Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-10
MECHANICS AHEAD.

Time without number has it been
proven that the skill and talent evin-
ced by American mechanics, takes the
precedence Of any other men, any
other country upon the face of the
globe. This is as true in relation to
the quantity of useful machines pro-
duced as it is Of their quality. There
are more patents granted at the United
States Patent office, yearly, than there
is in the world beside, and instead of
the spirit OF invention decreasing, as
some might suppose, it is constantly
on the increase. The American
mechanic is constantly engaged in
endeavoring to produce saving
Neutrality-suspicious. which will &C
ccmpIish anything that can be accom-
plished by the aid of machinery. One
day s4echine is put INTO tho market
by aeAipgenious fellow, which per
forms all, aud perhaps more than could
be reasonably expected the public
nounce it inimitable and SO perfect an
article that it cannot be eclipsed, but it
il soon proven that the idea is false,
for instead Of being inimitable it is
soon surpassed and quite outdone by
another which embraces all Its good
qualities with none of the bad, and
takes the place Of the former. As
there is no such thing a. perfection in
mechanics, no more than among men,
there is a constant and steady improve
ment in all kinds of machinery-every
day approaching nearer and nearer
perfection. Thus the invention oi
movable types nearly five numbered
years ago was considered the height
Of typographical art; the first cylinder
printing press, was considered the last
triumph to be achieved in printing
machinery, and yet year after year the
demand for greater facilities, and the
inventive genius Of the different periods
have placed before the public almost
incredible improvements until We have
that almost perfect type Of . John
son, and the incompatible printing
machines of Hoe. What is true o.
this the most important branch o
mechanics. is likewise true of the in
ferior branches.
We have before stated that the grea
ten cylinder Hoe presses Manufactured
for the London Times have proved ,
failure. This would seom strange {,
some, but let the following article from
the New York Herald explain II. I
shows how English assurance
humbled before:true American gsuius
4 few days ego We were applied = b.
the agent and New York correspendeat q
the proprietor Of the London ztmss for IN
formation q to the working q oar grsa
ten cylinder presses, that estahlisAment hsv
ing had two Of the Same description man
ufactursd In England, BY English nsehaa
ies, in the sstsblishmsnt Of 1eesa Whit
vworAh "a - A~onh>~t>. -kiAh 49,
some cause unknown 70 ~, appear - - q
fsctivs in their operation. Two ysnse hav'
been consumed In the construat3oa q tAAo
machines, and yet the constructive geniu
Of English workmsn hes failed = Fsnds
sAtisfaction, and We have been called upoI
to answer the following inquiries IN rslaliss
TO those in our sstablishmsnt they bsin(
the first constructed Of those vsudselal M
eh,nss-the ten cylinder printing presa
We handed over the inquiry ad6rea1o1 4
~ ~ the London Times to NJ. Jeeeph HI
81, the printing superintendsnt q thls .
taol'ehmsnt, for him to snswer n detail.
The following are the inqairieaI With 81
answer appended. in the regular order :
suesessisn u which they ere pesposDded
toGethsr With other informatiee, vkish -,
b intsrsaang - the general reodee, -
oaestisn-Hov many printing moSAlue
have you Tor your nswspapes vork. ~
vhat ass they. and how lsae have -
besa IN ussl
Ansvss-Thrss printing nashlnaa Z y
roonsy patsat-ewo of then bdng toanv
4 indsGs -. ead the third - = e01ln1cs
Ned1 eylRad9 pren has beql ~ - y
4 tWG1n'19 - s1vea yaasse - - Sf1l
xHA- 4~A n -