The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1879-10-30

this, and in showing this the West
now manufactures more than New
England, and this is the result of
the last twenty five-years.
The manufactured product of the
six grain-growing States of the
West is greater than the agricul-
tural prod1ct. This growth in the
whole country comedies in time
and extent with the growth of pat
ents; and the change of relation be-
tween the East and the West has
followed the change of relation in
the number of patents taken out by
the different sections.
AS has already been noticed,
there is a vast difference between
scientific discovery and the prac-
tical application of the discovery.
Scientific discoveries may be con
sidered the most practical men in
existence, but it was three hundred
years before the form of pin intro
duced for the benefit of the infant
portion of the community was in
vented, after the ordinary pins we're
introduced.
No one would imagine that this
infantile pin-a wire pointed at one
end, and cunningly twisted, so that
one end serves as q shield for the
point of the pin-involved inven-
ton, and yet, although the need has
always existed, it was not until
some happy thought brought it to
the mind of some lucky inventor
that it was brought into the world.
Again, there were once eighteen op
erations to be performed in the
manufacture of pins; twelve pounds
of pins were made in a day, but in
vention has produced 3 machine
that turns out 16O pins a minute,
and puts them on papers without
the aid of human fingers. Again,
go through the streets OF a city like
Boston, and it will be seen that
clocks are cheap by the bushel.
Those clocks will keep good time,
are tasteful in appearance and serve
all the purposes of the domestic
clock. Price, $1.25.
America, by the way, is seizing
the watch manufacture of the world.
Switzerland went home from here
in 1877 in dismay at the prospect
that this industry of hers would be
swept from ber hands. The chro
nometer, the result of a prize Of
fered by the British Government of
100000 for any means by which
the longitude of vessel could be
determined within ten miles, is an
invention. Harrison worked at it
for forty years, and in 1857 he won
the prize of 100000. 1t Is record
ed that he made one so perfect that
it varied but one second and a
quarter in ten years.
An unlimited number of inven-
tions can not be made by means of
a limited amount of scientific
knowledge; and in consequence of
the lack of new knowledge, msDu
facturers and others continue to
suffer losses which might be avoid
ed. improvements are wanted in
processes; employers of steam en-
gines want to obtain more power
from the Goals; iron puddlers want
to economize heat; manufacturers
in general want to utilize their
waste products, and prevent their
polluting the streams and atmos-
phere; and so on without end.
Inventors are continually trying
to supply these demands. For in
stance, a machine for completely |
converting heat into mechanical
force can not be invented until |
more scientific knowledge is discov-
cred. Yet generic inventions, like
The Crompton loom and the ma
,hInery used in the manufacture of
plain cotton sheetings, have pro
luced enormous results. There has
oeen no radical change in the pro-
;ess of manufacture of these goods
since 1885; the gain has been by
adding a little improvement here
md there.
In one Of these mills ninety
lands, working sixty hours a week,
n 1873, turned out as much cloth
IS 23l hands, working seventy six
md half hours per week in 1888;
md IN another concern there were
urned out $4,000 yards per year
'er operative, against 9,574 yards
n 1885; while each Crompton loom
q certain mill turned out 1871
ards last year, against 1896 yards
u 1885, and the cost of labor has
'een reduced one half.
We might pursue this project in
his line of thought almost indefi-
Iitely, but we think we have OBJ
aimed enough of scientific discov-
ry applied in practical manner to
demonstrate the national impor
ance of the former and the utility
# invention as applied in these lat
er days. AS we estimated in the
of this article, some Of
he greatest practical realities Of
his age had their origin in search
tter pure truth instead of after
Utilities.
St. Louis Globe Democrat, Oct'r q,
Al. IL.