The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-07-15
The suffcrinss Of. Man Of Genius.

Hon. Joseph Holt, Commissioner of Pa
tents, in reporting in faver Of extending
Goodyear's India Rubber Patent, gives the
following interesting particulars oftAe po"-
erty endured by himself and family while
prose cutting his experiments -
From the first moment that the concep-
ton entered his mind until his complete sue
cess-embracing period OF from sixteen
to eighteen years-he applied himself un-
ceasingly and enthusiastically 10 its pcrfec-
iion ond to its Introduction into use, in ev-
cry form that his faithful genius could de-
wise. So intensely were his faculties con-
centrated upon it that he seems to have been
incapable Of thought or action upon any
other subject. He had no other occup1-
ton, was inspired by no other hope, cherish
ed no other ambition. He carried contin-
ualy about his person piece OF India rub
Der, and into the ears of all who would lis
ten, he poured necessarily the story of his
experiments and the glowing language OF
his prophecies. He was, according to the
witnesses, completely absorbed by it, both
by day and night, pursuing it with untiring
energy, and with almost superhuman persc-
verance. Not only were the powers of bis
invention and its introduction into use, but
every dollar he possessed or could command
through the resources of his credit or the
influences of friendship, was uncalculating-
ly Gus, into that seething Cauldron OF ex.
pertinent, which was allowed to know no
repose.
The very bed on which his wife slept, and
the linen that covered his table, were all
seized and sold to pay his bo1rd, and we see
| him with his stricken household following
| in the funeral of his child, on foot, because
he had no means with which to hire car
Friage. His family had to endure privationa
almost surprising belief. being frequently
without an article of food in their house, Ol
fuel in the coolest weather-and indeed, il
is said that they could not have lived through
the winter of 1899 but for the kind Offices
OF few charitable friends. They are rep
resented as gathering sticks in the woods
and on the edges Of the highways, will
which to cook their meals, and digging tn,
potatoes out of their little garden befor'
they were half grown, while one of his hun
cry children, in spirit worthy of his father
is heard expressing his thanks that this mucl
had been spared to them.
We often find him arrested and incarcer
ated in the debtors prison. but even amid it
, gloom his vision of the future never grey
! dim; his faith in his ultimate triumph neve
faltered. Undismayed by discomf,ures an
! sorrows which might well have broken tn
stoutest spirit, his language everywhere, an
under all circumstances, was that OF encour
agement and of profound conviction Of
. nal success. Not only in the Unitd State
!, did he thus exert himself to establish On
apply to every possible use his invention
/ in England, France, and other countries Q
/ Europe, he zealously pursued the same ca
, reer. In 1866 he appeared at the World
Fair, in Paris, and the golden medal an
the Grand Cross of the Legion of Hone
were awarded to him as the representativ
!, of his country's inventive genius. Fortune
however, while thus caressing him with on
hand, was, at the same moment, smitlng MI
with the other; for'we learn from the test
mony, that these brilliant memorials passe
!, from the Emperor and reached their honore
recipient, then the occupant OF debtor
prison among strangers, and in q forelg
and--shus adding yet another to that lou
sad catalogue OF public benefactors VIII
!, have stood neglected and impoverished
!, the midst Of the waving harvest Of bles'
ings they had bestowed upon their race.