The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1852-09-02

In tho roadway, the starch, which in hot
calcined state, had been watered by tn
FIRE engines the night before, was nov
found BY them lying in soft gummy Jumps
They took some Of it home; they tested i
In their trade; they bought starch at
chand'er's shop, put il in frying pan burn
ed it to lighter or darker brown, addee
water, and at last discovered themselve,
masters Of an article, which ifno, gum H.
self, seemed as suitable for their trade as
gum. arabic, and at fraction Of the cost
II was their own secret; and, could they
have conducted their future proceeding,
as discrestly as they made their expert
ments, they might have realized fortunes,
and had the merit Of practically introdnc.
ing an article Of great utility--one which
has assisted in the fortune making of some
Of the wealthiest firms in Lancaster fse
long as they held il as secret.] and
which now the government Of the British
empire manufacture for themselves.
It's subsequen, history is not less curou.
han that just related. Unfortunately for
The operative block printers, who discover
ed it, their share in its history is soon
told.
It's said that six Of them subscribed
money to send cne Of their number to
Manchester with samples Of the new gum,
for sale; the reply which he received from
drysalers and the managers Of print works,
was either that they would have nothing
to do with his samples, or an admoni,iou
TO 60 home for the present, and return
when he was sober. His fellow workmen
hearing Of his on-snccess and fearing the
escape Of the secret sent another Of their
number 10 his aid with more money. The
wo had better success than the one The
remaining four, after time, left their work
i Dublin and joined The two in Manches-
ter They now tried to sell their secret.
Before this was effected one died; two
were imprisoned for a share in some drunk
on riots. and all wero in extreme poverty
Nha, the price paid for this secret was. i.
not likely 70 he revealed now. Part Of it
was spent in passage TO New Orleans,
where i, is supposed the discovererof Brit
i-h gum did not long survive their arri-
val.
The secret was mol at first worked with
success. |, passed from its original Ian
cashire possessor TO gen'lem,n who sue.
ceeded in making the article Of a sufficient
" good quality, aud at so low price that
il found a ready introduction in the print
works. But he could not produce it in
rye quantities without employing assis-
tants, whom he feared to trust with a
knowledge Of manufacture so simple and
30 profitable. In employing men 10 assist
in some parts OF the work, and shutting
them out from others. their curiosity, or
jealousy, could not be restrained. Ga one
or two occasions they caused the officer Of
Excise 10 break in upon him when he was
burning his starch, under the allegation
that he was engaged in illicit practices
Ills manufactorv was broken into in the
night by burglurs, who only wanted to rob
him Of his secret. Once the place was
ma!icously burned down. Other difficult
ties, far too numerous Tor present detail
were encountered. Sill he produced the
British gum in sufficient quantities for il
to Weld him liberal income. Al last, in
a week Of sickness, he was pressed by the
head of well-known firm Of calco-prin,ers
far supply. lie 60, out of bed. went TO
his laboratory; had the fire kindled put on
his vessel Of plate-iron; calcined his starch,
,dded tho water, observed the temperature
aud all the while held conversation with
his kcen-eyed customer, whom he had un.
.nspectingly allowed TO be present. 1t il
enough to say tha, this acute calico. printer
never required any more British gum ol
the convalescenl's making. Gradually
the secret spread, although the original
purch aser of i, still retained share of the
manufacture.
When penny postage came into operation
il was at first doubted whether adhesive
labels could be made sufficiently good and
low priced, which would not have been the
case with gum.arabic. British gum solvedtht
lifficultv; and the manufacturer made q
contract TO supply II for the labels. In the
second year Of his contract, rumor was
spread, bat tho adhesive matter on the
postage stamps was a deleterious substance
made Of the refuse Of fish. and other dis
gus,ing materials The great British gum
secret was then spread far and wide. The
public was extensively informed that the
post go label poison was made simply Of
potatoes.
a SILLY QUEsTIoN SENslBLy ANSWER.
ED.-What would Gen Scott be wiihcu,
"Lundy's Lane, Churubusco, sword, epan
lets aud feathers?"
He would be Winfield Scott, the Amer.
lean Pacifcator, to whose tact and skill in
civil aff'irs, the nation is indebted for the
manner in which the South Carolina nulli'
ticaiion excitement was kept down without
civil war and bloodshed--to whose wisdom
and prudence il was mainly owing, tina,
our country was no, involved in hoslilities
with England at The time the rebellion
broke out in Canada -and TO whom belongs
the high credi, as a successful negotiator in
preserving peace, and avoiding hostile
collision on our Northeastern frontier, wher
all others had failed in their efforts, aud
war was deemed almost inevitable. Gen
erai Scott, without "sword, opaulets and
feathers" would be no less worthy the
support OF the American people for the
Presidency, But few Of the statesmen
tnow living could present higher claims on
the score OF important civil services render
ad th,n Winfield Scott the American Pa.