Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-04-30
FRANKLIN, INVENTOR
OF THE STOVE, TO HAVE
NOTABLE MEMORIAL
Achievement of Printer
Philosopher, Which Rev.
olutionized Methods of
Heating, Will Be Cele-
brated in Gas Range
Week.

Philosopher next week, more than lao
years after he announced the working
principles Of the first stove. In connec-
ton with National Gas Range Week,
which opens in this city on Monday, gas
and stove manufacturers throughout the
country will join in a movement TO erect
a tablet in Franklin Institute to proclaim
to the world that Franklin found time TO
invent the original American stove which
was the forerunner OF all the modern ap-
pliances in use throughout the country
today,
Gas Range Week has become a national
movement. From the Atlantic to the
Pacific next week It will be observed with
appropriate exercises by gas range manu-
faoturers in every large city, and 1t Is
expected that large sum will be con-
tributed in the hope of making the tribute
to the inventor Of the stove notable.
PLANS FOR THE MEMORIAL.
The suggestion for the proposed memo
rial was made last year by Charles Farm
ham, advertising manager Of the National
Stove Company. of Lorraine, Ohio. In
letter received today he calls attention
to the fact that until Franklins inven-
tion all heating and cooking were done
by means of fireplaces. Yet of all his
acts, Mr.. Farnham points out, little Of
his revolutionary invention is known. Mr..
Farnham suggests simple memorial
monument in keeping with the sentiment
of the historic philosopher
This would carry out the idea in the
opinion of Mr.. Farnham, who also urges
that some mention be made of the fact
that Franklin made a public gift of his
invention. The monument, he believes.
should carry on the back wall a bas relief
of Franklin and his stove. Bronze tablets
ehn ba ntt IN tal ctn NJ hia
invention, with stone benches and roof
to carry the idea Of shelter, comfort and
repose.
While some of these ideas may be car
ried out, a large majority of the manu-
facturers interested in the project prefer
a bronze tablet in Franklin Institute
Tentative plans for this have been con-
sidered. which call for an unpretentious
slab depicting a woman cooking befor e
the crude forerunner of the stoves utilized
by the modern housewife of today.
Clarence Roberts president of the Rob-
ert Mander Stove Company and one of
the directors of the National Commercial
Gas Association, has conferred in connec-
ton with the projected memorial with
Walton Clark, president of Franklin In
stitute Mr. Clark is in favor of the
establishment of permanent Franklin
Stove Scholarship" for the evening
classes of the Franklin Institute.
ANCIENT BOOK TELLS STORY.
Mr. Clark resurrected book from
Franklins pen as little known as his
historic invention. which the volume de-
scrlbes in the quaint language and type
OF the time II came from the printers.
This book was first published in Phila-
delphia in 17i5. The title Is "Experiments
and Observations on Electricity. 49, =.
The portion devoted to the description
nf he ua
IAN account of the new invented Penn
sylvanian fireplaces; wherein their con-
struction and manner of operation is
particularly explained: their advantages
above every other method of warming
rooms demonstrated. and all objections
that have been raised against the use
of them, answered and obviated. with
directions for putting them up and for
using them to the best advantage; and
a copper plate, in which the several parts
of the machine are exactly laid down
from scale of equal parts, first printed
at Philadelphia, in 1745,"
FRANKLIN EXPLAINS INVENTION.
In the pages devoted to a description
Of his invention. Franklin shows that he
had made an exhaustive study of the
principles of combustion, and gives in
dications of having discovered some of
the theories which subsequently resulted
in the invention and development of
modern superheated boilers. To a mod
ern reader the diagrams he furnished
with the pages prove slightly mystifying,
but his stove was fawless for the time
According to historians, the new nven-
ton quickly replaced fireplaces when
the astounded early Colonials were con-
WINGED Of its practlcabllity. 1t became
the forerunner of the modern stove, and
was the first successful one of the kind
used In America satisfactorily. as "a
heating appliance setting away from the
wall as a unit by itself"
A significant prophecy in the light of
modern developments is made by the
noted inventor in the pages OF his
volume as follows: by the help OF this |
saving invention, our wood may grow |
as fast as we consume 1t. and our pos
terity may warm themselves at a mod |
crate rate without being Obliged TO |
fetch their fuel over the Atlantick. as IL |
pit coal should not be discovered (Which |
II an uncertainty. they must necessarily |
do"
FranklIn's book and explanations rela- |
tive 10 erecting the stove go into the |
principles of his invention They describe |
a stove having for It's main principle an |
air chamber. BY an ingenious number OF |
passages this Is kept free from smoke. |
and for the first time utilizes the radla- |
ton OF tire from every point. The |
stove possessed two top plates through !
Whlen most OF the heated air came ana |
quickly displaced the open-hearth fire In |
popularity for cooking.
"A false back, erected in the fireplace, |
iessened the effect OF the draft OF the |
big chimneys IN vogue at the time. while |
a passage underneath the stove allowed |
for the ingress OF fresh air. The inven-
tor In his description holds out as one |
or the most notable features of his stove |
the fact that the room wherein II was To- |
Gated was kept free from bad air, House |
holders OF that age were probably |
aEtounded at his naive announcement |
that the fire would remain lit all night |
without rskindling in the morning"
Among the most interesting passages /
Inventions were the following;
Heat may be separated from the smoke |
n well as from the light by means OF a /
plate Of iron (the first stove lid which /
Wiil suifer heat 10 pass through It with
out the others"
u suppose our ancestors never thought /
Of warming rooms to sit In all they pur-
posed Was 70 have q place 70 make a hFs i
ID b. which they might warm themselves
when cold" 7"
TO avoid the several Inconvenience at
he came time retain All the advantages
n other nreplacss was contriyed the
Pennsylvania fireplace now to be de-
Princeton Club Settles for Property
The Princeton Club. OF Philadelphia.
- q settlement Yesterday for the pur- /