Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-01-02

As an instance of the good speculative judy
ment and foresight of this firm, we will men
sion the well known Rice's straw-burner
engine the patent on which is owned by
Messrs. NJ. c. Hawley & Co. Just after Mr..
81. w. Rice had perfected his engine for the
burning of straw instead of coal and wood
for fuel, Messrs. Hawley & Co, foreseeing in
it great future necessity, purchased the
patent, paying Mr.. Rice the snug sum of
SO, 900 for the right. Previous to this impor-
tant invention of Mr.. Rice's, it had been
necessary for thrashermen and farmers to haul
wood or coal in many unwooded localities
great distances, in order that they might fur
nish fuel for their engines during the thrash
ing season. The straw-burner engine of Mr..
Rice's designing is so constructed that the
straw which was formerly burned or wasted
to get rid Of it, is now used for fuel, and is so
successful that it requires but little straw to
supply the necessary heat. While to Mr..
Rice belongs the credit of foreseeing and tore
stalling an evident necessity, by providing
for the emergency, Messrs. NJ. @. Hawley
& Co., as great agricultural firm. displayed
their characteristic good business sense in
securing an improvement so valuable, and in
all lines Of eirimproved machinery have they
exercised the same excellent judgment and
foresight. In regard to the patent on this
engine we will mention, that it is so broad in
its provisions that no other inveu tor has been
able to manufacture a really successful ma
chine without infringing on the right con-
ferred by it to the present owners. The most
important patent suits ever instituted on the
coast were those of Rice vs.. Heald and Rice
vs. Euright, both of which were sustained in
the United States Circuit Court, and judg-
ments rendered against both of the above
named defendants. 1t was substantially de-
cided that any engines having return hue
boilers designed for burning straw were in
fragments on the Rice patent. As every
other plan and device have proved impracti-
cable for burning straw successfully, Messrs.
Hawley & Co. enjoy the entire field SO far
as really practicable straw-burning engines
are concerned. The demand for these en-
gines has been so great that Mr.. Rice, who
now has large engine shops in San Francisco,
and who has for several years past built the
majority of the engines sold by Messrs..
Hawley & Co, is kept continually busy,
and it has been necessary besides, to
have large number of them built
at TIE East During the short time in
which these engines have been on the market
they have almost entirely superseded the
wood and coal burning machines for thrash
ing purposes. During the past season three
were several serious explosions of boilers on
the engines of the other makers, whose ma
chimes are merely experimental as strawburn
ers, and great loss os life and property resulted.
The return-hue boiler, as invented and pa
tented by Mr.. Rice. seems to be the only
feasible device for the purpose, and without
infringing on the protection of that patent
and rendering themselves liable to prosecu-
ton and damages. no other inventor has been
able yet to equal it, or even to make really
successful machine. The combustion of the
sparks and smoke is SO perfect that no FIRE is
ever thrown out through the stack, and q |
larye ssh nan is attached in 'front.' ~ the er--