The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-11-02
A LIES Triumpb

IL Is hot 70 heroes, poets and scholars
alone that the biographer should, devote
his labors. There are in all spheres #
existence examples which may be usefully
held up as guides to the young, and worthy
OF imitation. In our own country, espec-
tally, we find, in the walks of invention,
commerce or manufacture, brilliant lives
which are of hundred times more impoI-
lance to our national prosperity than all
the titled arlstocrats of the old world.
1t is to the self made men of business,
the interchangeable workers, the founders of
our Unions commercial greatness, the Gre
ators OF cur mechanical independence, that
this country owes its greatest debt of graf
tude, and their biographers are of value.
In early times we freed ourselvse from
the yoke OF foreign servitude, but what did
it aYail..w we had to send to the men
we had conquered our gold and oui silver
for those accessories and utilities which we
could not produce. The fruits of our fields
and the results Of our labor were swallowed
up by foreigners for manufactured goods,
and We remained poor in the midst of I'M
bounded wealth
One by one bold andi ingenious men
arose, and devoting their energies and in
tellects to the task, promoted home manu-.
features, until to day we are independent
OF any foreign country On the face of the
globe. 1t is the lives of these men that
should be written, and among them, in nc
secondary rank, stands Samuel Simpson,
Sen, the head of the great firm of Simp.
son, Hall, Miller & Co., the celebrated
plated goods. electro plate, and Britaria
metal manufacturers, of Wallingford
Conn. To this gentleman is mainly due
the honor of having taken this important
branch of metallurgy from the British, ant
made Britannia ware home industry.
Commencing life of industry, integrity
and honorable eXertion as an apprentice il
Wallingford, at the age of fifteen, he 81
improved his time and talents. as well a:
secured the confidence of his employer, tina
! he was made foreman Of the establishment
at twenty one, aud four months later be
came proprietor.
Feeling how necessary it was that thu
manufacture of Britannia metal, then il
| universal use throughout the country
should be cultivated at home, and thu
profits be enjoyed by our own people, HI
commenced its production, encouraged
skilled artisans in its production to emf
CRATE from England, and has the honor o
, being the first to produce an article of thi
{ kind in our country, For many years
most lively competition was carried on, blu
he prospered. and succeeded in proving tina
American skill, energy and perseverance
: could make successful rivalry with a coun
, try which had been employed in simila
industries for centuries, and to-day, at tn
age of sixty-one, Mr.. Simpson finds himsel
one of the principal, as he was at the first
producer OF these goods in the Wester
hemisphere, and now not only supplies GU
: own country, but ships largely to Sout
t America, the Colonies, and European nG
tions, as a reward of half century appli
cation to the perfection of an art requirin
the highest skill, greatest care, and Law
< ish outlay of capital, having to keep u
{ with the march Of artistic refinement, an
J, produce articles in elegance of pattern an
{ richness of detail which cannot be excelle
elsewhere.
To carry on these immense works car
ital Of 100000 is required, superintende
g by the cool head and clear judgment whic
!, has mainly produced so gigantic CONNER
5 cial enterprise. Mr.. Simpson is deserved
l. wealthy, since his fortunes are of his ow
: building, with the reputation of havin
done more to bring the art of making pl;
l. ted ware and metal goods to perfectio
,e than any dozen men in the Union.
n Residents Of and visitors to New Yor
Y will have an opportunity of examining ii
G. various articles produced by the firm, :
5, they have extensive warerooms on BroaC
h way, Immediately opposite the Gran
id Central Hotel which are under the maj
in agvment of G, B. and G. s. Yale, sons
" the Hon &. s. Yale, treasurer of the col
IS poEation at Waiiingford These gentl
III men are energetic, urbane, polite an
lie accommodating, and consider it duty ar
Is pleasure to show visitors the multitudino,
or articles produced by the firm.