The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-01-26

FOUND 10 be all that was expected OF "
Mr.. Harrington received orders from
the secretary of war TO manufacture a
breech-loading brass cannon out OF an
old neld piece that was sent from
Washington. The design and principles
of this gun were the same as are now
used by the government in the manu-
facture of all large and small cannon.
In addition to the guns mentioned Mr..
Harrington made many valuable de-
signs for the government, notably the
Misunderstanding mimic musket. which
every soldier in the late war knew as
the Springfield rifle. This gun was first
invented and built at Harper's Ferry by
Mr.. Harrington, but the government.
recognizing its value, had duplicate
drafts made and sent to Springfield.
Mass, where the guns were manufac-
tured in much larger numbers, and
after the armory at Harper's Ferry
was abandoned the manufacture of the
guns was continued at Springfield.
which gave them their name, but the
official records will show that Mr.. Her
rington was the inventor and first man
ufacturer of them. Even drafts of all
the tools. etc, used in manufacturing
the gun were sent to Springfield
When the war between the states
came on Mr.. Harrington cast his for
tunes with the 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 in
calculable.
The confederate states government
first sent him to Fayetteville, n. c..
where he established and built an ar
senal and started the manufacture Of
the mimic muslcets for the use of the
Southern soldiers. When this arsenal
was in good working order he was
transferred by the ordnance department
to Macon, and arrived here in 1863. Here
he was made master 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 man
ufacturing machine. The large armory
and laboratory buildings now standing
near Cfump's park, in Yineyil1e, and
known as the ''old laboratory" were
built of bricks made by this machine.
These bricks are to-day the wonder of
closely pressed and of a far better make
and quality than any brick since made
in Georgia. These machines and their
models were destroyed by the federal
soldiers when they captured Macon in
April, 1865.
Altci LIE Val 4hi. lOH GUSdSeu
in business with T. S. Nesbit and de-
signed and extensively manufactured
what was known as the Nesbit cotton
press and designed and manufactured
the machinery with which it was made
The Nesbit estate afterwards realized q
net profit of 1000 on this press. After
Mr.. Nesbit's death Mr. Harrington
made small tools at his home until 1872
when he opened a small shop for their
manufacture and 1t was while at work
in this shop, in 1887, that he died.
AS an inventor and workman Mr.. Her
rington had no superior. and had he
chosen to protect his inventions, he
would have made a vast fortune and
others would not now be enjoying what
was his. An admirer of Mr.. Herring
ton once truthfully said: lie thought
20 years ahead of his time
Mr.. Harrington left number of chill
dren, those now surviving him being
Messrs. H. H. and Leo Harrington, and
three daughters, all of whom are we'll
known and highly esteemed citizens of
Macon.