The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-10-10

I.TFt.1 OBSEh
5il RooKPoRT, October 9Th. @ ri =
l.. ffrtn. 81 ------------s-----
+ % Death OF Elias Howe, Jr.
4" There is no evidence in this case
that leaves a shadow of doubt that
for all the benefits conferred upon
the public by the introduction of a
sewing machine the public are in
debted to Mr.. Howe" Such was the
decision of Judge Sprague nearly
fourteen years ago, after patient
hearing IS After many years of con-
test his claim as the inventor of the
sewing machine was judiciously
awarded to him, and though nine
years had elapsed since the date of
his first patent, the honor. SO long
coveted and SO justly due was attained.
Yes erday the man who invented a
machine which it is estimated yields
total value Of labor of four hun
dred millions of dollars per annum,
and p whose discovery brings to the
United States eight times the revenue
derived from the gold mines of Cali
fornia, died in Brooklyn, N. Y Since
the death of Fulton, no inventor of
American birth has lived who has
conferred upon the world fruits of
genius which are so universally en-
joyed, by both the rich and the, poor,
and his name will be recorded among
those who have made the world their
debtor. ='i ID .-gHHIlo.)
Mr.. Howe was native of Spencer,
Massachusetts, where he was born In
1919. When old enough he assisted
in tending the grist- mill, mill,
and hingle-machine which belonged
to his father, and there imbibed that
taste for mechanics which gave turn
to his mind, which, at a later period
of his life, resulted in the production
of a machine which now sells in the
country at the rate of some four
thousand per week. In 1885 he went
to Lowell and there entered ma
chine shop. which he soon left to en-
gage at Cambridge in a shop where
his cousin, Ex-Governor Banks, was
employed. They boarded in the same
house. 1t was about this time that
he CHANGED to hear some one say that
the man who should ever invent
sewing would be certain to
make a large fortune, and, with the
assistanc of George Fisher, he COM
menced upon the task, and the winter
of 184445 was devoted to the realiza-
ton of his idea. In May, 1S45, he
completed his work, and in the fol-
lowing July he sewed by his machine
all the seams of two suits of wollen
clothes-one suit for Mr.. Fisher. who
befriended him, and the other for
himself. The machine was tested In
Boston, and though it astonished the
tailors, he received no orders for its
mate; but he persevered, hoping by
reducing its cost to make it more
available. and the model which Sc
cured him his first patent, September
10, 1916, was. made, being obliged in
the interim to take a position of an
engine driver to obtain the means Of
sustenance.
He was induced to believe that in
England he should reap quick re-
ward for his invention, and thither
he repaired; but he obtained no en-
and after two years abb
sence he reached New York in 1849.
He found that the sewing machine
was talked of, and that others had
entered the field with their inven-
tons. His machine and patent pa
pers were in England, but through
the kindness of Hon. Arson Bur
lingame, who was in London, they.
were secured and returned to him,
and he engaged ,single-handed and
with empty pockets to fghtfor his |
rights. How he toiled, aud how he |
contested the ground, and how he |
finally triumphed, are matters of
record. Mr.. Parton, in May last told
the story in the Atlantic Monthly, and
our room will not allow us to repeat
it in full
Z Elias Howe was a.peculiar and rs-
markable man. not free from the IN
frmities of genius, but possessing al
large soul and a patriotic heart He
raised a regiment in Connecticut
during the war, and refusing the
of it, accepted the position
of private. = He served with the regi-
ment, performing duties which con-
tributed to the comfort of the men,
and when ill-health obliged him to
ask fer his discharge, his associates
felt that the Father of the Regiment
was leaving them.
His success at the Paris Exhibition
is of too recent date to dwell upon at
length. In July last he received the
gold medal for his sewing machine,
and was made a member of the Lee
gion of Honor by the Emperor as a
personal mark of recognition for ser
vices which he had rendered the in
dustrial world .Ht
Though of large frame, his health
was not robust, and he returned a
few weeks since in declining health. |
His disease, it was reported, had !
yielded to the art of a mesmeric or
nrafassor. hut Ii was only |