The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1896-10-17
THE IRON LIFE-BOAT.


The IRON LIFE-BOAT.
Trials Of Joseph Francis In Trying
to Perfect the Life Saving AppI1-.
81 ancc.
But such work as this, successful
rs it was, was only what we might
call Amusement there was far more.
serious work to perform. From 1880
to 1910 the young man was spending
al his spare time and money at work
Upon boat which should not only save
lives but which could not be crushed
On the rocks when the waves were
hurting themselves shore ward. His.
cork-lined boats were successful, and
were giving him a worldwide fame
as an inventor and philanthrop but.
he felt that unless he could invent a
BOAT Of some other material than wood
his object was but half attained.
He resolved to try iron. Those of
MS friends who new of this step looked
upon him-as many an inventor is
looked upon in our day-as little less
than Mnatic. Iron, for a boat? Why,
1t would take such a vast amount Of
wood to float the iron that it would
be impossible to propel the boat-to
say nothing Of having it breast the
waves of a furious gale and go out
through the storm to a wrecked ship!
Ehe idea, they said, was simply prepos-
;erous. The young man acknowledged
the apparent force of the argument,
but he believed there was way out
IT the difficulty. He started in the
path alone. He found many cruel and
@lisheartening difficulties in the way,
out he brayely met all trouble, and he
lobly maintained his high purpose,
and won at last magnificent victory,
lot only for himself but for all man
kind. ss
In his later years Mr.. Francis loved
% tell Of the 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 an
,ther so near to the saddest of fail
Tres.
It was now the year 1871 He had
taken his family--for he was married
Ito country place where they could
i've more cheaply than in the city.
He had the use Of a room in house on
Anthony street, in the city of New
York, in which to carry on the work
# his inventions, by the favor of Myn-
iert Van Shoick, a gentleman who was
much interested in the outcome Of the
natter. Here, shut in from all the
world, in sore poverty, he worked for.
:welye months, a long, discouragin
weary year. The end to be gained was
% make iron float on water. something
hScsST fy,so de- h. +1,<>
lream of lunatic. Day by day and
He denied himself all luxuries, all
comforts. He met with failure after
allure.
He found himself one day at the
lose Of the year reduced to actual
Nant-and his object not attained. He
lad but a pittance in his pocket. He
vas hungry, but he needed one more
,iece OF iron to make one last supreme
effort. He went out to a junk shop
With his last twenty-five cents. He
bought his piece Of iron for, thirteen
,ents. With the rest of the money he
Fought bread and molasses. All that
light he worked. In the morning he
ound that the rats had stolen the piece
# bread which he had saved for his
- SsLhldSC, UuI stuc 1dUOE Ol Cu0 ulSQL
lad brought victory. He had solved
he problem! He had conquered in
he fercest battle of his life. He had
.chieved the success he sought, and
his victory meant the saving Of the
ives of many thousands of his fellow
nen.
The corrugation of iron, forming
idges in lines along the sides Of the
,oat, had been invented. BY this he
Tas enabled to make the iron float, for
le could bend it and shape it to the
urved form of a boat, and the bend
ngs or ridges in the sides took the
.,lace Of all stays, supp orts, ribs, and
imbers, furnishing in themselves the
Import and strength, while nothing
vas added to the weight. The metal
vas put under great pressure to do
his, but it stayed in place, and the
.ictory was won. Joseph Francis =
~ w. S. HARDWOOD, in st. Nicholas.