Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 213, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1912 — USED SHARK POWER [ARTICLE]

USED SHARK POWER

Man Rigged Up Boat With Small Engine That Could Go. Won First Place In Race —Everything Lovely Till Inquisitive Swimmer Dived Beneath Craft and Made Discovery. Newbern, N. C.—George Arthur, a fisherman, in the neighborhood of Adams creek, -Bear Neuse river, 35 miles from this'city, caught in one of his nets, a large shark. He penned it in a pool which he made for the purpose, and after exhibiting it there for a mouth or more it suddenly vanished. Arthur told the inquirers that he had taken pity on the “varmint” and returned it to its native waters. About this time Arthur purchased a “long, low, rakish” skiff, explaining to his friends that he intended placing an engine in it and making a racing boat out of it. For several weeks he devoted many hours a day to remodeling it and placing a two-horse power engine In it. At last 'he announced that the boat was in readiness for any and all comers, and offered to bet that he would win. Several men who thought they had fast boats inspected Arthur’s boat and laughed at his diminutive motor. But he said it was of a new and powerful type and that anyway he’d back It to win. So they ararnged a race. There were six contestants, and among the number were some exceedingly fast boats. Arthur was asked to give a trial exhibition of his engine’s ability, but he refused. He .said they could see it work the day of the race. On the appointed day several hundred people lined the river bank. The course was about five miles. The boats were lined up for the start and at the crack of a pistol off they went. So faint was the exhaust of Arthur’s new engine that it could scarcely be heard, and within the first 100 yards he was left far behind the other racers. However, things had only begun to happen. Arthur was seen to settle back in the steerman’s seat and push a small lever. Immediately the little boat sprang forward. Faster and faster it cut through the water. Passing the other boats and their startled crews, -it sped on toward the goal and arrived several minutes ahead of its nearest competitor. That the little engine was the real thing was no longer doubted, and the owner received many offers to purchase. but declined them all. After that Arthur was frequently seen on the river with his craft cutting through the water at a terrific rate. Recently a party of picnickers visited the place, and during the... day hired Arthur to take them for a trip on the river. They, too, were amazed at the boat’s speed. One of the more inquisitive decided that there was something not entirely on the level about the engine. Arriving at a desirable point, a suggestion that the party go in swimming was made, and soon several of the young men were in the water. Suddenly one of them dived beneath the boat and when he arose to the surface lost no time in scrambling back into the craft He said he had seen a shark just beneath the boat v Arthur became greatly agitated at this point and suggested that they leave at once, but the other members of the party resolved to see whether their companion was fooling them. Seizing an oar, one of the young men jabbed it Into the water beneath the craft, and, sure enough;found the shark. They were going to kill or catch it, when Arthur told them that the fish was in a wire cage beneath the vessel and that he used It for motor power. Farther Investigation (►roved it to be true. After catching the big fish Arthur

got the idea of building a cage for it beneath the boat and utilizing it to tow the boat. To get the fish started Arthur used a pointed nail driven into the end of a short stick.