Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-04-12

lender boy. HIS fathers property DESTROYED
by the war. the family of seven children broken
up. Joseph seemed to be the best able 10 aid
them and support himself By favorable in
fiuence he obtained the situation of page in the
Massachusetts, legislature. usually called the
General Court" He filled that position from
lsl2 10 1876 The senate of Al members and
the house of 800 were acceptably served
by Its eleven-year-old page. who had spare
time enough to indulge his visions of invention
and whittle out new models of improved
appliances for his pet boats. Mor.-.ng and
evening saw him busily working in the shop
at boat building. From his home in Clark
street near Hanover he fastened to the state
house at the opening of the days session and
at adjournment he ran home to his work. 1t
Is impossible 10 give more than bare glimpse
OF the life and achievements Of this distin-
guJshed man, OF whom il may be said that he
has fa- outlived the period of his greatest hv-
ing fame.
HIS FIRST PRIZE
At eighteen years of age he received a certi-
fcate Of merit and cash prize equal to the
value of the beautiful boat exhibited by him at
the fair OF the Mechanics Institute in Boston
In 1919. II was fast row boat and possessed
all hte-saylng qualities. Among the noble
minded and benevolent persons who early ap-
preciated his merit Mr.. Henry Grinnell of
New y Ork, distinguished for many years for
philanthrOpic deeds and benefactions TO many
worthy causes. Others OF his lifelong friends
and patrons were the late Horatio Allen, an &C.
complshed engineer and inventor. and Gen.
John A. Dix. author OF the famous order Who
ever pulls down the American flag shoot him
on the spot" Mr.. Francis manufactured all
the various kinds of boats and life-saving appli-
ances invented by him. The interests Of rival
manufacturers caused painful conflicts and
prosecutions. In the midst Of the crucial ex-
periences of his first years he was greatly en-
couraged by Mr.. Grinnell, who said TO him.
'Eersevere; you are inventor and manufac-
ture-. and yOur Improvements are but be-
ginning i'll a good cause"
A thousand pages would but inadequately re-
cord the history of Mr.. Francis wonderful
career up to his fftieth year. His life was a
scene of the greatest activity in furnishing the
United States government and merchant ma
rIne with the products of his great life boat
factory in New York: building life boats for
ocean steamers. splendid batges for the en-
perors of Russia and Brazil and the finest
racing boats for the leading boat clubs. In
1889 Hon. Levi Woodbury.. Secretary of the
Treasury, ordered that all men-of-war and
revenue vessels be provided with Fran
els life boats. The American Institute
and Chamber Of Commerce OF New York, after
a series of the most trying tests, gave them
the highest commentator. and the first
named institution reported that 1.-The cause of
humanity demands that every passenger
packet should be provided with one or more of
francis life boats. Such was the almost
universal confidence felt in the perfection of
these unrIvaled hfe-saving appliances as early
Is 1910.
FATHER OF THE LIFE-sAvIxG SERVICE.
Nr. Francis has the honor to be considered
BY those best informed on the subject as the
Father of the hfe-saying service" and az his
inventive genius united with his rare capacity
IN organizing great and influential society
OF cooperation with the international ship
wreck society of Europe. brought him into the
most conspicuous relations to the public move
ment IN favor of aiding this institution, the
honor Is truly deserved
The year 1888 saw the inception of an idea
which after four years of varying experiments
and heroic struggles with supposed practicable
1mpOssIDIilties against poverty and adverse
circumstances sufficient 10 have deferred from
further trials any person of less courage and
lnyinci5le faith IN God and himself became
triumphant fact. Hitherto wood OF the best
quality, fastened in the most skillful manner
had served the builder in all his varied methods
OF construction, and well had il answered the
trying demands of the occasion of its noble
use. But the fact that a wooden boat could
not resist the violent concussions to which it
was liable in contact with larger vessels or
among rocks or blocks of ice, rendered them
unsafe and unsatisfactory 10 Mr.. Francis who
was always exploring The wide field of expert
ment for the best material to perfect his
designs. Was there anything practically avail
bic better than woodI Why not try iron? The
thought startled him. Such thing was never
seen or heard of an iron vessel
But the thought grew and expanded in his
mind Confidence and faith in his new idea
refreshed and inspired him. Poor as he was
he must obey the impulses Of his genius and 90
forward For economy's sake he provided a
frugal home IN the country for his little family,
and the year 1904 saw him self-imprisoned
in work shop IN Anthony street, New York,
wrestling with nature TO compel from her the
revelation OF secret principles for the sub
servance OF predetermined purposes. The re-
suit was the discovery OF one of the greatest
and most valuable inventions of modern times
That OF the corrugation OF metals like sheet
iron, copper, &c.
The METAL LIFE-cAR
The great purpose to which this invention
was first applied was the construction of the
corrugated. metallic life-car The first per-