt as to the thing working smooth
ly and safely. mot work. exclaimed
the inventor, looking with such pity
ing expression that the reporter wa
really sorry he had presumed to feel
the least doubtful. .Not work; why il
can help but work. DO you suppose
for an instant, sir. that | would have
devoted thirty years of my valuable
time to an invention that wouldn't
work." And he explained the whole
thing over again with such vehemcnce
that the reporter could not do other
wise than acknowledge the machine
would surely work, but thinking the
man was becoming too deeply interested
in him ON his imaginary millions he
backed slowly toward the door ant
hurriedly excused himself for moment
The proprietor, in some manner known
only to himself, rid the room of The air
ship crank, and the capitalist breathet
free again.
"You see that little, dried up old MAJ
at that table, looking over an old at
las" said the propr' etor, pointing t.
another queer specimen "that fellow
has some sort of machine in which h,
is going to find the North Pole. H,
thinks he will find an open polar Sc;
surrounded by rich lands, and that al
the imperishable property that wa
ever wrecked in the ocean will be fount
piled up there in great reefs. He wants t,
establish colony there. He expects t,
start for it every week; but some on
who is going with him always fails t,
come up to time. have to fire hin
out every once in awhile
There's another fellow that you'll
probably see tonight, that has a grea
idea of catching porpoises. There wa
something in the papers some time ag,
about those mammals making most OK
celent food, and he has been workin!
ever since on an invention which h,
claims will enable man to swim RICH
through the water after school OF por
poises and spear as many of them as h
wants. The rig he shows is quite
curiosity. There is a thing shaped lik
the tail of founder which the ma
pulls up over his legs to the knees
where it is fastened; then along eacl
side of the chest and fastened over tn
| shoulders are rubber belts that can b
inflated to sustain the weight of tn
, body, and he claims that by kicking hi
, feet up and down, initiating the motto
OF Z founder, he can skim through th
! water as fast as any fish, and, with
! lance, follow up and slay as many SC
. hogs as he wants All he wants is
little more money 10 perfect the AZ
A paratus, which, of course, is sure |
: work. NJ Y. Herald.