Francis' Life-Boat Manufactory

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Owing to the constantly increasing d( mand for Francis' invaluable life-boats, th gentleman has tound it impossible to supply the demand without increased facilities. t has therefore erected at Green Point, a mann moth building for the construction uf h metallic life-boats and life cars. The mai part uf the building is 190 feet deep by 11 feetr wide, and 40 feet high at the peak, an contains 700,000 cubic feet ,of space, 21,47 cubic feet to each floor. The wall is 2 inches thick, and is built ot brick, laid in hi draulic cement and grouted from top to bo tom, There are eight 16 feet doors, and 24 lights, including the skylights, Each floe and separate apartment is thoroughly ventile ted by flues, which are carried through th numerous piers for the health of the wurkmen. The ruof of the building' is of corrugated ga vanized.sheet-iron, and is said to be the best roof of the kind in the United States. Th building was ereded under the superinten dance of Mr. Archibald White, of New York. The boiler-house is a separate building bui of brick and iron. Some 70 or. 80 men wer to commence work in this factory un Friday one press has now been put at work, whic will prepare the material for about 40 50ats per day, and eventually Mr. Francis intend to put in five more presses and engines, whic will give employment in the various depari ments to iabout 500 men, The following is description of the life car :They are i shape somewhat similar to a boat, formed o copper or iron, and Closed over by a convex deck, with a hatch-way, through which th passeingers are admitted, The car will hold from four to five persons, When the passen gers are inside the cover is sEut down an bolted, and the car is then drawn to the shore suspended by rings trom a hawser which ha previonsly been stretched from the ship t to the shore, There is no light in the car, openings for the admission of air ; the ca containing sufficient ait for the use of it passengers for a quarter of an hour, and bu three or fuur minutes are seldom occupied in reaching the shure. The company intend' to send one of these cars, containing several liv animals over Nirgara Falls this season, in or der to ascertain the quantity of pressure they will sustain without injury

Scientific American Magazine Vol 8 Issue 24This article was published with the title “Francis' Life-Boat Manufactory” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 8 No. 24 (), p. 192
doi:10.1038/scientificamerican02261853-192e

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