Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-10-26
benefits Of his ingenuity were lost by his

benefits Of his ingenuity were lost by his
failure to secure patents on bis Inventions.
FRANKLIN Wheeler, one of Brattleboro's
Oldest residents, who came here more than
~ years ago, was probably the first in
Vermont to discover the art of god plat
ing Mr.. Wheeler was manufacturer of
window springs and by accident dscov-
cred shining metal in the woods at West
Brattlehoro, which afterwards was pro-
nounced gold, though found in too small
quantities to pay for working it. Mr.
Wheeler also invented revolver in 1921.
According to the late Gov. Fuller, Mr..
Wheeler made the first working model and
then proposed breech-loading six-shoot-
ing revolving pistol, which annotated the
Colt firearms by IA years. Samuel S.
Plke OF Brattleboro invented a portable
cannon during the summer of 1861. which
may have been the conception of the K1upp
double wedge system, embracing also the
single rapid-fre gun. Mr.. Pike undoubt-
edly, as Gov. Fuller once said, gave Sam
uel Colt many point relating to his valua-
BILE inventions and at one time offered to
construct the first revolver for $780, Mr..
Colt thought that too dear, but he after
ward confessed his error of judgment. 1t
has been demonstrated by documentary
evidence that Thomas Davenport, native
OF Williamstown, was the inventor of the
telegraph, the electric motor and electric
railways. He was a blacksmith by trade
and worked in Brandon until 1882. Two
years thereafter he made an electric motor
setting it on top of an earthern drinking
cup. ) He exhibited it. in New York to a
syndicate, who proposed to buy it. Prof.
5 Is. Morse was one of the number who
examined the invention In paper read
before the Brattleboro professional club
several years ago Gov. Fuller said :" Prot
Morse declined to give an opinion other
than this: 1T is certainly worthy of careful
consideration and the subject is one in
which | feel lively interest" Daven-
port also invented 24-wire telegraph for
the sending Of messages over long dis
tances which he had on exhibition in New
York aud which was also examined by
Prof. Morse, the New York Recon der of
1887 saying :"A gentleman of our acquaint-
ance several years since suggested that
any intelligence might be communicated
almost instantaneously hundreds if not
thousands of miles by means of very fine
wire properly coated to protect them from
moisture and extended between places thus
widely separated" The article, which was
quite interesting, is understood to have re-
terred to the invention of Morse and that
of Davenport and Prof. Pope of New York
who saw the model, concluded that Daven-
ports invention furnished the basis of
Morse's future patents. Davenport's
scheme included wire for each letter of
the alphabet and atl ough Morse began to
investigate the single-wire invention in 1885
he had gone no farther than the thought of
the use of magnetism until the 24-wire in
vention of Davenport with the key at one
end for sending the electric current and
the apparatus at the other for registering
was shown him. Morse, however, suisse
quently Invented an alphabet enabling him
to dispense with 20 of Davenport's wires"
Springfield Republican.