New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-29
SCIENCE, INDUSTRY, AND INTENTION
A GREAT INVENTION WANTED.

A GREAT INVENTION WANTED.
Three years ago paragraph started ON its trav-
els through tie newspapers, averring that it the
country SO 600 coo busk the corn crop; that this
eSpspte incurred every year; that the huge work
wac all done by hand, and that whoever invented
machi1e TO do it would save world of sore fingers
beside making two three fortunes for biinsef The
paragraph aforesaid bad prodgious run. It took
amazingly; it was new wrinkle. Inventors Of all
6escr toIs and in all quarters embraced the tempting
offers which IL held out There was in fact general
rush They thought the idea, slept on it, dreamed
On il, sud made magnificent calculations on il. The
sore fingers Ct the corn-huskng community were no
p-rt of their calculations. That unhappy class must
by this tiue be IL we'll used to fingers cells
beng skinned. But tie TWO three fortunes sounded
grandy. Twas moreover evident that he whohepedto
make an annual saving of thirty millions was entitled
70 something for performing that little service TO the
country. KhOse who spent that much, or even more
take the Government officials for instance--were
known TO grow rich by the operation. Why should
not those who saved it fare well Forthwith the
P.tent-Ohoe was besieged with applications for it's
parchment monopolies Of numerous cozn-huskers. la
due time The agricultural papers were luminous with
wsod-cuis in illustration Of them. There were simple
irvr Il, gers With blades and spurs fastened to gloves
VAL ioh did the business WELL but rather slowly. But
they aboished the ign Of bOre fingers and were solo
hv ii ou,apds Then came elaborate machines with
rul6,s. cranks and cutters, which whipped of the
l,s ike lightning Tie number of patents taken on!
ia consequence of this suggestion was qste large hut
whether tie inventors bsye, up 10 this time fingered
me re osh than there is no record 70 show The
facts are mentioned TO illustrate tie latent aptitude Of
American minds 10 seize any practical suggestion ny
which good en- be doue to Others, money made Tor
theutelves Tie field in which great nndeyeleped sug
ce,tons s lie concealed, is almost az eoundlees as
ever The latter continually turning up, assuming
fr, chance remark, an organized shape, and taking
Place among the practical triunphs Of the age I'M
porsnt a. tie Las. half century has been in scientific
and mechanical achievements, 1t cannot be doubled
that the coming LaIf will yield up TO human progress
catalogue Of trumEhs equally brilliant In themselves
aud equally beneficial 70 the human family.
Noo1e can have visited The coal mines Of Pennsyi.
wanna Will cut Icing struck with the enormous waste
,nlucss Of e progresses of mining and preparing coal
for market. Til wasefulness las been going on ever
since tie mines were opened, md now conducted,
NJ st ooUt ue When coal first came to Philadelphia,
sop twenty yea ago, il delivered ut the con-
sumers door in large Jumps, just ne they were taken
fr, Il uiires A msn came with the load armed
with n lesyy hammer, with which be broke these
lpu pr into tBaller sLes. But every blow struck on
Ale frGbe lump sestteIed dust and de6rs around hn'
al # vi ich was los tie buyer When the broken
Load had been hOuse the street wss black with rag
uenls too tnall for tie CRATE. 30 large, indeed "is
tie quantity of this refuse coal became the genera
fuel Il at the authorities prohibited the breaking up IN
II streets. This compelled the seller to reduce tho
lumIs his own pr uises. Bot soon the sale became
~ or, al as 10 make this impOsble-it must be done az
tbe mines. II wa there found that human labor cost
,. uueb and that it could perform the vast amount
Cd work to be done. Machinery was then employed
M tie o. a:e # breaker composed OF two psIae nor
iso.t each IL feet diameter, running toward
Zach Other foot ~ arr and faced with teeth inches
lorc The a ee luu Dc are fed in between them, and
are e,u,ted. ground and even pulyerLed by the OPP
eration. Tin breaker really seems made 70 waste
coal IA nucL as 10 break IT, One tun in i've Is utterly
dessfo, ed by il. Il is most destructive Us wen a.
.s,ly machine. II 'un q "A 2ulverized IL moreover
tie 6e,t ard pureet por9s: every breaker or near
!, are Lundieds Of tIossdESd tuns Of this waste,
hauled away at additional exlense There lies, NJ
,erly valueless ard may be had BY anybody who VIII
take il out of tie way 1t Is dead ioSs 70 'he owner OF
tie mil G, tie lessee, and 70 tie world
Then 20 10 tie mine its II. The coal is Das'eo ON.
with gun, owder in very large luni@. WIN mu'n VI
4, bs,e,ed into fragments and dust Then the minor
h 81. iek ,eduees tie very large Jumps into smaller
ores more easily bundled This picking nakoS moro
- The whole il bcisted or wheeled ont OF the
mine, the pure hut worthless waae Oddod to noun,
e. ~ lie same material already collected, ana
sout ,sothIds Of all tie lump coal taken 70 the oe'
,ue,iye breaker At every handling Of the Unable ana
brle mineral sone waste occurs. from the hr'' DO"
of ia drl in the mine TO the last rhoyeing into inc
i; tle omlsumers dwelling All this loss at the
,es and by the breaker must be borne by somebody
Io,re,ter + is twenty per cent every penny OF wLc
o. ,on,nmer Days. because ii ID in effect charged Oh
a. ,r;1e 81 lie coal he gets If thore were no waste
=. q ,bi, waste could be worked up and sold, the coal
comrpes could afford to reduce the price IN eAaG, pro-
,or,ioo 10 what they realized from the waste hon00
a., world of consumers largely interested Ia 'ne 4ue'
s;op of bow il can be utilized