The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1848-12-14
FROM the Philadelphia Lcdgcr.I

1
There is ut present in England an a.
merlcan who went 10 that country 10 en-
dcavor to 'ntcrcs. the capitalists in a new
bridge which hc has constructed. His
name - Remington, and hc is a native Of
Virginia. An accoun, Of his progress is
given by himself, in letter to Dixon II.
Lewis. and is published in Hunt, Mer
chants Magazine When no arrived in
England in january. 1917. he was without
money. and he spent the first five months
in valn'v looking for somebody with enter
prise enongh 10 encourage his plan. living
NIL the time on less than three pcuco per
dav. lie slept upon straw. for which no
paid ono haltpennv per night. Ills linhs
became distorted with rheumatism, and Inc
was literally covered with rags and YER.
min. conserving, as he had L. do. with the
lowest bccrars in London. Still he did no,
despair. The incidents Of tho succeeding
three months he does not relate. lIissur.
ferngs wore sogrcat that his head turned
grey. lie had to pay to usurers clO 10
Obtain shilling for admiitancc to the
ROYAL geological Gardens. where he soc-
cccdcd, after much modification, in getting
tho ghost of n model made of the bridge
Tho model though had one, astonishcd
every body. Every engineer &c celebrity
in London was called in 10 decide whether
It was practicable to throw il ncruss the
lake. -Four or five OF them ut the finnl
decision. declared That the n,odel was pas
sing strange, but that il could not be carried
TO much greater length than the length
ofthe model. This wns the point Of lite or
death with tho inventor. lie saws,
was standing amidst men Of tho sup.
posed greatest talent as civil engineers that
the world could produce and tho point de-
cided ngainst me. This one tirno only were
INV whole energies ever aroused. ! never
talked bcfore--I WINS hsggard and iain, COR
want Of tncd-my shirts sunk in sorrow in
view Of my nonrnfn! MISREPRESENTATION |
had none-ye'. standing over this model.
did brittle with those men. Every word |
uttered came from nv inmost soul, and was
big with trn!h-cvcrv argument carried
conviction. Tho effect on these men
was like macic--nJccd. they must have
been devils not 10 have believed under the
circumstances. I saccecdcd. Nv agreo-
mcLt with tho proprietor was that I should
snncrintcnd the construction of tho bridge
without nny paw whatever. but during the
time Of the building might sleep ia the
Gardens. and If the bridge should snccccd.
il should he called "Remington's BRIDGE
! lodged in mn old lions cogr, mt strong
enough for lion, hut by putting some
straw on the floor, held me very we'll. and
indeed, WINS a greater luxury than had had
Tor months. The carpenters that worked
on the bridge sometimes rave me part Of
their dinner. On this lived and was com
paratlvc!y happy. !, wns little novel,
however, 10 see man in rags directing
gent!cmanly locking head carpentcrs.--
The bridge trinmphcd, and the COS. was
IS, aud WIS tho greatest hit ever made in
London. The money made bv il was as
son'shlngiy great. thousands mud tens ni
thousands crossing il, paying toll, besides
being n grcat attraction To the Gardens
Not publication in London but what has
written largely Upon il although have
never received penny, or ever will for
building the bridge.
Tho success ot his invention cnvc him
however. celebrity. and he say j, also gave
him credit with tniIor.
got n suit Of clothes mi come shiris--a
clean shirt. ANY .hir, WAS great bpt
clean shirt--O God, what luxury Thou
sands 81 cards we're left for me Mt tho Gar.
dcns. aud men came 10 see the bridge from
NIL parts Of the kingdom. ] first built the
Mil, which j. the most popular patent ever
taken in England The coffee pot. a nd
many other small patents. take exceedingly
we'll. The drainage Of Tixall Mendows is
the grenicst triumph Iiavc vet had in T. ny
land. The carriage bridge Tor earl Talbo,
= a most majestic and wonderfully beauti-
fol thing. Dukes, Marquesscs, Earls,
Lords, Nc.. and their ladies, are coming
to see It from nil parts. have now more
orders for bridges than execute in ten
years, if would do them Indeed, have
been 50 much among tn. aristocracv OF
late. that what with high living. being SO
sndden transition from starving. l have
boca compelled 10 20 through course Of
medicine, and nm just now convnlescent.
ID conrsc. anything once built prccludes
the possibility oftaking patent in England
but its merits ard value arc beyond oil cal.
culaiion. a permanent, beautiful aud
stcady bridge may be thrown across river
half mile wide ont of the reach Of floods.
and without my thing touching the winter.
At n most uncomfortable expense. The
American patent il we'll secured at home,
! know. shall continue 10 build q few
more bridges Of larger and larger spans,
and ono Of them railroad bridge. 10 order
that might perfect myself in them 90 a. 10
commence fair when Ircach Americn.--