Inventions

WERE ANY DOWNRIVER PEOPLE INFLUENTIAL IN PATENTS OR INVENTIONS?

Yes. Perhaps the best known of the many inventions concocted here is the Fire Escape, invented by W.S. Coon, a former clothing merchant in Wyandotte.

Other inventors and their inventions include:
* Benjamin F. Yack (for which the Wyandotte areana is named) invented a “battling tee” for Little League ballplayers (“battling” is probably not a mis-spell) which, according to the Wyandotte Tribune of October 16, 1954, “won national acclaim.”

* George Clark invented the metallic life raft, which was later used on Great Lakes Steamers in the latter half of the 19th Century.

* William Powers invented the car coupler. According to an article from the Wyandotte Herald, dated October 28, 1881, shown exactly as written:
“William Powers, Stonecutter of Wyandotte, has invented a car coupler which has come nearer meeting the idea railroad men say is desired in such a thing than the most of inventions of that kind.”

* Israel Maloch invented an electric alarm for jail doors and windows, to prevent inmate escape.

* Lewis Scofield would invent the iron cross tie. The first cross tie ever made in the United States rolled off the lines at Eureka Iron Works (date unknown). Mr. Scofield was the Supervisor at the mill and is given credit for the mill’s construction.

Thanks to Downriver History for the contribution to this post.