In the mid-1800s, shipwrecks were a common and scary event. Imagine being in a shipwreck and being saved with a Francis Life Car. Designed and patented by Joseph Francis of Toms River, NJ around 1843, he was the first person to use iron in the construction of life boats. The U.S. government declined to fund his metal boats, so he began his own business on the Jersey Shore, near Long Branch. His life car was put to the test on January 12, 1850 during a blinding snowstorm. 200 of 201 on board the British emigrant ship Ayrshire were saved just south of Long Branch.
Here's how it worked: From the beach, someone from a lifesaving station would use a Lyle gun to shoot ropes out to a ship, which would then be tied to the ship’s mast. The life car was attached to, and pulled, along these lines. Up to four people were placed lying flat into the airtight compartment and hauled through the rough waters to the shore.
Within four years, 2,500 lives and a large amount of valuable cargo had been saved by Francis' Life-Boats and Life-Cars. This one is on display in Tuckerton, New Jersey.