The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1893-03-24
irons now universally used for the fastenings
of the sides of bedsteads.

ter before II, as 1t was made to turn either
hand or power. Large quantities OF thes
were made, which found ready market, bl
the short life OF the rubber tube destroye
their popularity.
Asa Keyes of Brattleboro, invented In 1St
the steam cutting machine for cutting stat
used at the slate quarry in Guiford, an II
vention which at first bid fair to produce IN
portant results, but with the closing of tt
quarry, nothing further was done with It, bl
,ately 1t is being revived and introduced
Pennsylvania.
Among the remarkable things that hay
conduced to the economical conduct of bus
| ness and furtherance of social intercourse
and have greatly promoted the convenienc
OF mankind, Is the Invention of the postao
stamp, emsnating In Bratteboro about IL Il
by the postmaster at Bratteboro, Mr.. Palme
who invented and caused to be made the firs
stamp for the repayment of postage In tn
general conduct of postal affairs. Tbos 'Chut
buck then OF this place, a most skiIlful Ell
graver, was the artist employed to make th
design, and engraved the same upon a block O
wood. This had Its fore runner, possibly, 4
| the local carrers's stamp that was introdu ,e
| at Providence. K. l., aboutthe same period.
John Gore of BrattebGro was the invento
OF steam wagon or carriage, which he con
structed and operated about the country.
was driven by an engine of several horse
| power and was an object of especial nteres,
1t was seen during period OF several years
running about the country, but finally wa
dlsmantled and put to other uses, the engn
being employed for long time by Jonas Cut
Ter In operating bis bakery.
Franklin Wheeler came to Brattlebort
about 1920 to work for Hezekiah Salisbury
making window springs. One Sunday whil
wandering In the woods of West Brattehoro
Re stumbled and fell. hurting his crippled le!
so that he thought best to rest before gettins
up. While lying upon the ground, he noticed
some OF tie stones under him covered witt
moss; by his stumbling and fall, he hac
knocked OFT sorue of the T0ss, and noticed
shining yellow spots upon the stones; he dus
out q quantity of the shining metal with hil
knife resolving TO try 1t In a crucible to SET
what 1t was. lie shut himself up in the shop
melted the ore in a crucible, and 1t came ou
pure, shining yellow metal With some Of
1t be plated the heads of the window springs
and showed them to his uncle Salisbury. who
said 1t was gold: the jewelier said 1t was
gold; 1t was sent to Boston and there pro.
nounced gold.
do not know OF any earlier golG plating
having been done In Vermont.
While Wheeler was making window
springs at Brattleboro. be invented revol
yer In 1921. His brother Thomas Wheeler OF
Muskegon. Mich. wrote this description of II
In 1876: she studied out and made the frs,
working model, and then proposed a breech-
loading siX-shooting revolving pistol. In the
spring of 1928 when l first went to Canada.
found Frank In Waterloo running a turning
lathe, which he had completed for his own
work, manufacturing common kitchen chairs
he then had his revolver with him. and
often saw II and used 1t. He said he made 1t
In Brattleboro two years before that when ne
was about Is years of age.' This antedates
Colt by IA years.
Some More Important Devices.
S. Holton of MIddlebury. Invented large
number OF intricate and intere sting things
ufacture of cottons and woolens. He was
also q jeweller and made an ivory watch
which Is running today, and which Is a curl
patty and an invention of remarkable ingen
atty. He also invented a watch with the
escapement. He also invented
new devices in regard TO clocks, and made
he Garfield clock that was taken about the
country for exhibition.
ID. NJ. Smith Of Sprinei ,d. was one Of the
brightest inventors that this state has ever
lad. He was the inventor OF the spring
'lGthes-pin. In common use wherever wash.
NO Is done.
The manufacture Of hooks and eyes was
,arried on at Springfield for many years by
he D. M. Smith Co., who used the machine
# Mr.. Smith, which was a marvel OF ingen,
litv, taking the wire from the reel, bending 1t
nto both q book and an eve, and some OF the
went so far az to make the swan.bll
took and eye. which cont ined n fastener, so
hat il could not be unlocked excepting by q
eXlerous hand. The same machine counted
hem, put them upon cards. and boxed them
eady for the market. Although that part
Which related to the putting of the hooks and
yes unon the cards was done by one of the
orI-, l,yip 81
hine to do t1Is cost the sum OF $40 900.
t is believed that Mr.. Smith was the first
inventor of the typewriter. Parts of the
riginal machine are now preserved at Spring
cid. Vt
Rufus Adams of Randolph, invented a
prlng steel pltchfork. He kept the secret to !
lmself until some of the men whom he EN-.
Logged discovered 1t and started factories In
rook field and Hartford, whence 1t spre9d |
the United States. Before his In.
en'ion was used, the sticks were cut In the
'oods and heavy backsmith's forks were
Iade from iron. This invention occurred
bout 1927.
John Conant OF Brandon. invented the
paulding stove about 1928. In 1920 Freder-
k Porter of Springfield, while engaged IN
by hand. invented machine
lat would make the holes In tie leather.
end the wire into the proper shape, cut 1t off
I'd insert 1t into the leather, suitable for
rds. This invention was carried on under
OK and key for many years, With the help
worn to secrecy.
Sllas Harris was the fl 'st inventor ard mat
'acturer of the CARPENTERS squares. He be-
IN bv cutting the plates out OF old saws. In
IL he came to SALISBURY and engaged
ephen Wbipple to forge them from bar
ock, as be had trr-bammer. This busl.
ss has been continued bv one and another,
scendlng down to the Eagle manufacture
g company OF Salisbury. The business de-
Hoped until there were four IN anufacturing
adjustments In SALISBURY co lduc ing bus
esq, which were consolidated some time
ace under the nams of the Eagle Manufac-
ring Company, located at South SALISBURY.
Rufus BangO patented rolling machine
d other less notable improvements.
Dennis j. Georg, and Norman Millington
ade the first power graduating machines !
til of which were patented. These ma ,
ines have been improved by other men, sew. /,
al Of whom are living.
l.. Hedge of Windsor who had invented a :
,chine for ruling paper before 1925, inven- !
one for the marking OF rules. lie came G
Brattleboro and perfected the marking !
,chines IN use In the f. A. Stearns e Co,
lie factory, and machine made by him !
my years ago which was removed from
a.tleboro to New Britain, IS still used to
aduate rules at the Stanley Rule and Level r
}. His patents are dated ~ early rs 1915
+ spring pen ruler. 1877 for o revolving r
ler, and for a carpenters rule joint 1885. a
j. Fullum invented and patented about
y, an improved process OF manufacturing
Is. for stamping stencil plates and similar a
'rk. by grinding or cutting them into shape t
tn burrs Instead of filing them out by a
nd, by which the process OF manufacture $
IS greatly cheapened aud the form and util- {
of the Implements improved. eliminating (
, wedge shape which the hand file always a
We. r
About 1880 Arthur Fell OF Springfield In l
nted an Improvement in hoes. The blade c
his hoe was made of two layers of metal. r
the inside, or tip, was q thin layer of tenn. o
red steel, while the bottom consisted of a
n soft Iron. The two were welded together. d
e soft iron, while 1t protected the steel II
m breaking, was more exposed t. wear, r.
as It wore away on the bottom edge, left Il