Connecticut western news., 1889-10-02
A USEFUL INVENTION
THAT HAS SAVED THOUSANDS OF
 LIVES.


 It Was Invented in 1888 but Never
 Practically Operated Until 1850.
 A man who has been instrumental in saving thousands of human lives in this country and Europe is not all everyday character by any means. Such person is Joseph Francis, at present a resident of Washington, who is the inventor of the first and original life-car, says the Washington letter to the Chicago Times. .....
 MT. Francis, the venerable inventor, was born in Massachusetts in 1901 and consequently eighty-eight years of age. He lives in retired manner on Sixth just north of East Capitol street, in the loveliest portion of Capitol Hill.
 His pleasant countenance, shaded by fringe of age-whitened hair, is sel- dom seen upon the streets now, as time and a persistent devotion to the cause of humanity have conspired to weaken his energies in the twilight of his life.
 Ever since boyhood MT. Francis has devoted himself to the invention and manufacture of appliances for saving life upon the sea. His first creation, the famous corrugated iron life-car, is an important and interesting exhibit in the National Museum in Washington.
 It was this identical car that saved the lives of 200 men, women and chill dreh, from the wreck of the English ship Ayreshire on the night of Jan. 12, 1850, off the coast of New Jersey. It was one of those wild, stormy January nights for which the Jersey coast has long been noted. The wind blew with almost hurricane force, and the heavy snowfall was scurried along over the high pillows as they came laundering in upon the beach.
 This was the night on which the good ship Ayreshire, freighted with human beings, dashing aimlessly along in the darkness and storm, struck upon the rocks. The shrieks of the women and children could be distinctly heard on the shore, mingled with the hoarse 4 hIn sight-a great ship being tossed about like an egg-shell, apparently beyond human aid, for no -opea.boat coaldsai~e minute in such storm.
 "Let's try the life-car?" shouted q sturdy beach-man. The car was sev- eral miles down the beach, but it was quickly brought to the scene of action by strong and ready hands. The mor- tar was placed in position and a solid shot with rope attached was fired over the Ayreshire. The rope was made fast to the vessel and the work of res cue commenced by hauling the life-car to and from the shore. Two hundred persons were thus saved from the shore. Two hundred persons were thus saved from death in the storm lashed sea and not one casualty was reported.
 The original life-car having per formed such heroic duty was never again placed in service, but preserved by the State of New Jersey as monu- ment to Joseph Francis, its inventor. Recently it found its way into the Ma tional Museum, where it will probably be preserved for all time to come. Other cars were quickly made after this episode and scattered along the Jersey coast, where they did good ser vice that cannot be estimated in words.
 1 learned from the Museum authori- ties that Joseph Francis invented the corrugated iron life-car in 1888, many years before the present United States life-saving service was organized, and after experimenting at great expense for ten years the arc was placed on the coast of New Jersey in 1S4S to be practically tested.
 An opportunity was not offered, however, until the Ayreshire came ashore, and its signal success on that occasion resulted in its adoption by the Government, since which time many thousands of lives have been saved by metallic life-cars on the Atlantic, Pa cific, Gulf and lake coasts when all other means of rescue failed.
 The last Congress rendered the ven- erable inventor vote of thanks en- titling him to admission at all times to the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives, besides awarding him a gold medal of honor. This action was tardy, but it was we'll earned.
 The Cultured Washington Girl.
 The public school system of cram ming blank minds with uncorrelated facts produces occasionally results as