Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-11-18
GREAT AMERICAN INVENTORS
List Extends from Benjamin
Franklin to Thomas Edison.
Few Have Reaped the Financial Benz
efts That Their Work Warranted
whitney and the Cotton Gin a
Noted Example.

We have learned that necessity is the
mother of invention" and with this in
mind we can safely say that invention
began with the world. From the first few
of the materials have been used exactly
as originally found, and to-day we are
glad to And the announcement that Is
given for new developments. writes Betsey
NJ. Buell in the Philadelphia Public Led
ger.
Think of the way Benjamin Franklin =
first efforts were met. Stepping from the
boy, who dipped candles to the man, who
invented lightning conductors was a long
step. but, perhaps. the most pathetic
event OF his life was during the period
OF 1742. which he spent In Philadelphia,
where he devised the Franklin stove"
1t was a wonderful arrangement for those
days, and a great advantage over the
fireplace. as this could be used In tho
center of the room. He declined a pat
ent as he wished to give the people the
benefit, but his generosity was not allowed
to count, as a London manufacturer made
some inferior changes--not improving II
in the lcast-Ibut he obtained a patent and
kept the profit for himself.
Probably none OF the first inventions az
fected this country more than that OF the
cotton gin. Eli whitney was one Of the
10 children in the family. and It was in
the shop where the older ones worked
that he became skilful in the use OF ma
chinery He began BY repairing adde's,
and did It so we'll that soon the inhabit-
ants Of the whole country side came to
him. At the age Of 10 years he made the
first machine for manufacturing nails.
While in Georgia. as tutor. the mother
of his pupils suggested that Whitney
should be asked to invent a process for
cleaning cotton. He could make or mend
anything In the toy line, she knew from
his demonstrations. At first he refused.
with the explanation that he did not know
a cotton seed when he saw one But Mrs.
Green gave him a room where he could
experiment.
PLANTERS STOLE INVENTION.
The model was completed in 1898, and
was to be kept entirely away from the
curious public until a patent could be OBJ
tained Soon the crowds about the house
became uncomfortable. while later the
place was broken into and the result of
all his efforts was carried away. AS a
consequence the planters began to use II
without even word Of thanks. 1t was
not until 1900 that Whitney was able to
obtain recognition from the southern
planters. Then in 1912 a renewal OF his
patent was refused. and thus he failed
to realize the amount to which his inven-
ton really entitled him.
Inventions appear to be a case OF try,
try again" No doubt Robert Fulton
thought this when he awoke one morning
and learned that his first steamboat had
como down as rapidly as a rocket goes
up. The machinery proved too heavy.
But he began his try again" process and,
at last. when the Cermont Travelled from
New York at the rate of $50 miles in 80
hours she was considered a great success.
although 1t is difficult to imagine this In
an age noted for rapidity.
Another experiment that was a long
time perfecting was that Of the friction
matches But John Walker In time,
brought them to a state where each in
dividual used about a Thousand matches
apiece each year. This applied of course,
TO America.
1t was In 1895. that another discovery
was made that concerned fire; this was
the patent Of the revolver by Samuel Colt.
He was a sailor at the age Of Is years,
and 1t was then that his attention was
called to firearms. He afterward built
that most extensive weapon factory at
Hartford.
SUCCESS FROM FAILURE.
One Of the next important patents was
that OF vulcanizing rubber and with which
We connect the name OF Charles Good
year. Amid poverty and ridicule he pa
tiently pursued the experiments, which
ended In 1874 In the issue of his patent
He aftsrward discovered new uses till 1t
required 90 patents to secure his inven-
tions and bis materials were applied to
about 800 uses, while he gave employment
In the United States. England, France and
Germany to $1,000 persons
1t was about this time that Samuel
Morse perfected his plan for employing
electromagnetic in telegrphy. His Ger
tainly was a checkered career, He very
much wished to be a portrait painter. and
at one time was professor Of ine arts In
the University Of the City Of Now York.
but at the age Of Al years began expert
iioiltS WIN VicStIlC tcicBEsLply. ne tOll0U
long and patiently to form an alphabet OF
marks and dots Then eventually he OBJ
tanned a patent for It. but he did not
have money enough to put tho invention
in operation. He was 70 reduced inan-
cialiy at one time that he was without
food for "a hours.
ROWE AND MCCORMICK
Elias Howe was another much unap-
preciated inventor. His sowing machine
was taken to England and the right sold
because OF encouragement here. This WA
about 846. But he afterward gained con-
troll, and great financial success was the
result which we have so often found lack
Ing from the life work Of so many other
men.
Perhaps with the growing agriculture
interest 1t was natura, that improvements
should be made there. 1t was in 1851. at
the worlds fair. England. that Mr.. Nc
Cormick's reaping machine was given a
trial Other makes failed. due to heavy
wet grain, and the farmers laughed Mt
the American for wishing to try. but his
demonstration placed his machine I'm the
front ranks.
II was some 10 years later that Richard
Calling came forward with his gatling
gun. The Germans cannot take all the
credit for war inventions. for this revolv-
tu,~ hotta,,, o,,p xvou adoDtcd nv aeyeral