Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-05
GAME OF FIFTEEN.
PUZZLE OVER WHICH PERSONS ARE
SAID TO HAVE GONE CRAZY.
Invented by Deaf Mute VINO Did
Not Know its Commercial
vaIue-Rayaging Boston
and Invading the
Metropolis.
New Yorksun.

New York sun.
A deaf mute in Hartford, Conn, is
said To have invented the notorious
game of fifteen. Among all those en-
gagged i'm the manufacture and sale OF
the puzzle. this story Ot its origin is cur.
rent. The deaf mu.e's name il appar-
emily unknown To any one here. ID. r.
Mcguire, the Boston newspaper man,
who introduced the game in this city,
knows the most about it, and he credits
the story. Two ladies that knew the
inventor were astounded at the sensa-
ton the toy created in Boston. They
told Mr.. Mcguire that the mute cut out
a few sets Of the wooden blocks and dis
tributed them among his friends as gifts.
Mr.. Rice, a woOd-turner, in Wareham
Street Boston, himself an invalid, be-
Gan the manufacture OF the numbered
wooden lOzenges on a large scale. To
the minds OF the BOstOnians there was
something more than u mere puzzle in
the game; II was mathematical study,
and its solution q science. Mr. Rice
made an elaborate apparatus. The card
hoard box containing the blocks was
lined with dark hard wood. The lozen-
yes were squares OF stained wood and
beyeled. They sold for half dollar.
The inventor did not patent the
puzzle; nor did Mr. Rice. Thus it was
that Mr.. Mcguire entered the field. He
employed wOOd-turners, printers and
paper-box manufacturers. Machines
especially designed for making the puz-
zlr were built, and puzzle was prOduc-
cd that could be protitably sold for a
quarter Of dollar. Boston took up the
puzzle greedily. and the same POPULAR
iy that has since been accorded to 1t
here was speedily developed there.
Now there are many manufacturers OF
il in Boston.
la New York and its suburbs the
Boston people carried the puzzle to the
stores, depots, ferry houses and hotels,
often leaving samples against the wishes
of the statesmen, who perceived no merit
al all i'm il. Directly il lcaped into favor.
To-day the men who sell IL make the
down town streets noisy with their cries.
Ii is worked upon and talked about
everywhere. IL is regaried rs a NUS
ance in public shoots, and as a source OF
joy in boarding houses. In the legisla-
tive halls at Albany, it is said, the peO-
PIES representatives study its mysteries
upon their desks Mathematicians vic
with each other in gigantic equations
arising from il, and the San receives
daily a bushel Of inquiries from persons
who want 10 know a certain plan tor ITS
solution. Reporters, in their travels
through the ncighboring cities, report q
similar condition OF the public mind
wherever they go. As there is less com
petition outside the great cities, the puz-
zle is more expensive at distance from
them.
There are three large dealers in this
TOW i'm New York. The members OF a
John street firm say they found Il grow
ing demand for a mysterious puzzle
that was variously called the Boston,
the Gem, the Rather, the Boss, the Soil
taire, the ButteTcup, the tame oil fii-
teen, and by other names. They traced
the game to Boston, procured a sample,
and ordered 100 gross. Alter the goods
were received the dealers were alarmed.
They called the attention OF the street
peddlers To the thing, and presently
their store was thrOnged as never before.
The sales averaged fifteen gross day.
They began 10 manufacture the game
Tor themselves, and even now the sales
keep the workmeu busy. These dealers
say that they have heard Of German
tailor in Troy who purchased the puzzle,
triiled with it, became ensnared by 1t,
sat up all night over it, threw 1t away,
gathered its pieces, and the next morn
ing adorned his shop window with pla-
card Offering suit OF clothes to any man
who would teach him solution. They
also tell Of an Albany man who was be,
lated ut supper time, aud who hurried
house to lind no preparation for supper,
the Ere out, the children roaming the
home. and his wife locked in an upper
room bordering over one Oi the puzzles,
which she purchased Of a Peddler, who
ratified the numbers into consecutive
order. to show how easy it was.
A Broadway firm Of dealers IN five
aud tcu-ccnt goods sold 23O gross OF thus
puzzle in one day 4 member oi the
firm invented a new form OF thus puz-
IL