Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-18

NiS1On
After further consideration the House
adjourned without action, but the next day
Mr.. Conger called 1t up, and the bill was
passed without opposition. When it reached
the Senate, Mr.. H. b. Anthony of Rhode
Island took lively interest in its con-
s'deration and It was finally adopted by
Yeas, -; nays, II.
Incorporated In the District.
The bill signed by the President on
the 2ist of January, 1878. 1t Incorporates
the Loomis Aerial Telegraph Company,
with Mahlon LOOMS, Alex Elliott, VIM. N.
Chamberlain of Washington city, p. r.
Amidon of Boston and Isaiah Lukens of
Delaware as corporators with full powers,
limited, however. to the District of Column
bia and not to be exercised within any
state except by its consent. The capital
stock 100000, with limit of 81
900. 1t declares the business and
objects of the corporation shall b. to de-
velop and utilize the principles. and pow
ers of natural electricity to be used in tele-
graphing, generating light. heat and motive
power, and otherwise to make and operate
any machinery run by electricity for any
purpose. r-
Loomis now having obtained his patent
and act of Incorporation devoted himself
wholly to the promotion of his enterprise,
but the times Were unpropitious. The great
financial collapse took place In New York
and capitalists could not be induced to
venture in such a chimercal project as
charter to the District of Columbia was eS-
pecially unfortunate and ruinous.
Having sacrificed health, money and bus
mess to this great idea, after several years
struggle he retired to a farm in Virginia to
await the day when others more fortunate
than he should reap the glory.
Loomis' Early Life.
Mahlon Loomis was born in Oppenheim,
near Gloversville, Fulton county, N y, on
the Dist of July, 1876. He was a son of
Prof. Nathan Loomis of Springfield, Mass
He afterward removed to Butternuts,
Lewis county N Y His grandfather was
a Baptist clergyman. and had large fam
lily of children and grandchlldren' Whch ne
kept together and all lived in one mousse,
which had fifty rooms. At length he de-
cded to migrate and went to Sprlngyale,
near Lewinsville, about twenty miles from
Washington, and purchased a large tract
which he divided, giving each of his sons
farm. At that time MahlOn LOOMS was
about ten years old. He had the beneht o.
the district school, but his education was
almost wholly derived from his grandIath-
er's and fathers libraries and their in
structions, for they We're both men of GU
ture, of New England stock, and fully
versed in both modern and ancient history
and literature, and possessed remarkable
aptitude for imparting knowledge. Be
tween the age of seventeen and twenty
Mahlon taught the district school lie
used to delight in going to Washington,
listening to the debates in Congress and
searching the libraries.
He always of mechanical turn,
which led him, by the advice of his father,
to direct his attention to dentistry. and
when twenty he decided to go to Cleveland,
Ohio, and enter the office of an old friend
of his father, DR.. Wright, who was sue
cessful practitioner in that city. He ac-
compished his journey to Cleveland partly
on foot and by help from passing farmers
or other who would give him a meal or a
ride for a few pennies or his pocket knife
h pI ha rod with fnr, h
Prncticed His Profession.
After staying two or three years with Dr.
Wright he went to EarlviIe, n. Y. where
he commenced the practice of dentistry.
His father having been appointed a com
putor in the United States nautical alma
nae office. then located at Cambridge,
Mass, Mahlon removed to Cambridgeport,
where he established himself in his pro-
fession and practiced it very successfully
for several years. Il was here that he in
vented the celebrated mineral plate teeth,
which he patented in the United States,
Great Britain and France and which gave
him high standing in the profession.
He married in 1876 AChsah Ashley of
Springfield, Mass and went to Phladel-
phia to introduce his patent, which he did
most successfully, and in November of the
same year he came to Washington and
nue., near the corner of 9th street, and prac-
ticed his profession for a period of over
twenty years. He had great inventive
genius, and during this time patented sew
eral inventions of value.
He had a sanguine temperament was of
a social and kindly nature. generous to a
fault, on intimate social terms with
some of our most prominent citizens, such
as DR.. James G. Hall, Peter Force, John w.
FOrney, Prof. Simon Newcomb, VIM. II.
Seward and others.
Trusted fn'thc Future.
He died of heart failure at the country
residence Of his brother, Judge George
LOOMS, at Terra Alta, W Va, October IS.
1856, at the age of sixty, after an illness Of
only week. His brother remarks
During his last illness he was uplifted and
strengthened by the consciousness that the
world would some time understand and
realize the grandeur of his discovery He
seemed TO be indifferent to his having
the glory and renOwn OF il, but he wanted
mankind to enjoy the fruits of his diScOV-
cries, maintaining that it would be the
means IF establishing brotherhood among
the nations and races that nothing else
could accomplish. and would give to the
children Of men grander and truer concep-
tons of Deity than now prevailed. There
one thought that at times brought sad
ness to his heart 1 know that ] am by
some, even many, regarded a Crank-by
some perhaps a fool-for allowing my
self to the sacrifice of material advantages
to abandon a lucrative profession and pur-
sue this ignis fatuuS, but | know that | am
right, and if the present generation lives
long enough their opinions will be changed
and their wonder Will be that they did not
perceive it before. l shall never see it per-
fected-but it will be. and others will have
the honor of the discovery. Still, do not
care for that-eXcept it would be gratifying.
| confess, to live to see the world acknOwl-
edge that | am at least sane: or at least
such a crank God employs to move the
world. By combining myself to the ordinary
routine of affairs | could have made, no
doubt, a comfortable living, even more than
a compptrprV-rhpD passed and be
forgotten-but an impulse has driven me
that / could not resist.
ART NOTE