Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1820-09-19
lDDOAlIrIIrR

ODOMETER.
| The following note addressed 10 the Editors
by gentleman of MARYLAND. as well asthe ar
| ucle low from the Boston Patriot, we deen,-
| ed tour dniyto hand to Col. Clarke-to these,
| we have received his reply, which we lay be-
lore our readers, agrceabiy TO his re9ueSt:-
ut may be doing servi: TO some persons at
| distance TO remind them that Col Clarke 3
| cdonsters. for ascertaining distances i'm ira
Veiins by carriage wheel, are for sale in this
| city. We have seen il nsed aud can vonch for
| ITS correctness. II Is fixed on the hinder mart
| of the carriage. When YOU start. Won set the
| index One index points out tho parts of n
mile another the number of miles you have
| travelled. Al The end OF every mile bell
strikes We believe M'. jefferson frequently
uses this ingenious little machine.
| Richmond Enquirer Juiy IS"
| w fd'ors OF the Richmond Enquirer will
render public service by explaining the con-
7 slruciion Of the above mentioned machine -
Whether simple or complicated if strong and
enrable, or liable 10 slight injury if il en-
cnmbeis the gig or chaise, OF Injuries their ap.
! pearaDce; 1t easily fixed To any carriage what
will the whole apparatus weigh, and what the
| price thereof delivered al Baltimore or Phila-
dephiat
To THE EDITORS
| PoWhdtdn County. Sepf 1890
GENTLEMEN--I have Just received ypur's
| enclosing The above letter from the north Be
| pleased TO inioim the rnblic. thai my Odome-
yer, (WHICH has been III use ever since the year
i
iron and steel Ii is very simplc-A brass ca a
about tour inches diameter and about two IN
ches deep contains three wheels, which are
put III motion by an endless screw.-'rhese
carry Two hands and "a hammer, which strikes
the alarm bell AT the bnttom OF the case A
crNNai IN the top OF the case, covers the index
plate. which is deCimally divided into miles
ana parts. One of th, hands points TO The
h:ure denotiug the number OF miles and the
other points 10 the fractional parts, and at ev-
| cry mile the bell gives the alarm, and no mea.
srrement can be more accurate when The
wheel and tho Machine are adjusted TO each
other. III rs easily fixed Oh wheel carriaye of
| any description, and when pfoDerI, fixed on
may at any time be taken off Of put on in half
! a minute, 10 four wheel carriage il is best
| TO Sttit over the perch l'ole, in front of the
hind aXletree, and ia Il chair, il may be nut on
| The centre of the aXleiree where il is mnst
Tree from injury, or being Spaticred bv the
wheel, and always in view aud instead of
incomnodmg ~ disIi=nrins The appearance of
the carriage, II ~ very ornamental takes no
room, ami weighs only asout two pounds and
three quarters. spring, on the nut of the
wheel, at every revolution, moves spur whe ell
on rod, at the end of hiCh is The endless
screw before mentioned, which keeps the ma
chine III motion. They are made Tor wheels
81 different sizes, from four feet SIN, TO five
feet three inches diameter ~ NAV he dGliyar-
ed (wlih the apparatus orpuiiing them on) IN
W Washington, Baltimore, or Philadelphia al
> 80 each.... Yours, very respectfully
JAMES CLARKE
subloin some notes and extracts from
| Mr.Jsiterson 10 myself. The first Induced
me 10 oife' him my Odomcter as present. -.
Inc secord aCcertst. And the third is one
written 10 me the other day on communicative
| 10 him the structures which had been made in
Boston paper upon my Odometer.
Washington, MAY %, 1907.
SER-In conversation with MIR Stannaid A
! few days ago he informed me that YOU had
invented aud made machine TO be fixed be-
iiIn carriage for counting the revolutions
Of The wheel while travellDg-he added fur
| ther that hr did not believe YOU would be
| aversc to the con muuicatOn of IL. Haviny
| myself made All effort OF the same kind and
| failed, should be very happy 10 have The
! Deneti of any mere SuCt esSfnI attempt, and
! have been encouraged hV MIR. Slarnard to
believe You wonld he wiling TO let yours be
| copied, and perhaps 10 let il come here for
| That purpose. ShOnld yOn have no objection.
| would solicit this iavcr. IL delivered 10 Nj. G.
| Jefferson. he gii readily fiad some gentleman
coming on in the stage TO this place who NAV
! he relied on 10 take charge ST and deliver IL
safely. Should II not however be consistent wi lib
any views You may entertain as TO the use pro-
posed TO be made of the machine beg 10 be
| understood as not al all pressing il. nor mean
| ins IN the least 10 have any thing done incen-
| sistent with those views. tender YOU nv sa-
luiations and assurances OF respect
Col Clarke. TIL JEFFERSON.
SIR.-..I received last night yonr favor of
| May %, and am very thankful 10 You for the
| KIND offer OF your Cd meter; on " hich accord.
| ing TO the description of it, sbonld certainly
| set great value. My wish to receive il here
was that might take the distances on nv
road to Monticello, to which shall 20 about
| The 2Oth OF next month, and about the last day
OF that month proceed on to Bedford +.
Col. a. Clarke. TIL JEFFERSON.
Monticeiio, September Is2O
| DEAR SIR have duly received your favor
OF the list INST. requesting my opinion OF the
! merits OF yonr Odomeier- which | shall give
| with pleasure and satisfaction. having had i,
| in use for Is years. L thnk il as simple az we
! can expect such machine to be having only
| three iOOlhed wheels entirely accurate, incon.
| siderable IN weight and volume, aud of con.
venient application TO the carriage. With
respect lofts originality eau only say have
| known no OdOmeteT. either Ia Europe or Az
meIica, resembling il in any degree or a all
To be cOmpaied with il in all its characters
and merit taken together. l cOntinne still TO
use IL, finding great satisfaction in having
miles announced by the bell as by milestones
on the road. ...Witl this testimony, which |
render as duty, i pray you to accept the as.
s" E; OF I, my great esteem and respect.
Tie following are the structures made nv an
| article i'll the Boston Patriot:
| OdOmefGrS, or PerdmbuLdfOTs.
mESsRs EDITORS AN article from the
! Richmond Enquirer has been copied into many
papers. describing au Odometer, as new in,
vention OF Col. Clarke, which is fixed on the
hHdeT part of "A carriage, with face like a
clock, aud IN index pointing ont the miles nd
parts Of miles, answering 10 the hours and
minutes, aud saying that MIR. Jefferson FREE
quentIy used this ingenious little machine
All this is very well buI il should not be held
up asa southern Invention, or as netp contri.
vance il is well known in Cambridge, that 4
Physician in that place made use Of one five.
aBd-lweniy years ago, and has found il plea
SAINT travelling companion. The wheel should
be OF that diameter as to rotate once in rod
and then an iron SetclI fixed on the spoke Of
The wheel turns The machinery one minute OF
rod, aud GO rotations turns the mile index one
hOnr. The PeTambnlator to which we refer
was made for DR.. W. by MIR. Simon Willard
OF ROxbuTy, between twenty-five and thirty
years ago. PHILO CID THINGS.