Year: 1861




InSeptember, 1906, apoory young mechanic,
just arrived from England, was wandering
about New York in deep detection he was
without money, without friends and without
work and, far from his native home, he
knew not which way to turn. Passing
along Nassau street, an open doorencouraged
him to enter. The proprietor was a very
little man, indeed, perhaps, not FIVE feet
high, but he had pleasant countenance and
large heart for, upon being asked by the
homeless and penniless stranger if he could
direct him to some respectable person who
would board him until he could find employ
ment, and thus obtain the means of pay
ment, the storekeeper, pleased with the
expression and demeanor of the eighteen
year-od boy, had it in his heart to offer him
the desired favor himself; but he had wife,
whom he knew to be woman of rare worth,
for she was prudent, self-denyiDg and
humane. He might have known what
would be her answer, for he had only to
make the proposition in way TO indicate
his own views, and it would have met with
an instantaneous and cheerful acquiescence,
unless from some almost insnperable reason.
The young stranger was admitted into the
family. But the yellow fever was raging in
the city. In less than week the poor lad
was stricken with it, and-recoveredl al
though he was at the point of death for
several days. During his illness he was
cared for by his kind host and hostess, with
an assiduity and watchfulness which only
they know who act from sterling principle
and high humanity


Just quarter of a century later, the same
man was applied to by Major Noah, of
pleasant memory, who was then Surveyor
of the port of New York. to put together "a
machine in the customhouse, and take models
of its various parts. This was done, and the
mecahnic conceived the idea of constructing
a similar article, which should excel any
thing of the kind in the old or new world
for efiiciency-and he succeeded.


He died in 1888. His son succeeded him
in business, and inheriting the inventive
genius of his father, combined with rare
business tact and indomitable energy, he has
added Improvement to improvement, until
he has made the whole civilized world his
debtor. There is not one of all its millions
of families which does not every day derive
great benefit therefrom. 1t carries light to
every household hour by hour is lifting the
degraded and the fallen, and is aiding in the
revolutionizing of all nations which exist by
expressing, wrongdoing and nju tice. But
that machine, what is it Fifty years ago
one might have purchased it entire for
hundread or two dollars common dry
goods box might have easily contained all
its parts; but now, in its perfected state, it
occupies space of fifteen feet high and
and forty feet long it is made of fourteen
thousand seven hundred and thirty parts,
weighs fifty thousand pounds, and costs
thirty thousand dollars. One of its be-
longings, not named above, is thirty thousand
and sixty-three yards of tape The pen
niless English lad was Robert Hoe The
Good Samaritans of Nassau street were
Grant Thorborn and his wife-the latter an
angel now; the former "stil lives in an
honored old age, by seven years over four
score. The machine is Hoes ten cylinder
printing press, as now in operation in the
office of the New York World, and the larg-
est ever made.


The first and only newspaper of our child
hood was printed on press which, with the
aid of three men, turned off forty or fifty
impressions in an honr. When, on the 26th
day of November, 1914, the London Times
announced that it was printed by steam,
which made LOO impressions in an hour.
the whole city was astonshed and the
pressmen themselves looked on in mute
wonder and admiration. But day, through
the agencies of Robert Hoe, the English lad
of 1905, of the kindly Grant Thorburn and
his wife, and Richard NJ Hoe, of New York.
there are made at the Office of the World in
Printing House Square, $1,000 impressions
in sixty minutes. Who can disclaim in
debtedness to those four names? The mer-
chant who sips his coffee at breakfast and
reads the latest news up to two or three
o'clock in the morning, perhaps forgets to
whom he is indebted for that pleasure and
so with the day-laborer, who finds time to
CLEAN from his paper, at cost of one cent,
what is going on through the habtable
globe, ere he salies forth to his daily toll.
Rich and poor, learned and unlearned, all
should remember with respect and gratitude
the heads and the hearts to which every dav
makes them renewed debtors, to wit
Robert Hoe and his son Richard NJ, to
Grant Thorburn and his noble wife,


Reader, remember that kind acts pay; the
influence of each for good drifts over the
sea of time, and will drift till time shall be
no more. Gosforthwith, then, "while the
day lasts,h and perform as many as you
can-Halrs Journal.