Towanda daily review. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1879-1921, 1880-03-02
The Game of Fifteen.

to nave invented the notorious game Of
fifteen. Among all those engaged in the
manufacture and sale of the puzzle, this
story of it's origin is current. The deaf
mute's name is apparently unknown to
any one here. ID. f. 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
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. A M. Rice, a wood turner, in Ware
ham street, Boston, himself an invalid,
began the manufacture of the numbered
wooden lozenges on large scale. To the
minds of the BostOnians there was some
thing more than mere puzzle in the
game; it was mathematical study, and
it's solution science. Mr.. Rice made an
elaborate apparatus. The board box con-
tanning the blocks was lined with dark
hard wood The lozenges were squares
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 turner's, prin-
ters, and paper-box manufacturers. Ma
chimes especially designed for making the
puzzle were built, and puzzle was pro-
duced that could be protitably sold for a
quarter of a doller. Boston took up the
puzz'e greediy, and the same popularity
that has since been accorded it here was
speedily developed there. Now there are
many manufacturers of it in Boston.
In New York and it's suburbs the BoS-
ton people carried the puzzle to the
stores, depotS, ferry houses and hotels,
often leaving Srmples against the wishes
of the statesmen, who perceived no merit
at all in it. Directly it leaped into favor.
To-day the men who sell it make the
downtown streets noisy with their cries.
It is worked upon and talked about every
where. In the legislative halls at AL
bany, it is said, the peoples representa-
Mathematicians vie with each other in gi-
gantic equations arising from it, and the
Sun receives daily buShel of inquiries
from persons who want to know certain
plan for it's solution. Reporters, in their
travels through the neighboring cities re-
port a similar condition of the public
mind wherever they go. Az there is less
competition outside the great cities, the
puzzle is more expensive at q distance
from them.
There are three large dealers in this
toy in New York. The members of q
John street firm say they found grow
ing demand for a mysterious puzzle that
was variously called the Boston, the Gem,
the Rather, the Boss, the Solitaire, the
Buttercup, the Game of Fifteen, and by
other names. They traced the game to
Boston, procured sample, ordered 100
gross. After the goods were received
the dealers were alarmed. They called at
tention of the street peddlers to the thing,
and presently their store was thronged as
never before The sales averaged fifteen
gross day. They began to manufacture
the game for themselves, and even now
the sales keep the workmen busy. These
dealers say that they have heard of Ger
man tailor in Troy who purchased the
puzzle, triied with it, became cnsnared
by it, sat up all night over it, threw it
away, gathered its pieces, and the next