The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-10-18
INVENTOR OF TUE JACQUARD LOOM.


weaver Of Lyons. The early part Of his
life was spent in the workshops Of his father,
who was much astonished when the boy
declared that he did not desire to be a
weaver, but requested that he might be
apprenticed to bookbnder who lived in
the neghborhood. The old weaver grant
ed his boys request, and young jacquard
passed from the workshop Of his father
into that Of book binder, but his active and
inventive spirit prevented him from re-
naming long in the inferior regions Of labor.
Mechanics had for him peculiar attraction;
but unfortunately. his limited means did
not allow him to put into immediate execu-
ton the products of bis busy brain. One
important idea ever haunted his mind, the
invention Of new loom-and the man
who possesses happy and useful idea, re-
sembles the earth containing some hidden
treasures il requires, in the first instance,
some occasion for its development; and
secondly, some accidental circumstance or
opportunity for its discovery. The follow
Ing we're the simple means which brought
Jacquard's abilities to Light
A short time previous to the Peace OF
Amiens, the Royal Society Of London Of
fered considerable sum Of money to any
one who should invent mechanical appa-
ratus applicable to some peculiar process
Of tire ad making. An extract ofthe socie-
tvs programme, copied into French pa
per, fell under the eye Of jacquard. who
Immediately set his brains TO work, and
after many fruitless essays, at length sue
ceeded in finding the secret. Being as
simple as it was useful, he imagined that he
could not have been alone in the discovery;
nevertheless, this did not prevent him from
making a model of the machine; but once
made, he put it into his pocket, and thought
no more Of the matter. One day, however,
while with some Of his acquaintance, who
had also read the programme, the CONVEX
sation turned on the flet and thread-ma-
chine.
Here i. the difficulty solved said he,
taking the model from his pocket.
Have you not made known the discovery,
and demanded the sum oferedT asked one
Of his acquaintance.
Nonsense! Do you Imagine tina. am the
only person who has discovered it,
will you confde it TO me?' asked the
friend, taking up the miniature filet.
with all my heart replied jacquard;
and in an hour afterwards he had forgotten
his model in rejecting over an idea which
had engrossed his attention for length Of
tme-the means of melioratng, by some
new description Of loom, the mseries of
the canuts Of Lyons, as that class of weav-
ers are called who manufacture the gold
and silver tissues.
Some weeks afterwards, jacquard was
summoned before the Protect of Police, and
without being able to form the slightest
conjecture why he was sent for, immed-
ately obeyed the order.
Monsieur said the magistrate. 4 have
heard OF your ability as mechanic, and
have therefore sent for YOU
1T must be some person who wishes to
pass off joke at my expense, Monsieur lie
Prefect,' answered jacquard confused and
bowling to the magistrate.
y assure you that it is not have you not
lately made an admirable discovery"
Very simple, sir-yery simple
But very useful to humanity
shave not been SO vain as to suppose SO,
sir
sThe mechanicism is most ingenious
YOU are indeed clever workman, M. JAG
quard!'
sMonsieur is very good TO say so.'
you must have studied deeply, to have
gained such an insight in the art
4, Monsieur! In truth know nothing.