Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography/Cary, Albigence Waldo

CARY, Albigence Waldo, inventor, b. in Coventry, Kent co., R. I., 23 May, 1801; d. in Brockport, N. Y., 30 Aug., 1862. He was the inventor of Cary's rotary force-pump, which was used on the first steam fire-engine in the United States, in reconstructing the southern railway after the civil war, and in the mines of California. — His son, Joseph Clinton, b. in Alexander, Genesee co., N. Y., 12 Oct., 1828; d. in Martha's Vineyard, Mass., 7 Aug., 1884. built two steam fire-engines about 1860, to which his father's pump was applied, for use in New York city. These engines propelled themselves through the streets by steam-power, and were capable, with ten men, of doing the work of five hundred with the hand-engines at that time in use. They proved to be very efficient at several large fires, and helped to save many millions of property. About 1864 Mr. Gary became a speculator in Wall street. He was the originator of the cross-town railroad running from Christopher-street ferry to the East river at Twenty-third street.