Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-08-25

The suTsrinRs OF a Man OF Genius

Hon. Joseph Holt, Commissioner OF "a
,eots in reporting in favor of extending
Good years India Rubber pa.eot, gives the
following interesting particulars of the pow
erty endured BY Goodyear sod bis family
wbic prosecuting his experiments
From the first momeu, that the concep-
ton entered bis mind, until his complete sue
cess--embracing period Of from sixteen to
eighteen years--he applied himself unceas'
ipgly ard enthusiastically to It's perlectioo'
and to ia introduction into use, IN every
form that his fruitful genius could devise
s. intensely we're his faculties concentrated
upon it that he seems TO have been Incapable
of thought or action upon any other subject
lie had no other occupation, was inspired
hy no other hope, cherished no other ambl-
tioa. Ia carried continually sbou. his per-
son piece of Iadia Rubber, and into the
ears of all who would listen he poured inces-
sanity the story Of his experiments ADD the
glowing language of lis prophecies. lie
was, according to the witnesses. completely
described by it, both by day aud night. pur-
suing it with untiring energy and With al
most superhumGn perseverance,.
Not o ,ly were the powers of his mind
and body thus ardentiy devoted to the lnven-
ton and it's introduction into use, but every
dollar he bad or could command through the
resources Of his credit or the innuence OF
friendship, was overwhelmingly cast into
that seething caldron Of experiment, which
was allowed to know 10 repose. Tho very
bed on which his wife slept, and the linen
that covered bis table, were seized and sold
to pay his beard, and we see bin with bis
stricken household following the funeral
uf his child on foot, because be had 20
means with which to hire . carriage. His
family had to endure privations almost sur
passing belief, being frequently without 40
article of food in their house, or fuel 10 the
cudcst weather--aud, indeed, it is said, that
thew cnuid not have lived through the winter
Of 1880. but for the kind Offices of few
charitable friends. They are represented as
gathering sticks 10 the woods and on the
edges Of the highways, with which to cook
their meals, and digging the potatoes Of
their little garden before they were half
grown, while one OF his hungry children, in
a spirit worthy Of bis father, is heard eI-
pressing his thanks that this much had been
| spared 10 them.
I'VE often tind him arrested and incsrce-
rated 10 the debtors prison; but even and
| its gloom his vision Of the future never grew
dun, his faith in bis ultimate triumph never
FILTERED. Undi=mayed by dscouftures and
sorrows which might we'll have broken the
stouiest spirit, his language everywhere aud
under eli circumstances, was that Of enc9ur-
agement aud of q profound conviction of
final sucGess. Not onIy 10 tue United States
did be thus exert himself to establish and
apply TO every possible use his invention,
but 10 England, Frauoe ard other countries
vi Europe, be zealousGy pursued tue same
career. IL 1855. he appeared at the Worlds
FAIR in Paris, and the Golden Medal and the
Grand Cross of the Legion of ii nor were
awarded to hin as the representative OF his
cyuntry's inventive genius. Fortune, how
ever while thus careso,ng him with ore
hand, was at the same moment smiling bim
with the other; FIR We learn from the testl.
mOuy that these triiiisnt memorials passed
irom the Emperor aud reached their honor
cd eipicut, then the occupant OF debtors
prison, among strangers and In u foreign
iard--thus adding yet another to that long
sad catalogue Of public bsnetaotors who
have stood neglected and impoverished 10
the N ;dst Of the waving harvest of blessings
they have beatow cd upon their race"