XIV. 



Capt. Eads exhibited singular boldness and originality of conception, 

 undaunted bravery and resolution in the execution of his great enterprises ; 

 and, when impediments and disasters seemed about to overwhelm him, he 

 was so calm and self-possessed, so fertile in expedients and full of resour. 

 ces and devices to overcome obstacles, so persistent and inflesible of pur- 

 pose, that he snatched victory and success from the very jaws of defeat. 



His enterprises compelled him to cope with the mighty elements of the 

 natural world, and his close study of their modes and laws of action ena- 

 bled him, by working in harmony with these laws, to make them obedient 

 to his will, and to use them as allies in accomplishing the grand results 

 at which he aimed. 



In view of Capt. Eads' lack of early advantages of an education, it excites 

 our admiration that he should have attained such mental grasp, such 

 breadth and comprehensiveness of mind ; but we know these grew out 

 of a strong, native intellect, that well might be called genius, trained by 

 a self-imposed study, experience, and observation. 



Each great undertaking of his life may truthfully be considered as a 

 preparatory school for those that succeeded. His use of wrecking-boats 

 on the mighty Mississippi opened to his view the laws of its currents and 

 eddies, their modes and power of action, their agency (when properly 

 directed and controHed) in cutting new pathways and channels, and by 

 utilizing this knowledge, he raised sunken vessels, and removed from the 

 river obstructions to its safe navigation. This experience was training 

 him for other and greater works that were to follow. 



When the civil war occurred and gun-boats were needed to aid the army, 

 Capt. Eads was recognized as a competent person to construct them for 

 service on the mighty stream with whose habits he had become familiar, 

 and in this employment he was dealing with strong elements of the mate- 

 rial world — with iron and steel, and their powers of tenacity, resistance, 

 and support — and thereby he was further educated for the nobler and 

 grander achievement of conceiving and constructing the St. Louis Bridge, 

 the successful completion of which has placed him among the very first 

 of the great engineers of the age and world. 



Some men have genius to invent and plan, but lack the power to exe- 

 cute ; some lack the power to conceive or plan, but are great in executive 

 ability to can-y out and accomplish what others have designed : but Capt. 

 Eads possessed both of these matchless faculties. 



With the completion of the gigantic enterprise of both planning and 

 constructing the St. Louis Bricge he might well have rested from his la- 

 bors, sure of his position in the front rank of the most skilled, courageous 

 and daring inventors and workers ; but, like Paul, forgetting the things 

 which are behind and reaching forth unto the things which are before, he 

 hasted by his restless energy to the undertaking of opening an unob- 

 structed pathway from the Mississippi to the Ocean. 



Through opposition, numerous discouragements, and prophecies of 



