Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1882-05-11

nldde ford Royss wona.-ru,v.
'front.' Fes, hut Million ComIr~

MANY OF our readers, saws the Riddesord
LINES. Will recollect boy who some thirty
years ago attended the high school of this
ciy' then under the instruct n of Horace
Iiper. Some Of his classmates still reside in
ni'deford- while others are scattered tbrouoh
me far West. Ne was known while here .s
!u"e an eccentric character, and his declama-
'iohs' IN the high school are not forgotten nv
any one VINO ever listened to them. The
,'e'eiahd Voice of April 23d tells us what
ne mas been doing of late in the way of in
vention. Vi i"-
We invented some of the most wonderfn,
machines the world has ever seen. said Simon
glover Philhrook, little bushy headed LA
eyed man, to Voice reporter Yesterday. as
ne exhiolted curious, complicated. bunelinp
'hodel OF his automatic draw bridge made
out OF rough lath stuck together with plue
ana worked by series of strings. s.Whv."
ne continued. ''on the second of this month
conceived the plan which bv autom,,;c.l
power could swing a drawbridge as easv as
that and he snapped his finger Significantly \
SIMPLY by attaching rope from a weight
power to pulley, one bridge tender can
swing the whole thing. No steam. no extra
labor of men,
When he began to explain the principle
the bridge wouldn't work and the explanation
was postponed. but that's worth a million
easy enough" he added assuringly.
did you ever invent any other machines
for the public good?" asked the reporter.
Yes, indeed" answered Mr.. Philbrook
I'm June last l invented a street railroad
car-switcll to switch trains going at any rate
OF speed without delay. Simply by touching
knob in the platform with the foot Very
simple. Worth great deal.
Last summer when the comet was going
BY got up one morning and went to Berea.
shut myself up in a room and by three O'Clock
IN The afternoon had invented wonderful car
coupler to couple all kinds of cars by the use
OF percussion caps. You simply pull string
on the side of the car and in an instant the
whole train bumps together and all the cars
are coupled. 1t never fails
Did you ever invent anything else:"
asked the reporter
In ten DAYS invented machine for turn
ing out grindstones, that will do the work of
10 men. All they will have to do now is to
lay the stone on the lathe, start it going, and
the grindstone comes out complete. It's a
great thing
as that all?''
mo; have great scheme for bowling
alleys. Do away with boys entirely With
ny i"'Nhtioh sou w 10 W pun slElUp,
and the pins are stopped in an instant. Oh,
| can beat anybody in the world on bowls
Anything more?'
81 have invented a machine that keeps
posts from blowing down 1t is a post the
frosts can never heave. My plan is a great
thing for gravestones too. Worth million,
no doubt"
''Thats all?"
mo; | have made gate for railroad
crossings that opens itself on the approach of
a tram. If a train is coming an automatic
bell rings, the gate swings: when the train is
gone bell rings again, gate closes. Wonder
full thing. Simple. Worth fortune any
dav."
what are you making out of all these pa
tents?' was asked Mr.. Philbrook.
Nothing yet. But it's coming They are
in the patent office, and wouldn't sell for a
million. It's like this. | will have more
men working, more money paid them and
more leisure. That's my great beneficial
State policy My great inventive talents shall
assure the American mechanics the advan-
tage of the eight hour system. Three years
from to-day my system will be adopted;
everything will be changed. / intend to
manufacture all the articles | invent if
have to 1--we 80 wears more to doit"