The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-01-14
Editorial Correspondence.

C6hoes, " T., jan. 7, 1917
-Mechaaisat ;-Sketeh from Daniel V7lkinson-
Thinking the mechanical and manufacturing por-
ton of our readers might feel interest in what
pertains to these branches of industry, and learning
that Daniel Wilkinson Of this place had been eDgag-
cd in them from childhood to three score and six
teen years, obtained from him in substance the
following; 0ilei Wilkinson was the father of Dam
ie blacksmith by trade and was located in Stnith
field, r. l., Mt the time of Daniels BIRTH Jan. 5l771
AT the age of six years Daniel was set TO heading
card tacks At twelve his father began anchor max
ing At thirteen years Daniel forged and finished
spindles for cotton spinning for small establish
ment From fifteen to sixteen he helped prepare
! machinery for carding cotton into rolls ct PIov-
dence which rolls were sent a mile forropinC. The
c0rding machine was turned by negro. The COM
pany which run the risk Of constructing this h0avy
establishment failed! Ii III Richard Arkwrg!t
OF England, succeeded in far perecting machines
for spinning cotton, and in applying water as the
propolling power, that an Engshman pirGted the in
veniion, came to this country, and built machinery
in a similar manner (some years after for Messrs
Daniel Anthony & Sons, of pawtucket, R. I. Pre-
yious to Mr.. Arlwrght's completing the machinery
named, he Gdnoary prepared another SGT, keeping
closed doors, when his wife, during his absence from
the shop broke in and demolished the whole super
structon! Richard however, did not finch at such
opposition, as has already been seen. The time
named seems to have been near the beginning Of
cotton manufacturing in England, When the Ark
wright machinery was put importation st PNwtuck-
Anthony possessed but limited means, snd sfterrun-
ming their machine four or five moatha, sold cut
to Moses Brown, of Providence Mr.. Brown ad7er-
vertised soon after in New York paper for q ma
ch!nist who understood building machinery for man
utactuing cotton. About this time Samuel Slater
camo from Enganl-landed in New York, and see
ing Mr. Browns advertisement, wrote to him on tho
subject, and received i'll reply n request that he
Immediately repair to Providence. lie went, threw
| aside the old machinery, constructed new,-Danel
Wilkinson assisting him IN the work. This ma
chnory was completed in 1860, and put in opera
ton.
About the year 1855 Oz.e Wilkinson purchased
| machinery for manufacturing paper mill Screws
This was the only establishment Of he kind then in
use CT known in the Uuitcd States. The plan Of
manufacturing the screws, was, to secure chisel in
box; attach q lever to one end Of the iron on which
The screw was 10 be cut; attach horse to the end
Of the lever, and have q lad drive tho horse round
old cider mill fashion, until the shaft was forced
through the box to the desired length Of tho screws
when cd dobb;n must take the bach track until the
shaft was run back to the startngpoint. This done
the chse must lie inserted little deeper, the horse
again started and put through Ike operations as the
fr5 until the thread Of the screw was complctod.-
Daniel suggested to his father the plan Of placing
the shaft on centres, and turning the thread out by
having a sliding guage, with the chisol inserted; al
so the idea Of hitching cater to the machinery for
doing the work, in place of old Dobbin. Daniels
father permitted him to try the experiment. He
tried, succeeded; and thus came into existence the
first guage lathe known in this country Or in Eng
land. Mr., Wilkinson subsequently obtained letters
patent on this invention, but as machine shops were
then scarce article in this country-but here and
there a man knowing their value,--elevon dollars
was the sum total of Mr.. Wilknson's receipts from
the sale of his patented invention.
When cast iron wheels for machinery were first
made in this country, and from American iron, the
claims that he was the first one that suggested the
plan Of having crooked patterns for the arms Of the
wheels, to prevent the breaking of the rims while
cooling His plan succeeded and is now universal
lily adopted throughout manufacturing Countries
Another invention Of Mr.. Wilkinson's was All inn
provercnt in the construction Of looms. Several
minor inventions were named by him as emanatng
from him, for which, with those previously men
toned a vast amount of labor has been saved to the
pcople of this country and Great Britain in the
manufacture Of various fabrics. About the year
1900 Daniel was associated with his father and broth
er-in-law in erecting cotton factory in Pomhe, ct.
Himself and Hczckiah Howe, now Postmaster in
this place. constructed the machinery for factory
at Hartford W.T. the first of the kind started in that
state. Mr. Wilkinson, singly and associated with
Others set factories in operation in the GoIwing po-
ces: i at Tarborough, N c., at Martlnsburgh, n.
c., on the Pedeo River, S. c., at Trenton n. j.,
1 at Pittsburgh, Pa, in Georgia; 3 at Baltimore,
Md. at Holmsburgh, Pa; at Rehoboth, Mass.
1 in Norton, Mass; 2 in Middeboro Mass; in
Urxbridge; in Grafton and in Sutton, Mass. and
one steam mill in Providence, r. l. He also fur
nished machinery for factory in Mississippi. Mr.
Wilkinson thinks he has aided in establishing from
so to IS factories in the different states Of the Union
besides those for manufacturing iron and for various
other purposes. His business, as will be seen, has
been very extensive. At one time he owned shares
in seven factories but tho stngnation of manufactur
ing business in 1929 laid him prostrate and in 1884,
at tie ago Of 60 years, lie otl1e to Cohoes with