The record-union., 1899-08-15
ON LAND AND WATER.
NOVEL PROPOSITION OF A
BUFFALO MAN.
He Proposes to Build a Ship That
Will Travel on Either
Element.
fspecial CORRESPONDENCE


BUFFALO On. W, Aug. 12-John w.
Shank, who is humble newer OF WOOD
with hewing headquarters in this city,
wishes so we'll for the Pan-Amerlcali
Exposition. which will be held here dur
ing the summer months of the year
1901, and incidentally thinks SO Wen
of himself that he volunteered yester-
day to give his ideas about boats 10
Director Taylor of the Exhibits De-
partment, nonchalantly tossing IN MS
wonderful thoughts as collateral
against some millions of money winch
he wants the exposition management 10
put into partnership to carry out the
plan which has. of late, caused him
many sleepless nights.
Mr.. Shank has strange ideas regard
ing boats and their backward ways.
He don't believe that boats have kept
up with the times; that they nave maze
an effort abreast of the days OF me-
chanical marvels and it is a sad thlng
for him to reflect upon that the BOAT Is
a purely amphibious object and that II
finds it impossible to forget its loWly
estate and become anything better than
a mere plougher of the raging main.
But he wants all that changed ana
yesterday he called, shut the door OF
the exhibits director behind himself SO
that Mr.. Taylor couldn't escape, and De-
gan thus: Il can see not less than SoU,-
0OO, 900 in sight if you will take up my
idea regarding a new kind of boat. My
own idea and one that I have thought
up during the past few days. The
$4,000, 900 that 1 mention we can pick
up on admissions alone and maybe
after that we can sell the idea to the
Nicaragua Ship Canal Company for as
much more, for we must be sure to get
the idea patented without any delay.
When the men who have the task OF
building the ship canal across the 18TH
mus see our scheme there won't be any
hesitating or dilly-dallying on their
part. They'll buy it as soon as we set
our figures, and we can charge them
what we please for they'll be so pleased
that they'll settle in hurry for fear
We'll sell 1t to some other company.
But that's an after consideration. The
first $30,O00,O0O will be enough if we
don't sell the scheme afterward.
Now, here's the idea You know that
they are having a lot of trouble on that
Isthmus ship canal. Maybe they'll have
to cut a canal through miles of noun
tains and that will take many years
and many millions of money. My
scheme will do away with all that and
we can make a big hit by showing it
first at the exposition. It's boat that
travels as we'll on land as in the water.
Make a beautiful big ship; perfect
ocean greyhound and have her rugged
with pneumatic tired wheels and with
electrical machinery so that when it is
necessary to go from one body of water
to another there won't be any necessity
of spending millions and millions in
cutting canals.
I'VE can get this ship ready before
the exposition and keep it a secret.
Well have her in the water at the foot
of Porter avenue and We'll advertise
a great lake excursion and charge $40
a fare. Well advertise strong to get
the crowd On the appointed day the
boat will be crowded and thousands will
be on the river bank to see the start.
lima CINE the scene. The music plays,
the vessel leaves the wharf and sails
proudly into the river; she skirts Grand
Island, takes a run out into the lake
and then suddenly turns and rushes
back toward land. Suddenly the crowd
notes the fact that she is rushing at
frightful speed toward the shore. There
is wild CONSERVATION and hundreds of
those aboard run to tell the Captain
that he will be aground in a few min
utes. But he smiles upon them calmly
and the boat proceeds. Hundreds give
themselves up for lost. She strikes.
but there is no rending of timbers or
crashing of steel. Smoothly, calmly and
majestically the great craft goes for
ward. She rolls through the shallow
water and climbs the river bank as
quickly as an automobile mounts a hill
Up Porter avenue, in the middle of the
street. the great craft goes, the water
trickling from her shining hull as she
rolls along. At the circle she swings
down Richmond avenue to the
establishment of thousands and out the
broad avenue majestically glides as
smoothly and noiselessly as a bicycle.
When at the exposition grounds the
pilot turns into one of the great gates
and after circling the grounds the boat
comes to a stop in the very center of
the enclosure.
There's your advertisement. Think
of 1t. Imagine your own feelings We're
you in that great throng, and were