Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-08

lawnmower. He called it the "Archime-
DEAN" which shows that he had his head
ground
The woven wire mattress was first pro-
duced in Hartford. but / cannot find the
name of the inventor.
Samuel Colt a Hartford boy of sixteen
invented the revolver while he was on a
sea voyage. and 1t was used so effectively
by the Texans in their struggle for in
dependence and by Gen. Jackson's troops
while fighting Semnoles in the swamps of
Florida that 1t made him a great fortune.
The business he started has grown into an
enormous armory, perhaps the most I'M
portant of all the Hartford Industries
Christian Sharps of Hartford invented
the breech-loading rife: c. NJ. Spencer, the
repeating rife, and DR.. Richard P. Cat
ling, also OF Hartford. devised a gun that
kills by wholesale and shoots bullets By
showers
For Amelioration of Mankind.
But the inventors Of Hartford were not
always engaged in devising means for the
exterminating of their fellow-men. In-
Vulnerable inventions in Hartford's long list
that have not mentioned were intended to
promote the happiness and welfare OF the
world. to add to the convenience and the
economy of living, to multiply the results
OF the labor and add to the usefulness of
the human hand. Perhaps the most bene-
fetal Of all was the discovery Of anesthesia.
the deadening Of the sensibiiity Of pain by
the Inhalation of gas. in 1884, by DR.. Horace
Wells. Hartford physician. He is the
only inventor whose statue l have found
in this city of Yankee notions and he Is
entitled to all the honor that may be paid
him. A tablet on Main street marks the
site Of the building in which his first ex-
periments were tried. DR.. Wells attended
an exhibition of laughing gas given by
man named Cotton for public amusement.
December 10. 1874, and noticed that per-
sons who had been placed under the in
huence were in no way injured by their
experience. He concluded to try its effect
for practical purposes, obtained a supply
of laughing gas. and induced friend and
colleague, DR.. j. M Riggs. to administer 1t
to him. While he was under the influence
Dr.. Riggs drew one of his teeth. Dr. Wells
did not realize that the operation had been
performed, because he had felt no pain
whatever During the following weeks Dr..
Riggs and himself continued their expert
ments upon each other and upon volunteer
patients. frequently risking their lives to
ascertain the effects, and a few weeks
later DR.. Wells sent a report of his demon
STATIONS to the medical journals. Up to
that time anesthetics had never been used
In surgical operations. but after DR.. Wells
experiments were known they came into
common use.
Birthplace Of the Book Agent.
Hartford was the birthplace Of the book
agent. The name OF the first man who
peddled books from this city by subscrip-
ton has passed out of the memory of the
Oldest tnhabitant and does not appear In
the local histories. But somewhere during
the earlier part of the nineteenth century
an enterprising citizen OF Hartford started
out with sample copy and a blank book,
travelling from house to house, and asking
people to subscribe for the publication for
future delivery: Nor Is 1t certain what
book he peddled; Some Of those who
ought to know believe it was 1.-The Cottage
Bible" so-called because 1t contained SIM
pie commentaries and explanations as mar
g1nal notes. But whatever the book may
have been. the solicitor was so success
full that his example was Immediately fol-
lowed by other Hartford hustlers, and an
enormous business In book peddling grew
up with Hartford publishing houses fur
nishing the goods. At one time the sub
scription book publishers of this city had
$1,000 agents in the field offering from
house to house throughout the entire coun-
try the volumes that were printed here.
Hartford has always been a center of the
printing trade. Webster's Unabridged Die
tionary was printed here. Mark Twains
"Innocents Abroad" which was the first
great success as subscription book, was
published and sold by subscription under
the auspices Of a Hartford house. Rough
ing It." his second success. was written
here at the residence Of his publisher to
catch the wave of popularity that had been
caused by the flrst. For many years. and
until recently. Hartford took the lead in
the subscription book trade.
There have been many successful bust
ness men here. and almost without excep-
ton they have been the highest exam
pies Of integrity.
In politics Hartford has furnished many
national leaders. 1t has seldom been with
out representative in the United States
Senate. And at least four Of its citizens
have been members OF the cabinet. John
NJ. Niles was Postmaster General under
President Van Buren,. and Marshal Jewell
held that Office under President Grant.
Isaac Toucey was Secretary OF the Navy
under Buchanan. and Gideon Welles IN
der Lincoln and Johnson, from 1851 to 1859.