Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-09

JOHN ERICSSON
ell the navy an ensign in 1920, was en-
ployed in surveys in northern Sweden, and
rose to the rank of captain. In 1896 he went
to England to introduce his invention of a
flame engine" but owing to the circum-
stances under which it was tried, it proved
unsuccessful. Soon afterward he resigned
his commission in the Swedish navy and de-
voted himself in England to mechanical in
ventions, including that of the steam boiler
on the principle of art fical draught. This
principle was applied to the Novelty, a loco
motive engine which he constructed to com
pete for prize offered in 1929 by the Liver
pool & Manchester railway for the lightest
and fastest locomotive
The Novelty failed by an accident to meet
the conditions of the prize, which was
awarded to George Stephenson In 1899 he
went to New York, where he was in ls4l EN-.
ployed to construct the water steamer Prince
ton, the first ever built in which the propell-
ing machinery was below the water line and
out OF reach of shot To the London exhibi-
ton in 1851 be sent several inventions for
which he received prizes In 1882 he built
the Ericsson, steamer of 1000 tons, fitted
viously invented while in England in 1888
Although the experiment was satisfactory in
several respects the engine did not develop
sufficient power to give requisite rate OF
speed, and he thereupon turned his attention
to the manufacture OF stationary caloric en-.
glnes FOR the purposes IN which no great
amount OF power was required.
he VIII be best known in connection with
the monitors" $50 called from the name of
the first one) iron ships with revolving iron
turrets for the guns The Monitor, small
vessel built by him III 100 DAYS, proved more
than match for the Confederate iron-clad
Merrimac, which had just before lin March,
1862 destroyed the two finest frigates in the
United States navy, ard if il had not beer
for the opportune arrival of the little Van.
kee cheese-box,' as the rebs called it. there
was nothing in the United States navy that
could have withstood the attack of the Mer-
rimac, The influence the "cheese-boxr had
on the issue of the war can therefore be i'm.
agined. OF late years MIR Ericsson has been
trying to perfect the solar engine and his De
stroyer, which he was confident could sink
the lnvincible, the most formidable vessel of
the British navy, in fifteen minutes
He lived il a large. roomy house in New
York city, which stands in the neighborhood
Astounding in cheap tenement building, and
refused TO move, living in his house exactly
as 1t was thirty years ago. The personal Dc.
culiarities Of the eccentric old inventor were
many. He had few acquaintance and no.
body knew that he ever had any intimates
He lived life apart from all excitement, and
1t was one OF endless routine. He did not rest
satisfied with q long and successful life of
hard work, but even during the last years of
his life he continued TO invent as earnestly as
though bis career had just begun He only
found rest III activity. which did not end un.
ii! he passed away.
Although his age was more than fourscore
years he would rise from his bed at O'Clock
in the morning just as regularly as he did
when young man. He would take his cold
plunge every day, and just as regularly he
exercised with his Indian clubs and dumb
bells. He always wore an old-fashioned
starchless shirt with limp standing collar,
broadcloth trousers and coat, and his buff
duck vest. After dressing he would eat a
breakfast which consisted of weak tea,
coarse bread, and eggs, or some similar dish
After the meal he worked hard until o'clock
IN the afternoon, when he ate his dinner.
largely vegetarian in its makeup
From dinner time until 10 o'clock at night
the old inventor was at his drawing table
outlining curious pieces Of machinery for
some new development Of inventive genius.
Here follows the most curious part of Mr.
Ericsson's routine. Instead of sitting down
to rest and think he would put an old Chin
ney-pot hat upon his head seize his cane,
and go out for a long and circuitous walk,
which usually brought him back to his own
front door about midnight Such was the
daily life OF the veteran mechanical engineer.
NO cigars, no tobacco, no cocktails, no brandy
and soda were ever INDUCED in by John
Ericsson. 1t was exercise, work, midnight
prowling, and regular sleep that went to
make up his daily existence
One of the curious traits Of Mr. Ericssons
character was a total absence Of anxiety to
personally see the workings of any of his
machinery. He was never on board the
Destroyer but once since she was COM
pleted. In fashioning an invention Of this
kind he worked almost entirely from draw
ings, and knew just as well how every part
of the finished machine looked, or should
look, as though be had handled it thousand
times
Mr.. Ericsson always kept his parlor filed
with models of various machines, mostly
those in use for solar observations. Every
room in the house contained some kind of
machinery or model, and the furniture was
Of the plainest kind
In appearance the deceased was short
thick-set man, and looked twenty years
younger than he really was. He talked alb
ruptly and never prolonged an Interview. He
always appeared relieved when a caller had
gone, and was only content when alone with
his drawings, charts, and machinery.