Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-12-04
MOreester 4aiIp Spp
The Atlantic Monthly and Springfield

ArmOry.
The last October number of the Atlantic
Monthly contains very elaborate article
upon Springfield armory, giving brief histo-
ry of the establishment, and very minute de-
scriptions of the manufacture of small arms.
With much that is interesting and reliable it
contains some errors-evdently unintention-
al-which ought not to pass unnoticed, lest
future history be made to err.
The writer, speaking OF the machinery used
for manufacturing gun stocks, says :--"This
was the invention, of Thomas Blanchard, then
citizen of Springfield and now of Boston,
whose reputation as a mechanic has since be-
come worldwide, and was first introduced
into the armory about the year 1920"
That Mr.. Blanchard was the original invent
or of this wonderful machinery is indeed most
true, as numerous decisions of the U. S. court
abundantly establish, andall that the writer says
OF its marvellous ingenuity and general adapt
alton to other purposes is also true in over
measure. 1t was really more than an inven.
tion it was discovery of an original prin-
cipie in mechanics, of universal application,
whereby a machine is made to work after any
given model, and produce c.simile of the
original.
But 1t is not true that Mr.. Blanchard was a
citizen of Springfield when he invented it.
Neither Springfield nor the national armory
there can justly claim the paternity of this
discovery. It's said that Mr.. b. had not then
even seen that beautiful town or the armory
there. History informs us that seven cities
OF Greece contended, for centuries, for the
nativity of Homer, and it is quite possible,
since Blanchard now justly ranks with Frank
lin' Fulton, and Whitney, that as many may
claim the honor of his nativity; but it would
seem that few facts susceptible of proof by
living witnesses, and even by Mr.. Blanchard
himselt-who is still living, otiuD1 cum di0.
initiate, IN BoSton-Ought to settle the matter
beyond all controversy.
As the records will prove. Mr.. Blanchard
was native, and, until long after this discOy-
cry, permanent citizen of Millbury, in the
county of Worcester, which also boasts of
the nativity of Eli Whitney The occasion
of the invention was at the armory of the late
Asa Waters, who, having invented machine
for turning barrels by which the metal was
brought to a uniform thickness around the
calibre, found great difficulty in turning the
irregular form of the breach, and he called
to his aid Mr. Blanchard, young mechanic
who had already distinguished himself by the
invention of the tack machine, now in COM
mon use. Mr.. b. soon mastered the difficult
ty byaSimple c0ntrivance, which he afterwards
proceeded to elaborate, expand and applys
not only to making gun stocks, but to great
variety of purposes. Other mechanics, TAX
ing advantage of it, have since applied it ad
qnfnttuD1, so that it may safely be asserted
that no invention ever made in this country
has been applied to a greater variety of use
full purposes. Even earring, such ss we find
on the most costly furniture or mouldngs for
mahogany doors, &C., &C., is thus wrought
out and at trihing cost.
This invention led directly to another inn
provement of great value not alluded to in
the above article-the uniformity system of
work by which all the similar parts of guns,
machines, bolts, &C., would interchange with
out the aid of numbers or letters, as had been
the universal custom here and is now in Eu-
rope. Its Importance is best illustrated by the
success OF the Waltham watch establlshm ent,
where, according to Gen. Banks statement,
the running parts of perfect watch may be
made for three dollars. A perfect model of a
wotch is first obtained, machines are fitted
for making each part exactly corresponding to
the model, and the parts are wrought out with
great rapidly, so as to come together without
discrimination and form duplicates of the
model to any extent desired
Millbury being small and comparatively
new town, cannot afford to he robbed of any
renown which justly belongs to her or her
sons, and she regards this article in the At
lantic Monthly. wherein it wholly ignores all
her claims to these word-renowned improve
ments, as a species of plagiarism that ought
not to pass unchallenged
The writer also errs in saying that the cost
of arms made there is but nine dollars If
nothing but labor and materials lie included
that estimate is doubtless quite correct; but
when he says the government is paying pri-
Vate contractors $40 for The same article, he
evidently has overlooked one important ITEM
viz rent or use of tools, machinery and real
estate, in which The United States have in
vested there several millions With the
moderate allowance made there for this item,
the cost of arms is shown by their own books
10 exceed Sl3, and if estimated as other man
utacturers usually do, it would greatly exceed
that sum.
The article in question seems incomplete
without passing recognition at least, of the
efficient services and pre- eminent business ca
paclties of the present superintendent of that
armory, Major A. b. Dyer, under whose aus
pieces the establishment has been expanded
from production of one thousand per month
to one huuSGnd per day, exceeding that of
any other armory in the world.
Millbury, Dec. l, 1868. VERIrUs.