Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1827-10-24

REWARD OF GENIUs.-The folio wing IN
terestins anecdote, is told with much eelat by
Doctor Thornton, the principal clerk in the
Patent Office, Washington.
Mr.. Gilbert Brewster, a very ingenious ar
list from Connecticut, cauie to the patent Of
fee about tho middle Of October, 1923, and
requested permission to examine the models.
Informed him they were deposited for public
inspcc ion, and that he was at liberty 10 exam
inc them as often and as long as he pleased.
Instead Of spending a few hours, lie visited
thom daily for about six weeks; then thanked
me for the qualification he had enjoyed, de-
claring them worth millions of dollars, for that
they were of incalculable value 10 a real me-
chanic. He said he saw movements or COM
binations Of which before he had no idea, and
and that he was now enabled SO to improve
The ma chinery for spinning wool, as 10 reduce
TIE Prico OF spinning from eight cents per lb.
IIe went away and returned in about three
months with two models, declaring on his re-
turn, that he had perfected what he had con-
tcmpIated, and that he could then spin wool at
a lover price than the English, who could not
effect il for less than four cents per ID. I is
sued three patents for his ma chimes, and geE-
tleman who who accompanied him from New
York, and who engages to buy these machines
for n manufa cturing Company IN Connecticut,
paid him down ten thousand dollars in my
presence"
REMARKs.--Tho Mr.. Brewster, the ingen-
ious and fortunate mechanic, mentioned by
Doctor Thornton, ma de his first attempt 10 get
his woollon spinning machine into notice and
operation, at Jewctt City, wlero We believe
they were for some time used with Indifferent
success; and in the year 1918, came to Rhode
Island, and got them introduced 10 the manu-
factory owned by the sBELLroNrE CoMpA-
NY, where they were used for a given period,
and then abandoned, as inca pable Of perform
ing the operations assigned them.
Although Mr.. Brewster was satisfied that his
mac chine had not performed in accordance with
his high-wrought expectations, still, as he
knew it was not yet perfected, he met the
rebufs and reverses Of fortune with placidity
and composure, and nothing discoura ged went
on to the attainment Of those ends which
have at length crowned his well-timed and in
defatigable efforts The productions Of his in
ventiye genius, have, as we understand, already
been attested in England and France; and thus,
by persevcrng industry, has he overcome every
obstacle, and established a fortune, which we
hope may prove as imporishabe. as the value
Of his inventions are beneficial to the world.
This once quite popular csta blishment, has
witnessed an eventful career. and its history s
worth noticing. Its original projectors were
Messrs. Bernard and jeremiah Eddy, A5orn &
Jackson and Peckham & Barker, who erected
1t for tho purpose Of manufa curing iron
screws, which business they carried on for
some two years, when finding that would
not afford a profit, it was abandoned. The
Messrs Eddy's, possessed but little capital,
and what they had, was ongulphed in tho en-
terprlze. The other partners then assumed
the whole stock, and uniting with Messrs.
Christopher and William Rhodes, two GENTLE
mca whose names are identified with the hsto-
ry OF the rise of American Manufa ctures, the
Screw Mill as the Bellefonte, was then called,
was converted into cotton and woollen man.
niacfory, and continued to operate as such,
till within the two or three last years, when, in
consequence Of the depression of the woolen
business, it was suspended. 1t is now owned
by Christopher and William Rhodes, Benia-
min Aborn, George Jackson; Christopher II.
Stafford. and Cyrus Barker. 1t is situated on
one of the most delightful spots in creation,
place where fairies, and naiads and sylphs,
and gods and goddesses, might delight to re-
vel.