The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-29
WIZARD in MECHANICS
WONDERFUL INVENTIVE GENIUS OF
A YOUNG CHINESE WORKMAN.
Jay Hoy Has Perfect Working Models
OF Trolley Car, Automobile, Saw
mill and Gold Steamer.
San Francisco Chronicle.

things which seem incredible.
His workshop and home is a little room
not more than eight feet by ten in dimen-
sions. II is located on the ground floor,
Just a bit off Jackson street, in the very
heart OF the Chinatown Of San Francisco.
Here he works on his beloved models. He
seldom leaves the place. A helper and
servant bring to him his food. and all day
long. and often far into the night ne
dreams Of wheels and pulleys, cranks and
shafts, and other things mechanical.
His little shop is filled with the wonder
full results OF his skillful handiwork and
there Is little room for anything else, yet
in this place he finds room to live, work
and sleep. On a raised bench at one eno
OF the room, and occupying nearly half OF
the abode, is placed the more elaborate or
his models. Here may be found perfect
representations in miniature of an electric
trolley car, an automobile, complete saw
mill plant and an ingenious pumping works
for the raising of water TO higher levels
On a nearby wall is a switchboard, and
the ceiling is a network of wires and In
suIators, for Jay Hoy has constructed
complete telephone exchange. A number
of separate telephone instruments, all made
by this Celestial wizard, dot the adjoining
walls. From one Of these Central may be
called, and. although it seems ridiculous to
communicate by phone when the speakers
are but few feet apart, yet it shows the
wonderful mechanical genius and power of
observation in this strange young Chinese
Jay Hoy has in him wonderful love for
his work. His eyes sparkle. and his whole
frame animates when he touches one of his
models preparatory to setting II IN opera
ton.
20 the time his great love for mechanics
took him from his trade and a means OF
gaining an easy livelihood. Like all good
Chinese. he first learned the trade ms Ia
ther had followed. that Of a. goldsmith AS
soon as he could remember he began hand-
ling the tools of that trade, for as he
crudely explained, not only his father. but
his grandfather and all of his ancestors so
far as family history and TRADITION Went
were such The hammering OF metals into
ornaments was no sufficient outlet for his
genius. and when he came to America he
spent the largest part or his time IN eA-
amining the strange and wonderrus ma
chimes OF which ne knew noinlns IN ms
native land He cared nothing Tor the
strange devices of the white devils" ex-
I cept to understand them. But the OBJ
stacles which he encountered In seeking 10
mountabIs to any but an enthusiast. He
could not follow his trade and learn of
these things. so he gave that up: No one
anime infinitely any machine and even at
that he could not ask questions. so ne
was compelled TO rely upon one OF the
strongest characteristics or MS race-pa-
tience.
TOILED IN HIS LITTLE SHOP.
Daily he watched cars pass, and when
ever they stopped he lost no opportunity to
take g. look. Then he went TO his little
shop and toiled. A plane, a saw, q few
chisels and some other sharp-edged tools
were all he possessed. 1t was easy for him
to get the bits OF wood necessary, and soon
the framework for his miniature model car
was evolved. How he put 1t together none
but he could tell. Every detail was per-
fectly represented. Then he built ten feet
Of track and set the thing on wheels. These
were on trucks which were absolutely per-
feet models OF those he had observed: The
trolley pole and wire were next put III po-
sitioa, and the whole thing was perfect eX-
cept that there was nothing TO make II go.
The question or motive power was an al
most unanswerable one TO Jay Hoy. but he
did not despair. He learned OF the exist
snce OF q power house, and he haunted one
Of the places until he finally understood
that electricity was the magic word. He
finally got hold OF a storage battery. The
transmission Of power he learned about In
his own way, and now the smile which
lights his face when he sends his little car
on It's short journey shows that he was re-
paid for all the labor expended.
which he learned OF the mysteries of the
automobile. One day an immense touring
car went whizzing through Chinatown.
When il reached Dupont and Sacramento
streets something went wrong with the
machinery and the chauffeur drew UP to
the sidewalk In q few minutes he was
lying fat on his back under the big red
n echine. wrench In hand, vainly screwing
at bolts. A throng of Chinese soon gath
cred curiously. Jay Hoy saw the crowd
and pushed his way through II to the front
For over two hours the white man worked
and sweated and swore, and all this time
Jay Hoy put in TO the very best advantage.
the Chinese mechanic went TO his little
shop with a good mental picture Of its
many parts. The motive power of the
machine he had seen was electricity. He
already had his storage battery, so he de-
termined to reproduce, the Red Devilf in
miniature. He worked long and patiently,
but 1t was a labor OF love for him, and in
time his automobile was completed and
would run One day white visitor saw
this wonderful little bit Of mechanism and
bought IT, paying a. good round sum. SC
that now the young inventor is working on
q duplicate.
At one time In his life Jay Hoy worked
In one IF the big sawmills OF northern
California He was common laborer, but
he saw with the eyes OF a born mechanic
The result OF his observation is a reproduc-
on his work bench. Everything is COM
plete TO his smallest pulley. A tiny en-
CINE, which he keeps fired up" furnishes
than the average lead pencil, and about
one-third OF its length. 1t gives him the
greatest delight to explain by signs its
workings 10 the visitor, and when he pulls
the thread OF the whistle cord and stops
the mill, the grin that overspreads his face
Is satisfaction itself.
Only one OF the machines which the
young mechanic has made seems Chinese
In Its characteristics, and that is his com.
plicateC device for raising water from lower
to higher levels. Glass goblets represent
his tanks and small rubber tubes his pipe
lines. The power is furnished by q crank
which Is turned by hand, and just here il
seems he has gone back to the ''Flowery
Kingdom for his ideas. Ii works beauti
fully. when only the index finger and tht
thumb are necessary TO turn the crank
but what the result would be with tank:
OF great capacity Is very doubtful Per.
haps Jay Hoy has this figured out In hi:
own way.
MINIATURE TELEPHONE EXCHANGE
More wonderful than any of these con
trivances. however, is the miniature tele
phone exchange which Jay Hoy has erected
IN his small room. In the central ofic.
Is a small switchboard about three by tw.
feet In dimensions. network of wires
leaves this to be stapled TO the ceiling anC
from there go TO number OF small tele
phones fixed TO the walls about the room
The Young Chinese has p,odalad and ,,,a5