Evening journal., 1911-05-08
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
When a Famous Inventor
PraCtiCed What He
Preached
Nv 0HoIIand0
By "HolIaDd.r

u knew the inventor of the sewing
machine well. ] remember as though
it we're yesterday tho day Elias Howe
came 20 Bridgeport. Conn. looking for
a site for his sewing machine factory.
lie was a queer looking man. very
thick set, with long curly hair. and
that day. and often after, when ] got
70 know him intimately, ! was struck
with the resemblance between him and
the popular likenesses Of Benjamin
Franklin. That likeness was not only
in Howe's features, but also in his
way Of looking at life. He was as prac-
tical a man as Franklin himself, and,
like Franklin. Howe was blessed with
great deal Of common sense
Il could tell you many interesting
stories Of Howe continued the late
Abner l.. Train. member of Ysle's
famous class Of 1853 and afterwards
noted Connecticut editor-"how, for
example, after he had won his patent
fights IN the courts Of the United
States his income increased in year
from about FIVE hundred dollars to
three hundred thousand dollars. But
the most interesting story know
about Howe is connected with the
Civil War.
when the war broke out-by that
time Howe was one Of the rich men OF
the country, and one Of its leading
manufaciurers-he became tremend-
ously excited Not even in the heat of
his patent suits could any one remem-
Der having seen him so worked up
and he backed UP his words i'm favor
Of the Union by giving his time freely
to the cause and advancing a great
deal Of money TO the State for the pur
pose of equipping its soldiers. He also
contributed literally 10 bounty funds,
and, It is suspected looked after the
family Of more than one boy at the
front
well, things had gone on this way
with Howe for about a year when he
began 10 say vehemently TO his friends
that every ablebodied man under fifty
years of age ought not only to give
what time and money he could to the
Union cause, but should also enlist,
adding that he proposed at the first op-l
portunity to practice what he preach
ed
at the time regiment was being
enlisted in Western Connecticut for a
three years service. It was to be the
Seventeenth Connecticut Volunteers. !
One day who should walk into 2 place
where enlistment was going on for this I.
regiment but Elias Howe. No one was
surprised TO see him there. for every |
one knew how jealous he was in behalf /
of the North But when he walked up /
to the enlisting officer and said in a /
quiet voice that he desired to enlist |
for three years every one was immedi- |
ately seized with astonisbment. I want |
TO enlist as a private he added. and in
silent amazement the pen was handed .
70 him and he wrote his name with a
firm hand upon the enlistment roll
with the regiment this man was
then worth at least a million dollars
five years later his estate was inven- T
toried at two millions-this man who
was one Of the famous inventors of /
the world. and one of the leading
manufacturers of the New World--was
mustered in as a private some time
later and carried q knapsack on his /
back and a musket over his shoulder /
TO the front But before he did that. I
he gave further strong evidence of /
his love for the Union There was some
delay or difficulty about raising the /
needed funds 10 equip the Seventeenth /
properly suppose because of some ,
procrastination at Washington. But /
what ever the cause of delay. when /
Howe heard Of IL he almost secretly |
advanced the needed funds
When he marched away with the
regiment Mr.. Howe looked enthusi- !
astically forward to the day when he
might be able to do something for his
country on the liue of battle But after
he had been in service = little while
the surgeons Of the regiment discover
cd that he was not In the best Of
health-iu fact. was not At, physically
for military duty So, to the deep dis
appointment of Mr.. Howe. he was
compelled 20 retire from the army. I'm
which. so far as 7 know. he WAS the
only millionaire who chose 10 en-
roll himself as q private
Copyright, 1911, by r. J Edwards All
rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will toll Of
"The Turning Point In the Career Of
an American Biographer."