The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1897-02-20
"FIREPRO0F MAN"
a PENNSYLVANIA WHO CAN
ENDURE INTENSE HEAT.
Making Repairs In q Furnace So
Hot That His Shoes Were Near.
~ Burned From His Feet
Extraordinary Endurance
~ERHAFS there is no man in
- Phnnixville, Penn, better
| known than Jacob H. Boyer,

Il WIZ AO q 0AAACA VA @SnAcJ ~ A0A "
big local iron company. He is better
known far and near as the ''human
salamander," or fireproof man, titles
he has won by his wonderful ability
to sta2d great heat. The Philadelphia
Press says OF him:
Jacob H. Boyer is now man OF
some tifty.tvs years OF age, and a
grandfather. Hc comes from Penn
sy,vania German stock. he was born
and reared in West Pikeland Town
ship, about three miles from Phoenix
vile. He YVES educated in the little
eight. school house near bis
home. 1t is said that he often amused
and startled his playfellows by his re-
1narkable ability to stand the heat.
The boys would build brush fires to
see who could stand nearest the blaze,
and Boyer always won the prize, for
he had his hair singed off and his
clothes nearly burned from his back
more than once. He once sat on
brush heap while it burned from I'M
der him, and came off with 10 injury
save the loss of his clothes and shoes.
For that feat he was fogged by his
teacher, and when he reached home
with the charred remains of clothing
hanging to him in shreds bis father
gave HIM another AogginS for his
foolhardy act; the Boyers had 10
money to throw away IN clothing.
When Jacob was a youth of some
seventeen years he went to learn the
trade Of bricklayer. In time he be.
came q journeyman, and many front
he helped to lay. In time he found
employment with on iron company,
which work was more to his keeping,
for he could satisfy his abnormal de.
sire by working about the hot fur
naces: Flo had not long been in the
employ Of the iron company before he
gave his employers and fellow en-
ployes some startling exhibitions Of
his ability to stand the heat. Some
times the furnaces would get out OF
repair, and itwould become necessary
10 repair them while they were still
hot that time might not be lost.
One day furnace partly fell in*nl
it became necessary for some quick
repairs to be made. The boss brick.
layer did not see how il could be done,
as the furnace was smoking hot, and
he thought that no man would dare
venture into it. Boyer was standing
by, and at once volunteered to make
the needed repairs
"Why, Jacob" said the old man,
''you will be roasted alive if you ven
tire into that furnace as bot Us it is
now
"Nevec mind" said Boyer, 1T will
ix it,
And he did. He went into that
furnace and replaced the bricks that
had fallen In, and came out but little
the worse for his daring job. His
hair and beard we're singed and
c,lrled by the heat, his clothes were
scorched, and the soles OF his shoes
twisted and charred.
That daring feat won for Boyer the
title of the ''iireproof man." In time
the head OF the bricklayers Of the iron
works died, when Boyer was immedi-
ately appointed to till the vacancy.
He was now his own t'boss," and had
no one to chide him for his daring
feats. Since he has been in charge OF
the bricklayers OF the works he has
never asked any one of his employees
to risk his life, always himself assum-
ing any risk to be taken. Many time
he has entered furnaces when HE men
never expected to see him return
alive, for the work of b1icklay er
about iron and steel works is ANYTHING
but easy. Everything may be going
on MI right, when all OF sudden
brick or two may fall ip while the fur
mace is in heat. and unless they are
replaced the whole heat may be lost
OF become d conglomerate OF bricks
and molten steel known to iron and
steel workers rs "salamander.
Wien bricl, falls there is danger
OF others following. In order to save
the furnace and the metal therein the
brick must be replaced. This is MI in.
tensely hot job, for the furnace is
heated to a whit, heat, and the mott.
er steel seetAes and boils like so much
water.
In such -yencics Boyer is in de-
mand. He learns the spot from which
the brick has fallen. and it is his
work to replace it with another. He
cannot enter the furnace, for tho fur
mace OF Moloch WAS never heated hot
ter. But he replaces the brick, He
wraps his face carefully with a wool
len scarf, gloves his hands, and with
his great tongs stands at the door of
the furnace and works away until the
brick or bricks have been replaced.
Often the tongs bend in his hands, and
his mask is burned from his face. He
works over seething, boiling steel that
snarls and spits worse than the crater
OF volcano full of burning lava.
Some idea Of tho intonao hoot roor l..