The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1837-08-23
DAVENPORT, THE AMERICAN BLACK
sMITH--THE ELECTRO-MAG-
NETIC DISCOVERY.


NETIC DISCOVERY.
Thomas Davenport, native OF Vermont
where he has resided as blacksmith at
Brandon, Rutland county, until within few
months past, in July 1884, aitera years ex-
perimenis in electro-magnetism, procured Tor
the first time ever known rotary motion,
with that power, the machinery Of which is
now exhibiting in New York, and exciting
the asionishmeni OF every individual who has
seen its operation.
OF The origin of this wonderful discovery,
which threatens to make as entire revoln-
ton in the mechanical world as that Of Fulton
in steam navigation, which it may possibly
entirely supersede, the public are naturally
curious TO learn some particulars We COM
municate them in a more authentic and de-
tached shape than they have hitherto APP
peared.
In The first place il is necessary 10 pre-
mise that neither the works of Fsrraday and
Sturgeon Of England, who have made much
advance in electrical science, nor those of
Orsted OF Copenhagen, nor Mole Of Sweden.
nor OF Hare and Henry of America, nor OF
Ampere of France, can convey any notion OF
the extraordinary development and application
of electro magnetic power discovered by our
native American mechanic, Davenport. His
name probably in a few years will stand out
upon the annals of history as much more
prominent than Watt, Arkwright or Fulton,
as they do now above the most ordinary in
ventors.
Nor let us add can even the interesting
and well written descriptions in Silllman's
Journal, and elsewhere in our newspapers
possibly make Ineligible the nature of Mr.,
Davenports discovery. In fact, the tcchni-
cal language of science requires an entire
new glossary to furnish words TO express the
thoughts which have sprung up in this new
world whose door has been burst open by the
genius of one ofour citizens.
Up to the age of 80, Mr.. ID. steadily follow
ed his profession Of blacksmith. In the sum-
mer of 1873, he wen, as was his custom, from
Brandon to forge at Crown Point on Lake
Champlain, where he was in the habit OF pur-
chasing his iron. He there saw 4 revolving
cylinder with magnetised points, for the pur-
pose of separating the particles of iron from
the pulverised ore. How is this magnets
ed" said Mr.. d. to the owner. by Pro-
fessor Henry's horse shoe magnet, which you
see there" was the reply, 1t was one of
very small description, weighing about three
pounds, and had been purchased Of Professor
Henry himself at Albany. On an exhibition
Of its powers, in connection with the galvanic
battery, [llare'sl Mr.. D. was so struck with
this. TO him, entirely novel agent, that he i'm
mcdiately demanded the price OF the whole
apparatus and purchased the same, and went
home absorbed with the useful purposes to
which he Immediately conjectured it might be
applied and too much engrossed with this
dominant thought to remember the load OF iron
he had come in pursuit Of. tits properto say,
that previous to this Mr.. d. had become ac
quainted with the nature Of the permanent
magnet in his excursion with that and the
compass among the iron regions of his native
state. On his return, he explained TO friend
his conviction that the magnet could be made
to procure rotary motion. This friend en-
gagged with him in series Of experiments,
which proved aborive, and Mr.. d. was short
Iy after abandoned as a Customary. The same
results precisely then soon followed, with two
other persons. He was thus finally and fU-
tuaafety thrown upon his own resources, and
himself was the sole discoverer of this great
invention, and the architect of his own repu-
tatlon.
While prosecuting his researches he read
nothing but went onward boldly, under the
strong impulses Of his own native genius, till
he struck out the light which, as we believe,
will eternize his name and that of his coun-
try.
In allusion TO his want Of all preliminary
education and book knowledge. we are con-
vinced with him, that had his thoughts been
entanglcd and cnrammclled with the ideas
49, 81. l.
been emancipated into the regions of bound
less discovery, where it has now reached,
The discovery took place in July, 1884.
He first went TO Middlcbury College, Yer
mont and exhibited his production, where it
met general observation-disclosures he came
to Troy and exhibited it to Professor Eaton,
to Princeton and showed it to Prof. Henry,
who had himself without Mr.. Davenpor's
knowledge, procured short time before a
P,drutory motion up and down with his horse
shoe magnet. Mr.. Davenport now made
some marked Improvements in the construc-
ton of his machlne-principally in changing
the poles OF the magnets. He then came TO
exhibit it at Saratoga during the summer of
| S36.-Ihcre he met with MIR. Ransom
Cooke, native Of New Haven county, Con-
ncctcut, who taking a deep interest i'll the
magnitude of the discovery, Immediately be-
came associated with MIR. Davenport in ad-
vancing it TO perfection and obtaining for it
the appreciation of the public.
In concurrence unanimously we believe
with all who have witnessed the operation of
this extraordinary and simple apparatus, and
listened to the lucid and eloquent explanation
of Mr.. Cooke, we confess our utter amaze
mcnt at the prodieicus change which it mani
iestly ioretells in the application of an entire
new and unreasonable agent of mechanical
power and at the same time, while we see
and admire acknowledge ourselves for want