Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1858-08-27


Hon. JosEPH HoLT, Commissioner Of Patents,
in reporting in favor of extending GOODvEAR's
India Rubber patent, gives the following inter-
esting particulars Of the poverty endured BY
GooDYEAR and bis family while prosecuting
bis experiments
4, UFrom the first moment that the conception
entered his nind. until his complete success
embracing a period OF from sixteen to eighteen
years-he applied himself increasingly and en-
thusis sticaily TO its perfection, and TO its in
PRODUCTION into use, Ia every form that his
faithful genius could devise. So intensely
were his faculties concentrated upon it that be
seems to have been i~ncapsbie Of thought or sc-
tion upon any other subject. He had no other
occupation, was inspired by no other hope,
cherished no other ambition. He carried con-
tinualiy about his person a piece Of India rub
Der, and into the ears Of all who would listen
be poured necessarily the story Of bis expert
ments and the glowing language OF bis prOphe-
eies- he was, according 70 the witnesses,
completely absorbed BY it, both By day and
night, pursuing it with untiring energy snd
with almost superhuman perseverance,.
Not only were the pcwers Of his mind and
body thus ardently devoted to the invention
and its introduction into use, but every dollar
be had or could command through the resources
Of his credit or the influences Of Friendship,
vas overwhelmingly cast into that seething
esldron Of experiment, which was allowed to
know no Tepose. The very bed on which his
wife slept, and the linen that covered his table,
were seized and sold to pay his board, and we
see him with bis stricken household following
in the funeral Of his child on foot, because be
bad no means with which to hire a carriage.
His family had to endure privations almost
surprising belief, being frequently without al
article OF food in their house, o. fuel in the
coolest westher-and, indeed, II is said that
they could not have lived through the winter Of
1889 but for the kind Offices Of a few chsrita-
bic friends. They are represented as gather
ing sticks in the woods and on the edges of the
Highways, with which to cook their meals, and
diggiag the potatoes Of their little garden be-
fore they were half grown, while one OF has
hungry children, 10 a spirit worthy Of his
father, lie heard expressing his thanks that this
much bad been spared to them.
I've often had bin arrested and incaTcerated
in the debtOTs' prison, but even amid lie gloom
bis vision Of the future never grew din, bis
faith In bis ultimate triumph never fslteFed.
Undismsyed BY d~iscom6tures and sorrows
which might well have broken the stOutesi
spirit, bis language everywhere and under al
| circumstances was that Of encouragement and
Of a profound conviction Of hHsl success. NOi
! only in the United States did he thus eXsrI
himself to establish and apply to every posi-
bic use his invention, bat in England, France
and other countries Of EUROPE, be z~ealously
pursued The same career. 10 1855 he appesTee
at the WORLDS Fair in Paris, and the Colder
Medal and the Grand Cross Of the Legion Of
Honor were awarded to hin as the representa-.
tive Of bis country's inventive genius. For
tune, however, while thus esressing bin witt
one hand, was al the same moment shifting hin
with the other for we learn from the testi
mOny that these brilliant memorials passed
from the Emperor aud reached their honore,
recipient, then the occupant Of a Debtors pris
on, among strangers, and in a foreign land, thu
adding yet another to that long sad catalogue o.
public beuefactors who have stood n~eglecte,
and impoverished in the midst Of the wavin.
harvest OF blessings they have bestowed upoI
| their race.D