Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-07-24

Blanchard, knowing that great opposition
would be made to another renewal.
| thought he weald resort to a little strait.
GEM lie lifted up machine for turning
busts from marble blocks, took it to
Washington, obtained plaster casts of the
heads OF Webster, Clay, Calhoun and
others, and exhibited the busts in the
rotpnda of the Capitol. The members
We're quite astonished when they found
that these busts were wrought out by
machine, and that they were more exactly
like the originals than any human hand
could make them. 1t produced
GREAT SENSATION.
They all supposed it new invention.
Blanchard said, ''No not new inven-
tor, but a new application of an old one
of mine, from which never realized much,
and want the patent renewed" A reso-
luton was introduced into the Senate by
Webster to renew it for term of years,
and it was rushed through without delay.
When the news was first proclaimed from
Springfield of machine which turned gun
stocks, mechanics came floating from near
and far to see it Among those attracted
were two members of the British Farlia-
ment, then travelling IN this country. When
they returned to England they reported
the wonderful invention of Blanchard, by
which the Americans were getting greatly
III advance of them in gun manufacture,
and moved resolution for the purchase of
similar machines. A true John Bull mem
her then arose and ridieuled them unmerci-
fully for being SO badly sold and played
upon by the cunning Yankees. The
very idea of turning gunstock is absurd
on the face of 1t, as all must know who
ever saw one. Finding the resolution
would fail the two members withdrew it
and moved for a committee to go to the
United States Armory and report upon the
facts. The committee came over, exam
med the workings of the machine, returned
and reported the facts as first stated. The
doubling Thomas rose and said that the
Americans might get up something to work
their soft woods, pine and poplar, but it
would never stand the test of 9 our tough
English oak and hickory" Upon this the
DoUBrING THOMAS
Himself was chosen committee to GO
over and examine He was not to be i'm
posed upon ; he would expose this hunibug.
Selecting three rough stocks of the hardest,
toughest timber he could find, he went to
the Springfield armory incognito, brought
his stocks to the stocking-room and IN
quired of the overseer if he would grant
him the favor of turning them. Ger
tainly, sir; take seat" Without making
the least alteration OF the machine, the
overseer run the stocks through in few
minutes, and then went on with his work
as though nothing unusual had happened.
The Englishman examined the stocks,
found that they were turned all the better
for being of hard wood, and he was COM
pletely dumbfounded. After musing a
while, he frankly confessed who he was,
why he came, and his thorough conviction
of the utility of the machine. Before he
left the city he gave an order in behalf of
the British Government for this and the
accompanying machines-some six or eight
which amounted to some $4,000 The
machines were built at Chieopee, shipped
to England, and have been in use there
from that day TO this