The Wilmingtonian., 1884-11-22
Distinguished American Inventors.


Benjamin Franklin; b. Boston, 17OG; d.
1888; at 12, printers apprentice, fond OF
useful reading; ~ to 40, teaches himself
Latin, etc, makes various useful improve.
ments; at 40 studies electricity; 1862. bring,
electricity from clouds by kit AID invunts
the lightning-rod.
Eli Whitney inventor of the cotton uin:
b. Westborongh, Mass, 1865; d. 1926; went
to Georgia 1892 as teacher; 1893 invents the
cottn-gin, prior to which full days work
of one person was to clean by hand one
pound OF cotton; one machine performs the
labor of five Thousand persons; 1900 POUNDS
Whitneyvllle, makes firearms, by the inter
chan9eable system Of the parts.
Robert Fulton; b. Little Britain, Pa,
17G4; d. 1925; artist painter; invents steam
boat 1888; nvents submarine torpedoes 1896
to 1901; builds steamboat in France 1903;
launches passenger-boat Clcrmont at N. Y
1907, and steams to Albany; 1912, builds
steam ferry-boats; 1914, builds first steam
war-vessel.
Jethro Wood, inventor of the modern
cast-iron plow; b. White Creek N. Y, 1774:
d. 1884; patented the plow 1914 Previously
the plow was a stick Of wood, plated with
iron. Lawsuits against infringes consumed
his means. Secretary Seward said: 'No
man has benefited the country pecuniariIy
more than Jcthro Wood, and no man has
been as inadequately rewarded"
Thomas Blanchard; b. 1888, Sutton, Mass. I;
d. 1864; invented tack machine 1906: builds
successful steam carriage 1926; builds the
stern-wheel boat for shallow waters, now in
common use on Western rivers; 1S42 patents
the lathe for turning irregular forms, now
in common use all over the world for turn
ing lasts, spokes, axe.handles, gun->tocks,
hat-blocks, tackle-blocks, ETC.
Ross Winans, of Baltimore; b. 1898, N. j.:
author of many inventions relating to rail-
ways; first patent 1926; he designed and
patented the pivoted, double.truck, long pas
senger cars now in common use. His genius
also assisted the development of railways in
Russia.
Cyrus II. Mccormick, inventor of harvest
ing machine; b. Walnut Grove, Va, 1909; in
1851 he exhibited his invention at the
Worlds Fair, London, with practical sue
cess. The moving of one acre was one
days mans work; a boy with a moving.
machine now cuts 10 acres day. MIR.
Mccormick patents made him millions
aire.
Charles Goodyear, inventor and patentee
Of the simple mixture of rubber and sui
phur, the basis Of the present great rubber
industries throughout throughout the
world; b. New Haven, Con, 1900; in 1889,
by the accidental mixture of bit of rubber
and sulphur on a red-hot stove, he discover
ed the process Ji vuleanization. The Good
year patents proved immensely profitable.
Samuel F. B. Moore, inventor and pat.
entee of electric telegraph; b. Charlestown,
Mass, 1891; d. 1879; artist painter; exhibited
first drawings of telegraph 1882; halEmne
wire in operation 1885; caveat 1887; Con-
gress appropriated $50, 900, and in 1874 first
telegraph line from Washington to Balti-
more was opened; after long contests, the
courts sustained his patents, and he realized
from them large fortune.
Elias Howe, inventor of the modern sew
ing-machine; b. Spencer, Mass, 1919; d.
1867; machinist; sewing machine patented
1916. From that time to 1854 his priority
was contested, and he suffered from poverty,
when decision of the courts in his favor,
brought him large royalties and he realized
several millions from his patent.
james B. Eads; b. 1890; author and con
structor of the great steel bridge over the
at st. Louis, 1867, and the ietties
below New Orleans, 1876. His remarkable |
energy was shown in 1861, when he built |
and delivered complete TO Government, all |
within Gj days, seven iron-plated steamers,
600 tons each; subsequently other steamers.
Some of the most brilliant successes of the |
Union arms were due to his extraordinary
rapidity in constructing these vessels.
James Lyall, n. Y. City: b. 1886; invented
a simple mixture, 1886, for enameling cloth
for knapsacks, etc., from which he realized
a fortune; in 1868 patented the positive
ton loom, which patent was exceedingly
is the founder and manager of
several great establishments; at one of these,
23rd street, N Y, 900 hands are employed.
This loom increases the production and les