The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-02-13
A NEW ROAD VEHICLE.
AN IMPORTANT INVENTION BY A
LOUISIANIAN.
A Sketch of the Life and Mechanical
Genius of Thomas Taylor, Son Of the
Late Hon. Miles Taylor.

Genius of Thomas Taylor, Son OF the
Late Hon. Miles Taylor.
From the NelD Orleans Times Democrat
BALTIMORE, Nd, Feb 3.-The possibilities of
mechanism are in no wise exhausted. Every
well-informed machinist understands that some
new motive power or the discovery of some
new mechanical principle may bring about as
great changes as did the application of steam
or the mechanical uses Of electricity. 1t is by
no means impossible that industry should be
revolutionized, that modes of traffic should be
completely changed or that mankind should
enter into the enjoyment of untold blessings by
some happy hit of inventive skill.
Thoughtful men are little doubtful that we
shall yet navigate the air. or that vehicles will
run in the streets without the use of horses.
| The world is gradually feeling its way to the
realization Of both these dreams, and it ought
| to surprise no one If a new Invention should be
| launched upon the world which would shake
| civilization to its very center.
AS looking to that end a simple road vehicle.
| recently perfected by Baltimore inventor, is
not without great interest. The machine is the
work of lifetime, yet it is very simple, and
| hardly more complicated than an ordinary
safety bicycle. 1t contains, however, master
| stroke of mechanism, and a new principle has
been worked out which avoids dead centers''
| in rotary motion, and which insures continuous
force upon q single piston. That problem has
taxed C16 greatest ana lL8 practical re-
alization is an event of no small magnitude in
the history of invention.
Nearly fifty years ago little lad was wander
ing about an old sugar plantation in Louisiana.
1t was picturesque spot in Assumption parish,
fronting on the Bayou Lafourche, one Of the
lesser passages OF the great father Of waters"
to the sea. The plantation was the property OF
Hon. Miles Taylor, we'll and favorably known in
Louisiana during the years prior to the
He had an extensive law practice in New Or
leans, where he was engaged for years in fight
a. sI.aA uaFu,
the state Of Louisiana in congress- and was in
Washington when the war began, The lad re-
ferred to was bis son. Thomas Taylor, who has
had an interesting ami romantic life.
Strofling one October day to the sugar house,
the boy was surprised to find the usual hustle
of the busy season at a standstll. The ma
chinery which never ceased to attract his young
eyes was silent. TWO or three men were ouslly
engaged near the great fiywheel, reaching al
most from floor TO roof. With large levers they
were trying to move this wheel and to start it
upon its usually rapid motion. Slowly, inch by
inch, the great pitman was forced along and
the wheel with difficulty was stirred to reluctant
motion. Finally there was CULVER, a sudden
waking sound Of steam, and the massive thing
resumed its whirling. Subsequent inquiry
vealed the fact, then unknown to the boy. that
any engine had periodic times when steam Is
powerless, and 1t is obliged to struggle on as
best it may with such power as can be found in
the impetus lodged in the iywheel.
This incident Of the plantation engine stopping
on the dead center" made something OF an
impression on Lne DOy 3 NINA.
said Mr.. Taylor, in a recent interview, ito have
felt in q vague way that it would be easy to
remedy that defect in machinery, but it was
not until years afterwRrd that this impression
| took shape and form in my mind. AS boys
| will rambled thoughtlessly over the planta-
ton, building engines in my play which ran
freely enough under the guiding impulse of my
| hand But the school soon claimed my atten-
| ton, and the years sped swiftly by while was
| pursuing my studies and preparing to enter my
| fathers profession. Then the war came on and
| | found myself in the confederate army under
| Jackson and finally prisoner on parole in
After the war settled in New Orleans with
| a Baltimore bride, intending to practice law. In
| leisure hours continued to turn over in my
mind the problem of getting engine pistons past
| dead centers. One day, in actually trying TO
assist an engine crank over the bad point, l
| reached result instantaneousy and almost by
| accident, which practically annihilates dead
centers in rotary motion by applying to them
| continuous impelling force. explained my
| discovery to my father. and his trained and
| logical mind recognized at once the priceless
| value Of the mechanical principle which had
| been uufolded. He wisely decided that my life
| must be spent, if need be, in developing the
| discovery had made. Patents were easily and
| quickly secured, and, though unlearned in me
| chanics, vas not long in reducing the princi-
pie to working shape"
sThe first attempt to use the new method of
applying force was twenty five years ago at
Fefl's point in Baltimore. A gracefully pat
termed skff was fitted with side wheels driven
by wooden machinery. The experiment was
something of a success, at least to the boys
about the Point, who were sometimes allowed
, to try their hands at the wheels. but nothing
was really accomplished beyond creating
novelty and producing momentary sensation
in Baltimore harbor
"My next step was several earnest attempts
to interest prominent machiuists and men OF
capital in the new principle of mechanism, but
they received what l had to say in varying
words Of disapproval. One was hardly polite,
another dismissed the scheme with an icy
smile of contempt; still another refused to ac
Dept the invention, but did II so Kindly that his
expressions still hold place in memory. He
was none other than the affable, gray haired
Mr. Poole. of the firm OF Poole & Hunt, the
celebrated Baltimore foundrYmen. After an
interested examination Of small model had
with me, he remarked, as he handed it back:
IT is to be- regretted that so much real in
genuity has been exerted in an attempt which
gives so little promise Of practical results"
Thus. after more than year of brilliant
hope | mad accomplished nothing toward per
fectinR my dream save little brass model which
stands somewhere to-day amid the relics OF the
patent office in Washington. was still young
and could bear the disappointment with some
thing like fortitude, but my father, who WAS no
less i'm pressed with belief in the utility OF the
machine than was, was old. and the collapse
of cur plans continued to be sore trouble to
him until his death in 1873.
,'My legal days did not return. With my
family / retired to a farm in Virginia, there TO
continue my experiments and 20 give new form
| to the mechanical principle which had haunted
me since the incident in the sugar mouse on the
oil plantation. had begun TO understand tnat
nschjnists, as a rule are routine men, working
thoughtlessly on the ideas OF Others, and assur-
! edly not possessed Of any comprehension OF the
| higher meanings of mechanism. The belief
| had also taken full possession of my mind that
was ordained by providence to develop new
principal OF applying power for the good OF
| 5nankind Whether am to struggle on TO the
| end and leave rewards to others know not, but
| Of this | en- convinced that l have dis
| covered the beart secret of perfect mechanism,
ntiIity. but will greedily appropriate It's advan-
tages.
"A few years later found a man who under.
| stood my meaning, who was then wealthy and