Milford chronicle., 1896-09-18
THE IRON LlFEBoAr.
Trials OF Joseph Francis In Trying to Per
feet the Lifo Saving Appliance.

Trials OF Joseph Francis In Trying to Per-
feet the Life Saving Appliance.
From 1880 to 1910 Joseph Francis was
spending all his spare time and money at
work upon a boat which should not only
save lives, but which could not be crushed
on the rocks when the waves were hurling
themselves shoreward. His cork lined
boat were successful and wore giving
him a worldwide fame as an inventor and
philanthropist, but he felt That unless he
could invent a boat of some other material
than wood his object was but bali attained.
He resolved to try iron. Ehose of his
friends who knew of this step looked upon
him-as many an inventor is looked upon
in our own day-as little less than luna
tic Iron for boat? Why, 1t would take
such vast amount Of wood to float the
iron that it would be impossible to pFOpel
the bOat-to say nothing of having it
breast tho waves of furious gale and go
out through tho storm TO a wrecked ship
The idea, they said, was simply prepOster-
Gus. The young man acknowledged tho
apparent force of the argument, but he be-
ieved there was n way out of the difficulty.
He started in the path alone He found
ulitAll tIutA anu AAsltallNIAAAAAH uAllthAlAG1
in tho way, but he brayely met all trouble,
and he nobly maintained his high purpose
and won at last magnificent victory, not
only for himself, but for all mankind
In his later years Mr. Francis loved to
tell Of tho trials of that critical time
Amid his later honors he never forgot the
days when at one moment he seemed so
near to success and at another so near to
the saddest Of failures
1t was now tho year 1871 He had taken
his family-for he was married-tO a
country place where they could live moro
cheaply than in the city He had tho use
of a room in n house on Anthony street, in
the city of New York, in which to carry o.
the work of his inventions, by tho favor Of
Myndert Van Shoick, a gentleman who
was much interested in the outcome Of tho
matter. Here, shut in from all the world,
in sore poverty, he worked for ~ months,
a long, discouraging, weary year Tho
end to be gained was to make iron float on |
water, something which his best friends |
thought the dream of lunatic Day by |
day and night by night nc worked cease |
lessly He denied himself all luxuries, |
all comforts. He met with failure after |
failure
He found himself one day at the close Of
the year reduced to actual want and his |
object not attained He had but pit |
lance in his pocket He was hungry, but |
nc nccded one more piece of iron to make
one last supreme effort. He went out to
junkshop with his last % cents ffe
bought his piece Of iron for 10 cents. With
the rest Of the money he bought bread and
molasses. All that night he worked In
the morning he found that the rats had
stolen the piece of bread which he had
saved for his breakfast, but the labor of
tho night had brought victory He had
solved the problem. He had conquered in
the flercest battle Of his life He had
achieved the success he sought and this
victory meant tho saving Of the lives of
many thousands of his follow men.
The corrugatiOn of iron, forming ridges
in lines along the sides of the boat, had
been invented BY this he was enabled to
make the iron float, for he could bend it
and shape it 10 the curved form of a boat,
and the bendings or ridges in the sides
took the place Of all stays, supports, ribs
and timbers, furnishing in themselves the
support and strength, while nothing was
added to the weight The metal was put
under great pressure to do this but it staid
in place, and the victory was won.--W S
HARDWOOD in St Nicholas