The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-18
NJ GINTY'S LAWN.
ArgOnaut Wheels Along the
Bottom of the Sea.
TrUndles Easily Across New
York Bay to Sandy Hook.
DEFIES OLD OCEAN.
Inventor Lake Explores the
Bottom Through Trap Door
And Leisurely Chooses the Path
To His Pleasures,
DEFIES OLD OCEAN.

New York, CcE.18.-Fishes in that por-
ton Of lower New York bay lying d.
rectly within the protecting curve of
Sandy Hook had a bewildering surprise
in the form of a strange monster from
the upper world. It was Capt. Lakes
wonderful exploring submarine boat
Argonaut.
At four bells in the afternoon watch
Captain Lake courteously helped the
last of his three invited guests to de-
scend the iron ladder which gave access
to the interior Of the Argonaut through
a straightIy opening brass-eapped con-
ming tower. The Argonaut rocked gent
ly the while upon the dancing waves a
hundred yards off the New York Yacht
clubs station at the end of the Attain
tic Highlands pier.
Capt. Lake then calmly closed the
bronze lid of the coming tower and
screwed it fast from the inside. Elec-
tric lights were burning brightly in the
little cabin, and a steady flow of fresh
air responded to the steady hum of
miniature but hard working fan.
nate CLEANS of gold and green showed
the variance of the water line under the
winds influence.
"Open the sea cocks" commanded
Capt Lake, taking his place in the
turret, amid a myriad of cocks and lev
ers and valves and electrical switches.
o
sure was followed by a subdued CUR
gle and rumble Of rapidly rushing wa
ter. There was no attendant sensation
of sinking, but the telltale dead eyes
grew all green, then greener, then blue,
then almost black. A tremendous jar,
a slight fore and aft inclination, an
other crack OF a valve and then the
apta1n said:
Bottom in two fathoms and the wa
ter is muddy"
The Argonaut is not a submarine
boat in the sense that Mr.. Hollands
porpOise-lilxe craft is She is a boat on
the surface of the water, and travels
along decently IS a boat under the i'm
pulse of a two-bladed propeller of ORTIZ
OdOX design. But when the Argonaut
has reached her proper habitat-the
bottom of the bay or the ocean, or
whatever other water she is to explore
she becomes a sort of a traction en-
gine-a numbering load OF tank-encased
atmosphere and machinery, which runs
forward or backward on great prOnged
wheels, somewhat after the manner of
a steam roller.
She is steered by ingenious machinery
controlled by the man in the turret. If
it is light and the water is shallow
enough and clear enough for that man
to see, the ArgOnaut may be naVigated
by the same sort Of dead reckoning that
would be used in conducting a dray
along Broadway. If it is dark, if the
water is muddy, the steersman depends
upon a compass swinging from a bin
It was a case Of muddy water and
consequent twilight in the depths yes
terday. So Capt. Lake, inventor and
master Of the anomalous craft, steered
by compass.
With a CLEAN and flash of polished
metal, a hum OF fOrceful harmony, the
engines of the Argonaut were started a
moment after her supporting wheels
had found the oceans floor. A grip
engaging arrangement communicated
the power to the driving wheels, and,
Ia
contrivance which frightened the fish
es moved steadily forward with her
nose supposedly pointed in the direction
of Sandy Hook.
I'VE like to know what sort of a road
we travel in the Argonaut," said Capt.
Lake; so Wen just have a look or
rather a feel if it's too dark to look.''
And how will you see what is be-
meath this floor of steel?" he was asked.
THAT trap door; Wen open it. Then
We'll see the bottom if it's visible. If it
isn't Wen sound for 1t with a rod a
fathom long"
but if you open the trap door the
water
''WiH stay politely outside at the
pressing invitation of the air in the for
ward compartment. We will regulate
the pressure Of the air in that cham
Der to the degree of anxiety OF the wa
ter to join our company"
And even so 1t happened. AS calmly
as one who fished for fun from the
strtng-piece of a dock, one of the three
attendants upon this master spirit Of
the deep entered the little chamber, op-
ened the trap and gazed into the face Of
the water below him.
Hard sand!' he called. The nose of
the ArgOnaut sunk and she coasted
down declivity.
"Ooze and mud reported the watch
ed from the air chamber.
How deep is the mud?'
six feet at least and no bottom
touched"
The Argonaut hoated over that Shiny
depth. A hundred turns Of her screw
cleared it and she sank again. AS she
did she scraped along some submerged
obstacle.
Feels like a wreck. We will look
out for that again. I'll mark the place.