Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-11-28


Henry Maudslcy oueoftbe most eminent OF
English mechanics( whose death isreported to
US among the news brought by the last
steemer), had the mechanical instinct stri-
kiugly developed His fother was carpenter;
but young Maudsley himself was much fouder
OF working 10 iron, and would often excite
the anger Of the foreman by stealing on TO an
adjoining smithy. He urged so hard for the
change that, when fifteen years old, be was
transferred from the carpenters to the black
smiths shop Here he became IN expert
worker in metal, and was soon quite noted
for forging "tdvcrs' with great speed aud
skill the old and experienced hands gather.
ing around to admire him when At this work.
They had in this shop, which belonged to the
naval works OF Noolwich. q very accommo-
dating superfnlending officer, who would blow
his nose in very peculiar manner when APP
proaching, SO that all forbidden Jobs, aud
making "uiyets' among them, were put out
OF the way by the time he entered the shop
When q 'Oy has the innate love Of his trade
that MaGdsley had, as have thousands OF
American youth all over the cOantry to day,
he does not remain at the foot Of the ladder
Take a boy--there are plenty such-who has
no particular prediction for anything, and
put him NJ trade, and he will always remain
a mere workman Bat boys like Maudsey
almost without knowing it, ace urged on to
something better At this time Bramah, the
lockmaker bad great difficulty to find me
chanics skilled enough to make his locks with
the neat precision he wanted Young Mauds.
ley was suggested to him, and, on being sent
for, the WOolwish blacksmith came to Lon
don He was then but eighteen years old,
strong, muscular, tall and remarkably hand
some But both Binhmah and his foreman
thought he was too young to be put into the
shop with old workmen.
A orr out yca-beuch was ying by, snd
Manlsley seeing Gia chances weee in danger,
asked permission to 90 right to work and fix
IT up He did So and the Job was so splen-
didly executed, that he was at once engaged,
aud be became as much a favOritn in this as
in bis former shop As before said, he was
extremely hludsome--un Apollo among Val
caos--aud bis personal advantages, With his
mental activity, had their effect ON his fellow
workmeu, who tRctly acknowledged him rs
their leader and superior He rose in position,
and became foreman In 1871 he opened
shop OF his own, and he and his vile (ior a
pretty girl had little time uetore accepted the
hand Of the handsome blacksmiih) cleared
the hired shop Of the dirt and rubbish left in
1t by a former tenant
| His first customer was an artist, who gave
an order for an iron frame of large easel;
and henceiortb Maudsiey's shop had plenty
of work His next success was the invention
of the slide rest with which his name is usu-
ally identified; an invention, too, which all
familiar with the use of the turning lathe now
consider indispensable. Maudsey subsequent
ly became a famous manufacturer of machin-
cry; bot even when he employed numbers of
men, and found it necessary to labor more
with the head thar the hands, he used to go
often to the forge and work enthusiastically
with the sledge-hsmmer, Just from sheer love
of his art In time his shop became as it
were college of mathematical art, from
which the best mechanics we're proud tograd-
uGte.