The Osceola times., 1880-04-10
THE GAME OF FIFTEEN.
A Puzzle Over which Persons are said
to Have Gone Crazy.
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to Have Gone Crazy.
n Y sun.
A deaf mute in Hartford, Conn, is
said TO have invented the notorious game
of fifteen. Among all those engaged in
the manufacture and sale of the puzzle,
this story OF its origin is current. The
deaf mute's name is apparently unknown
to any one here. ID. +. Mcguire, the
Boston newspaper man, who introduced
the game in this city, knows the most
about il, and he credits the story. Two
ladies that knew the inventor were as
touded at the sensation the toy created
in Boston. They told Mr.. Mcguire that
the deaf mute cut out few sets OF the
wooden blocks and distributed them
among his friends as gifts. Mr.. Rice,
a wood turner, in Wareham street, Bos-
ton, himself an invalid, began the man.
ufacture of the numbered wooden log
enges on large scale. To the minds
OF the Bostonians there was something
more than mere puzzle in the game; IT
was mathematical study, and It's solu-
ton a science. Mr.. Rice made an elab-
orate apparatus. The cardboard. box
containing the blocks was lined with
dark hard wood. The lozenges were
squares of stained wood and bevelled.
They sold for half dollar. The lnNen-
tor did not patent the puzzle; nor dld
Mr.. Rice. Thus il was that Mr.. Mcguire
entered the field. He employed wood
turner's, printers, and paper-box manu-
facturers Machines especially designed
for max .ng the puzzle was produced that
could be protitably sold for a quarter OF
a dollai. Boston took up the puzzle
greedily, and the same popularity that
has since been accorded 1t here was
speedily developed there. Now there
are many manufacturers of 1t in Boston:
In New York and its suburbs the Bos-
ton people carried the puzzle to the
stores, depots, ferry houses and hotels,
often leaving samples against the wishes
OF the salesmen, who perceived no merit
at all in it. directly il leaped into favor.
To-day the men who sell II make the
down town streets noisy with their cries.
Ii is worked upon and talked about eN-
erywhere. 1t is regarded rs a nuisance
in public schools, and rs a source OF Joy
in boarding houses. la the legislative
halls at Albany, it is said, the peoples
representatives study its mysteries upon
their desks. Mathematicians vic with
each other in gigantic equations arising
from it, and the Sun receives daily a
bushel of inquiries from persons who
want TO know a certain plan for its solu-
ton. Reporters, In their travels through
the neighborinS cities, report similar
condition of the public mind wherever
they 20. As there is less competition out
side the great cities, the puzz,e Is more
expensive ut distance from them.
There are three large dealers IN this
toy in New York. The members OF the
John street firm say they found grow
ing demand for q mysterious puzzle that
was variously called the Boston, the
Gem, the Rather, the Ross, the Solitaire,
the Burtercup, the Game OF Elfteen, and
by other names. They traced the game
to Boston, procured a sample, and or
dered 100 gross. After the goods were
received the dealers were alarmed,
They called the attention OF the street
peadlers to the thing, and presently
their stores was thronged as never De-
fore. The sales averaged fifteen gross !
day. They began TO manufacture the
game fos themselves, and even now the
sales keep the workmen busy. These
dealers say that they have heard OF .
German tailor in Troy who purchased
the puzzle, trified with it, became en-
shared by it, sat up all night over 1t
threw it away, gathered its pieces, anc
the next morning adorned his shop win
dow with a placard offering suit o
clothes to any man who would teach
him a solution. They also tell of ar
Albany man who was belated at sup el
time, and who hurried home to find nC
preparation for supper, the fire out, the
children roaming the house, and hi'
wife locked in an upper room ponderlns
over one oil these puzzles, which sh'
purchased Of peddler, who ratified tn,
numbers into consecutive order, TO show
how easy it was.
A Broadway firm of dealers in five
and ten cent goods, sold 23O gross of thu
puzzle in one day. A member of th,
irm invented new form Of this puzzle