The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-03-19

He Has Faculties That Puzzle Perssns
who Can sea


He Has Faculties That Puzzle Perssns
who Can see.
1t is well-known fact that person.
who lose one or more senses often de-
velop remarkable qualities in those re-
manning. This has seldom IL ever been
shown in so notable way as in the
case of Paul S. Pinkham. resident of
Millbridge, Me-, who. though blind, has
succeeded IN building, unaiced. a better
house than most carpenters in possess
sion of all their faculties would con-,
struct.
/ Pinkham has been bereft Of sight
since he was II years old, and he is now
IS.
The house which Pinkham built is a
spacious house, with a comfortable
and roomy look, a story and a half
high. with long ell one story high,
extending back from the main house
The elapbcarding is well put on. and
the windows, doors and exterior finish
look as if done by an expert carpenter.
while the interior is as perfect in its
plan and construction as one could ex-
rect. Yet Paul Pinkham. sightiess,
planned the house, and built IL There
is not a stick or nail or stone or brick
in its construction. from foundation to
roof, that he did not place there
At 81 Mr.. Pjnkham's father, who had
been a well-to-do shipmaker. died. leav-
ing him penniless and alone The
neighbors pitied poor blind Paul." and
It was the general accepted theory that
Paul would ere long find his way to the
town farm Paul was made of better
stuff. Although up to that time he had
done little for his own maintenance, he
at once set about devising means where
by to support himself. He feared at the
outset that his blindness might prove an
insurmountable obstacle to making his
way, but he did not lie down under the
fear. He shipped with Capt. Wilson. of
Millbridge, on the schooner Forest, and
made one trip along the coast He soon
discovered that some latent sense or
fcculty was developing, enabling him
to know of the presence of objects and
to estimate distances. What this sense
is Mr.. Pinkham cannot explain, al
though in him il has now reached
high stage of development.
He next shipped on the schooner
Sympathy, and found the work more
easily performed. With this trip the
season was at an end, and during the
winter he added to his savings by saw
ing fire wood ard chopping cord wood.
Then he ventured into peddling CLAIMS,
and was fairly successful. With his
earnings he purchased boat and fitted
1t out for lobster catching. He hired
boy to steer the boat while he attended
to the traps The danger which lobster
catchers fear greatly Is in being nipped
by the jaws of Holsters when landing
them. Men with good sight are fire.
quently thus nipped and receive painful
Mounds-yet Paul Pinkhsm handled
his Holsters northumberland so nicely
was the sense of touch or prescience, or
whatever it may be termed. developed,
that he was never caught by lobster.
although he continued in the business
for 81 years.
In addition to his home Pinkham has
built many boats that sail to-day near
5Millbridge, and they are all good
models and easy sailers. He also made |
some fine showcases and various other |
forms of fancy woodwork. His neigh
bors generally look to him for small |
jobs of delicate repairing, and he turns |
out the work as rapidly and with far |
less appearance of mental worry than |
many clear-visioDed carpenters exhibit. |
whenever set out To- do,a thing"
says Mr. P1nkham, Il plan it in my mind. |
and that picture forever remains before |
me- made the plan of this house. ar
ranged Just how far back from the road |
it should sit, how high it should be and |
how long and wide. / saw in nv mind /
the shape il should assume before l |
started TO make the excavation for the
cellar wall. I made the excavation. laid /
the wall. raised the frame. boarded and
it. put in the windows and
made the doors and hung them, lathed
and plastered the interior and painted
the exterior, and even topped out the
His neighbors call Pink
hams house "the miracle. "-Lewiston
(Me-l Journal.
Ao Ecan