The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1878-08-28
ADDRESS
a D u II z 5 3
TO THE
Machinists and Scientists Of Hapides.

Machinists and Scientists Of Hapldes.
Messrs. John c.. Marsh & Sons, John A.
Stephens, r. " Bfinghurst, and Others:
'GENTLEMEN--I have been some
years planning and getting up an in.
vention for Steam Agricultural Ma.
cllinery and other things. have
seen and examined great variety Of
machinery, at different times and in
different States, which aids me now
in adopting the very best mechanical
construction, III carrying but The
principles I planned it on, to such
perfection, that puts It beyond the
possibility of failure. I have lately
returned from the city Of New York,
from whence l visited Boston, Alba
ny and Troy, the headquarters Of
machinery of all kinds. 1 have
drawings, plans and specifications of
my machinesin all their details, and
my idea is to submit the same to you,
who are competent to give all topin-
ion on such matters, for approval, in
order to establish confidence ii my
project, for the purpose Of raising a
joint Stock Company to help me CAR
ry it out entire.
The first cost Of machinery miahh.
featured, of any kind, is necessarily
larger, much larger, than any 1sSabse.
quent making Of the same; in fact,
there can be no exact estimate made
on it, only approximate, as itinyolyes
tue getting up OF new patterns, mod.
els and, in some cases, new tools, and
also the mechanics that con ,truct it
must first De made acquainted with
and understand the work, though
. =
skilled and familiar with other work,
must need to take the time to be
careful and exact, therefore no bull
der can give a full and complete fg.
ure of cost. ,
The is, also balance of cost to be
paid on first steps taken to secure
Letters Patent, Solicitors fees, Pho
to-lithographing and model work,
which will amount in all to q very
large sum, on 10 original inventions
and 10 or l improvements on machi-
merry already in use. To raise this
money!. must 'appealto the people
that are to be benefited by it, Offer
ing them proprietary interest in
the Letters Patent covering all this
machinery, which gives them the use,
of such machinery during the exis-
tence of the monopoly at first cost
together with share in the profits
and royalties derived from the use of
and the sale Of the same to others.
Ny plan to do this you can see in.
the LOUISIANA DEMOCRAT Of the 18th
inst. which, under the present stress
of the times, will be found the best
plan; no one or two men are now
able, though they be ever SO willing
and confident. The amount can be
raised that way during the Fall,
which is, fortunately, more favorable
to do this than any year since the
war. do think that the use Of this
thing is beginning to be felt to such
an extent that our people will realize
that any small risk taken toward
helping to bring It out will be d large
step taken in the right directions.
If our planters had, with The pres
est system of labor, succeeded every
year, for ID years, in making any
profit, however small, on all staple
crops, our country would now be
comparatively wealthy, and its plan.
tiers, merchants and mechanics pros.
+
porous; an annual profit of one per
cent. on capital invested would show
a vast margin between that and the
actual loss of 90; per cent. on capital
and values since the war. The pres
ent year is the most propitious,
though the crop does not cover loss.
es of the past, yet it will place means
sufficiently in excess over other crops
to aid at this thing in a manner 80
as not to be felt to any very great
extent. Although the crops are
large and bountiful, tits not so much
because the labor system is getting
to be better understood--for our
planters mastered all Of that once.
except the control--not because the
labor itself is doing so much better;
but because the season has been IA.
vorable to ali crops; and even were
were the present system doing better
or its very best, and under control to
its fullest capacity, then it would not
at all be adequate to the needs Of the
country, for we do have room for