Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-09-11

The Scientific American reports the
death in New Haven al the age Of 90, Of
Rufus Porter, the founder Of that paper.
Mr.. Porter was remarkable example Of
the restless genius, with lots Of talent
but wanting in application. With the
ability to do 3 little Of everything, he
never could content himself long at any
thing. In youth he made lathes, wind
mile, water wheels and many other
mechanical oontrivsnoes, was fiier in
military companies, a iddler At dancing
| parties, started to learn the shoemaker'a
trade and gave 1t up, then
became apprentioed to the house and sign
| painting business. As man he psirted
gunboats for the navy in the war Of 1872;
fought as soldier in the ranks, playing
the fife or beating the drum when not
carrying q musket taught music to his
fellow soldiers and wrote a book on the
art OF drumming; left the army TO become
= school teacher dropped that profession
and rosmed over the country rs travel
ing portrait painter; bored into the earth
at Hot Springs, Arkansas, in search
Of substance capable Of yield
, ing perpetual heat; invented Q
! revolving almanac and dropped every,
, thing else to introduce that let tn,
almanac venture slide as soon az It begaI
D to pay and proceeded to build twin boa
! TO run by horse power ; in short tint
a afterwards took mp the business Of decor
: ating walls with painted Landscapes IL
n lieu of ornamental papers; quit this ant
i. and butt fat boat and went on II
q this way from one thing to another til
Il he was As years old. Then he wa
If offered an interest in newspaper Gale,
,r the New York Mechanic, and this bein
something new to him, he jumIe
into the enterprise and a
10 once decided to become an editor
o. He made the paper a scientific one, th
o. drst in the country, and 1t prospered
g. but his restless spirit drove him out {
the editorial chair in q year or two an
ae he became an electro platter. Then Ii
II. Millerites came along and gathered hi
III in and he turned his attention to asceI
yn sion robes and things celestial. Not Il
ne long, however, for he soon after invente
,es = revolving rifle and sold the invention
Colonel Cot, and followed this up,
at 1915, by starting the Scientific America
lsl he began the issue Of this publicatiC
.er with cash capital Of 800 and ran It (
en- six months with the same success tn
u attended most Of his many venture
ng Then the longing for a change becar
int irresistible again and he sold the nj
,ar journal to Mum & Co., who have ma
he it the standard among American scienti
ON papers. During his long life he original
The many inventions, the mere enumerati
) OF of which would be tedious. Amoig tn,
yer were a flying ship, an air blower, pune
wv ing PRESS, trip hammer, pocket Ian
pocket chair, fog whistle, wire Gutter,
= CINE lathe, clothes drier, grain weigh
of camera obscurs, spring pistol, engine Q
est of, balanced valve, rsvolvidal DO
u II rotary pillow, reaction wind whs
the portable house, paint mill, wa
ioG litter, odomster, thermo engi
lest rotary engine and scores Of other thin
pie, The moment new mechanical idea
not CURED to him, he elaborated It Int
at DRAWN; or model, sold the whole {
l. share for small sum, and waited for
Q to next inspiration. The flash Of ger
rs. which led to the founding of the Scisn
Of American will keep the name Of this
mad mArkable man from ever being forgot
rom