The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-12-26
ma eFNrrs faODUoED aUNa.
Tke raveuter sr enc apriurasid Rins Artsrware
made Arse TOR the Coufeaeratea.
From ne kaoon TeieOrahh.

70 AN3NI AtNNN - -
from thb Macon Telegraph.
Few pcoplo know that the inventor Of the fa-
NOUS Springfield rife and tho first breech-ioad.
ing cannon lies buried In Rose Hill Cemetery
IN thi, city, yet ouch is the case, as official
record will prove.
Hiram II. Harrington wa perhaps the great
est inventor Of gun the world has ever known,
as nearly oil of those now In use In this and for
eign countries. either cannon or small firearms,
are only improvements on his ideas. and had he
been less Of q patriot and moro OF q money
lover, tho o Of his family now alive would
DO rolling in wealth. But he cared little
for money and nothing for fame. His great
mind was devoted to the advancement OF tho
higher mechanics, mainly for his own gratiH-
cation at being able to serve his country. The
archives at Washington alone can. toll Of Mr..
Herrlngton's skill as an inventor and mechanic,
and it seems strange that histori ms have over
looked u man OF such gre { genius, and &C.
peoi lily one who lad done so much for the
good Of bis country. Many people are to-day
while others re enjoying the honor of his in.
v%entionB.
in NJ isis he sna SSied %SS SGE9 at %b SiR5i az MSEh Mas N II:
shop at Macon Aug. 20. 1887. When. 4 years
OF age he moved with his parent to, Harper's
States Armory located at Harper's Ferry as
,an apprentice. and after serving his time made
and Invented the first and original twist drill
machine. This machine attracted widespread
attention, and was soon in general use, al.
though .Hn, the e. inventor nx' 2 tb rsti II Sro , l b Il amy gr Ssno.
tion. and he was soon made, master mechanic
and draughtsmann. While holding this i'm.
Floyd, who was at that time Secretary Of War,
to make from his own plans the first breech.
ISS sa sxS enaned n Mr In'i H fsnpIary; sh1 pi SsSsei anS
models, and decided that they were practical
and valuable. 1t was in this gun that the ar.
ing pin or plunger, now In use in nearly NIL tho
small arms, was first employed. and ~gunmaking
was at once PRACTICABLE revolutionizcd. This
mont, and in 1866 or 1867 the Government
entered extensively into the Manufacturing Of
N, Ms,l grf i has sf FsS, ap @9'S i%plSsem "na ri sHes
seHfS; H fest ana oa'i fo %sSi fs1 30 1s al f tSat P was 20 es,
| from tho Secretary of War to manufacture q
breech loading brass cannon out Of an old field
| design and principles ofthis gun were the same
As are now used by the Government in the manu-
faGturs e all Ia large ,Ss and rndSnss small mlDf eenn9n' NJ uor.
rington made many valuable designs for the
Government, notably the muzzlc-load ding mimic
first invented and built at Harper's Ferry by
nnizzinaH It's value, had duplicate drafts made
and sent to Springfield, Mass, where the guns
were manufactured in much larger numbers.
and after the armory at Uarlef's Ferry was
continued at Springfield, which gave them their
nhI1c, u tno OllClhi EcCOTuS Will snOM .lndU
Mr. Harrington was tho inventor and first
manufacturer of them. Even drafts of all tho
tools; &C.: used in manufacturing the gun were
When the war between the States came on
Mr.. Harrington cast. his fortunes with tho
South and resigned his very lucrative position
with the United States Government, although
strongly, urged to remain. Had he consented to
remain he. could have commanded any salary
he might have named, as his worth to either
side WAS absolutely incalcnlable.
The Confederate States Government first sent
| him IN Fnynf avlln N T. where he nafah-
iished and built an arsenal and 8 arted the
manufacture Of the mimic mnske s for he use
was in good working order he was transferred
by the Ordinances Depar' ment to Macon, and
mechanic and draughtsman in the manufacture
! of machinery and tools for making small arms,
and was thus engaged when the war closed. In
the meantime, however, he had designed and
built a brick manufacturing machine for the
large armory. and laboratory buildings now
known as the "old laboratory, was built OF
brick made by this machine. These brick are
they IRE moro closely pressed and OF q far totter
in Georgia. These machines and their models
were destroyed by the Federal soldiers when
they captured Macon in April. 1865.
After the war Nj; Herri1gton engaged in
tensiyely manufactured what was known as the
NesbiI cotton press: and designed and mann
The Nesbit estate afterward realized a mel
pp,,9at of Ss5, goo On this press. After M. Mes.
sho ~ for I'll their re manufactMre. and II was was While ilea a.,
work in this shop, in 1887, that he died.
As an inventor and workman Mr.. Harrington
had no superior, and had he chosen to protect
his inventions no would have made a vast for,
tune and others would not now be enjoying
what was his. An admirer of Mr.. Harrington
once truthfully said: "He thought twenty years
ahead Of his time"
Mr.. Harrington loft a number OF children
those now surviving being Messrs. H.. II. and
Leo Harrington, and three daughters, all Of
whom are well known and highly esteemed
citizens of Macon.