The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-01-26
me rISDBAe wEKcK-KAIsEKs.
4vsbuistions Of tho Grant Boys and
Their Companies.


Their Companies.
TACOMA. Jan. 25.-fSpeciai. New York
DIR capitalists have finally made MP their
uinds that there are millions la the coll
lapsabie vessel-raising devices which the
I shrse Grant brothers, Joe, Jack and Jim,
cfthis city, used 70 own. The Grants
ssns East nearly year ago to raise Van
deybiits paiatial yacht. Instead they
saised another vessel, and demonstrated
Inst their canvas windbags, when inflated
made snnken vessel, would raise her to
ths surface This brought out capital,
and q syndicate OF New Workers now
stands ready TO put up 1900. 600 for the
e0lapsahle rights for the United States
slons. They say the harbors of all coun-
tries are dotted with sunken crafts. all of
which are to be raised with the big canvas
windhags. operated by handful OF men.
Bu; everything has not been smooth sail
Ing for the Grants. Soon after IL was
demonstrated that the devices would raise
vessels, they were declared suffering with
high pressure at the hat band, and were
speading money for diamonds and fine
furniture About that time one of the
boys broke protracted period OF absti-
nsnce and went on a bender. during which
u Is claimed be was drugged and en-
weighted into signing away 81 900 worth
Of the colIapsable stock. He did sign away
the stock, but it has never been proved
that he was drugged. At any rate, Graf
tan II. Wheeler. ex-city treasurer. bought
In the shares for $3.50 per share, but the
same had been transferred to the parties
connected with a saloon where il was held
be had been dfuggcd, and the collapsable
people refused to deliver to Wheeler. A
tedious legal battle resulted in Mr..
Wheeler getting his stock. which with
i,250 shares given to Mrs. Henneman by
the courts for money advanced the boys
when the device was in their minds, and
i,450 shares secured by Jake Ralph and
City Treasurer Boggs. for money ad-
vanced. gave the opponents of the Grants
control.
In the meantime Gen. Tom Cavanaugh,
and Judge Robertson. of Olympia. were at
work in New York with the Grant boys.
They went to New Jersey aud organized
the Cavanaugh Wrecking Company with
10000 capital. and this new concern was
To swallow the old International wrecking
outfit boots and breeches. Becoming
alarmed the Tacoma colIapsable fellows
sent Gen. Andrew Baker 10 New York to nip
the Grants. lie corraled the boys at the ST.
Cloud hotel. but they oil slipped the hal
ter, and although Gen. Baker employed
several detectives he never caught them.
lie tciegraphs that the Grants arranged
10 sell their stock 10 the new collapse
BILE company. together with $1,000 of
the stock belonging 10 the Tacoma cap
itaiists. lie also found the New Workers
who want, to put up 100000 for the
United States patent rights. These adj
vices resulted in the Tacoma collarsables
rushing the wrecking company into the
hands of a receiver. thus, as they say.
shutting out the New York folks who put
the siT0ooa TO the Grant boys on stock
which did not belong 10 them.
Nearly 80 patents for raising vessels
have been taken out in the United States.
but II is claimed by those who have looked
~ the matter that the Grants hit upon
the only practical device. They. however,
had to buy out an old man In Nova Scotia
who got out the original idea His name
was Amiro. But the Grant boys credit the
origin of their collausable idea TO a boat
load of horses in the Ohio river. When
The horses bloated the beat came to the
surface, so the Grants simply applied
wind TO canvas sacks placed inside OF
sanken vessels. and IL Norked like a
charm. Chemicals are also used with the
wind
Two Of the Grant brothers, who gave
Gen. Baker and the Gotham detectives she
alp have returned quietly 10 Taeoms.
They are very mad because the wreeking
company has been thrown into receivers
hands