The Irish standard., 1902-11-29

S~~A~ SA~SJ Wv AOSVAulSAJ SuOs Lie
craftsmen are sure that their plans
were all right, and the fellows that
set her up are sure that all the parts
have been put together properly. Then
I say:
"'Well, let's start her up, then, and
see why the darned thing won't work
Another man who has done much to
boost along the worlds progress, and
is comparatively unknown outside a
limited circle, is Alexander e. Brown
of Cleveland. There is hardly a mine
anywhere Of any kind whose develop.
ment has not been made possible, or
at least, much more profitable and
easy, because of his inventive genius.
He has invented and made more
heavy, laboring saving machinery than
any other man in the world All of
his inventions have been wrought out
on the principle Of saving time and
saving money in the handling of ma
terials at mines, docks, iron and steel
plants, shipbuilding yards, structural
works and railway terminals.
OF his inventions it has been said
that they have so reduced the cost of
transportation in this country by water
and rail, and have so reduced the cost
of labor at blast furnaces aud steel
works, shipyards and bridge works,
that, although the rate Of wages is the
highest, the cost Of labor to the ton
of product in the United States is now
the lowest of any like industry in the
world.
The only other rival in this or any
other country to Mr.. Brown in the
way of inventing and making labor
saving machinery is Duane H. Church,
the master mechanician of the Amer
lean Watch company at Waltham,
Mass. Probably not dozen people
outside those engaged in the making
of watches ever heard of Mr.. Church
until 100 captains of American indus
try were invited to meet Prince Henry
of Prussia at the memorable luncheon
at Sherry's last February.
Mr.. Church's inventions, from the
nature of the business which they have
revolutionized, are infinitely more deli
cate in adjustment than those of Mr..
Brown. While piece Of Mr.. Browns
mechanism will lift a ton Of coal, a
piece Of Mr.. Church's mechanism will
pick up haira 1t has been said of
Mr.. Church's machines, that they do
everything but talk.
I Most men Of science know about
Professor Albert A. Nicholson Of the
department Of physics in the Univer-
sity of Chicago If one We're to walk
up State street, however, during the
rush hour and asked every man and
woman he met if he or she had ever
heard of Albert A. Nicholson, it is
probable that the great physicist would
be found to be an unknown personality
to 900 out of every thousand of whom
the question was asked.
And yet Professor Nicholson has
measured the speed of light; investi-
gated the effect of the motion of the
earth through space on that speed;
shown how many waves of light
could be utilized as an exceedingly
delicate and accurate method of meas
urement as well as a powerful instru-
ment Of research; devised method
whereby light wave may be made
an absolute and invarable ultimate
standard of length and made q new
spectroscope more powerful than any
hitherto known.
These are only few of the men
who have lived and worked for the
advancement of civilization. and the
making Of progress, and the world,
while using the products Of their
brains every day, has known little or
nothing of the personalities which
made these products possible.
The fact that they are generally I'M
known has probably not disturbed any
Of these men, or others like them, to
the slightest degree, but because the
fact is fact, another illustration is
furnished of the truth Of the saying
of the press agent for circus:
eff you want to let folks know
you're living you must paint it across
the sky"