The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-02-16
Total

George Coleman, 1,lo5
Total l9.355
Besides these there were hundreds Of
ehisels, drawing knives, etc, made
here also.
These figures are from his books as
he kept them, and came down TO 1857,
when he quit work.
We believe the last of his apprenti-
ees were Jerome Bowman and Jere. ].
Livengood; the latter now resides at
Salisbury. Bowman went to the war
and lost his good right arm in the ser
vice, and could no longer work at the
trade. Mr.. LivengoOd became a
worthy successor to the great axe-mak-
er, and we venture to say that, as a
maker of steel and edge tools, he does
not have his equal in Somerset county
About the year 1924 he bought a
small tract of land from William Mil
Ter, which then was in Elk Lick town
ship. Here he built himself house,
shop and small barn.
Later he laid this land of into town
lots, filing the plot in the Recorders
Office at Somerset. He gave his new
town the name of Meehsniesburg,
though when a postofiiee was estab-
lished it could not keep this name, but
took the name of Summit Mills. It
was for long time also called "YOtter
Stheddle" by the German-speaking
portion of the people.
In addition 10 his axe-making he al
so paid some attention to repairing
clocks and watches. Indeed there were
few things in the metal line he could
not make. Doctors in that eommuni-
ty in those days were but few, and for
a long time he kept for sale stock of
simple family medicines. No one who
ever knew him well win deny that he
was not of an inquiriRg turn of mind
and given to investigation, and he also
had some talent for invention. The
much talked of nail-making machine
was not an invention of his. His in
ventiOn was q device for feeding a nail
making machine. The machines then
in use did not permit the making of
cheap nail. His invention, attached
to a nail-making machine, as a self
feeder, enabled one man or boy TO do
the work Of a dozen men or boys ia
looking after machine or in feeding it.
Il goes without saying that it was
useful invention. 1t is also certain that
he was uDjustly robbed Of his inven-
ton.
This is said to have come about in
this way: While he was a man Of in
telligenee he was Of con2ding nature.
He judged other men somewhat by
himself, aud he thought other men
were rs honest as he himself certainly
was.
It would seem that he lacked tie
means at that time Of patenting the
machine aud getting it into use. The
writer does not know how expent
sive the obtaining of patent was in
those days nor whether it was at that
time possible as now to protect an in
Yention for a reasonable time by filing
a caveat at a trifiing expense. At any
rate he did exhibit his machine first
among his neighbOrs in the hope that
some one would join him in securing
the patent and getting the invention
into use, but none of these would make
the venture Alter some correspond
enee with firm of patent lawyers he
took his model to Pittsburg, where he
showed it TO several men who were in
the nail-making business, but failed to
enlist their aid
Yet there can be but little doubt hut
that these men saw the merit Of the in
vention, and that some one Of their
number took the good points of his
model and forestalIed him in the pro-
curing of the patent.
The old man and his oldest son both
have always claimed that there was
rascality practiced somewhere in the
matter.
1t is not true that he ever made a
search for any hidden treasure, squan-
dering fortune therein, as many peO-
pie believe. 1t is true that he did make
a search for minerals and metals that
he and others supposed might exist in
that part of Somerset county.
With regard to the search made in
this direction along Pine run, in Green
vile township, the following we be-
lieve is a true account, because it is de-
rived from one yet living, who took
some part in the work, which was done
in 1896.
Something in the nature Of a eompa-
ny had been formed. Altogether S225.OO
had been raised in this way. Three of
the Bluebaughs, each had a shars; a
Mr.. Hare, Of Hopwood, Fayette coun-
ty, had two shares; Frederick Beal-
ll4u anu JOLu tACAyOudlu Adu c1l1 y
share; JOder himself had three shares;
several other persons had each a share.
The primary object OF the search
along the mountain was for iron ore,
which was found, but not in such
quantity as would justify working il.
There were a number Of excavations
made along the run and mountain.
There was one made in the locality
described in this new legend of the
argonauts. but it was not made for the
purpose Of finding any hidden treas
ure-chest- "Die Erd Spiegeln Of Mol
Dell cut no figure This particular ex-
cavation was made to n depth Of per-
hsps eight or ten feet, and was on low
ground and but short distance from
the run, the seepage of whose waters
through the intervening earth and
7 OK strsta could not be kept out Of the
p AMI it had to be abandoned. It is