The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1902-04-03
far held after the war, and was in
| some way lost

far held after the war, and was
some way lost.
} There Is a story told Of Whitney
gin that emanates from Wilkes Coul
ty, Georgia, and which bcals II stril
ing resemblance to the foregoing.
1893 Phincas Miller purchased plan
CatiOn on Upton creek, nlnc miles south
cast from Washington, on which thcr
III fine water power, and set up on
of the Whitney gins. Many witncssc
were attracted thlthcr TO witness th
performance Of the wonderful ma
chine, bat only women were admitted
as a patent had not been granted
Nathan Lyons donncd Il suit of hi.
wifc's clothes, gained admittancc, ant
being a tOlerably fair mechanic, con
structed gin Oh the same principles
as Whitney's. Miller did at one time
own tho Barnett place on Upton crccl
on which he operated gin, but the
latter part of the story of Lyons dis
guising as woman, ETC., appear to be
| apoCrvphal inasmuch as there Is nt
alluslon in any Of the correspondence
or court records to any such occur.
renee. The story about some one
breaking into Whitncy's gin shops and
stealing his models seems equally with
out foundation for same reason.
AS TO the oft-rcpcatcd charge that
Whitney was badly treated at the
South, and especially so by Georgia,
let us, in. good conscience, sec what
foundation exists for the allegation.
Whitney sold his patent right to the
State of South Carolina for $50 900
from North Carolina and Tcnncsseo
he received about $50 900 and So
900, respectively, through arrange
mcnts made with the governments Of
those States, making a total Of $780,
600 which he made from the invention
IN few years and carried North with
him. lie came South without dollar.
In Georgia Miller and Whitney re-
served the right of property in their
gin, at first receiving two-thirds of the
net proceeds, the expense being divid-
cd equally between The patcntce and
the ginncrs. But, as Governor James
jackson Says in a message to the Gcor-
gla Legislature, November ,, $500,
they found defect iu tho law under
which their patent was obtained and
consequently they determined TO sell
the machinery together with their
rights vested III them for 500 each,
and for a license to build and operate
one at the ginncr's expense, they
charged 500. But finding that tho
law was generally understood and that
they could obtain no redress in the
courts they concluded TO reduce The
price to 500. Governor Jackson fur,
thur says: {" am informed from
other sources that gins have been
erected by other persons who have not
lakcn Miller and Whitncy's machine
for a model, but whlch in some small
degree resembles it., and in improve
mcnLs far surpass it, for IT has been
asserted that Miller and Whitney's did
not on trial answer the intended pur.
pose the rights OF these improve
mcnts, however, 1t appears by tho
present act, mclgcd in the rights OF
the patcntccs, who it is supposed, on
the lowest calculation, will make by il
in the two States Georgia and South
Carolina) 800, ,0O0." The act referred
to was passed by Congress, doubtless
for the special purpose of shutting ou
Holmes claim and establishing Whit
ncy's rights to the use of the saw cylin
der instead of the spike cylinder
which he invented. This accounts fol
Holmes not engaging in litigation
His claim had been outlawcd by sp"
cial legislation and il you'd have beer
fruitlcss.
No wonder that Holmes died &
NJ i o,.lx
| disappointed man. lie had lived tt
see the fruits of his toll and genius
snatchcd from him and converted tt
anotlIcr's uses. He had lived to SCI
his wonderful invention rcvolutiOnH
ing tho world, but all the honor, the
glory and the emolumcnts given tt
his hated rival. His name should a
| pear high up on the roll Of fame TO
grther with Watts, Fulton, Arkwrighi
Draper, Marconi and all the great in
vcntors Who have contributed to scicnct
and mech NC arts, thus promoting tht
worlds progress. for he bestowed upol
mankind the ncstlmablc bic: sings O
an cpochal Labor saving device, simple
but The more useful because OF its sim
plicity. And his services to Georgi;
were even more direct ld bcnclicla
than TO the world at large, for The i'm
mediate effect of his invention was Il
Illustrate the designs of Miller am
Whitney, who had determined tQmo
nopolzc the ginning in this State AM
were prevented from carrying out thci
odious scheme by the prolonged, con
tnuous and unaYaIling lawsuits tha
cnsucd as result Of the attempt.
The honor of the worlds rcnownc
invention should be accredited
Georgia and not to Massachusctt:
Tho ashes Of IIodgen Holmes rcpos
Augusta.