CHAPTER VI. THE EXTENSION OF THE COTTON BUSINESS. "The echoing hills repeat The stroke of axe and hammer; scaffolds rise, Beneath the chisel beauteous shapes assume Of frieze and column; some with even line, New streets are marking in the neighbouring fields, DYER'S FLEECE. "All men naturally think themselves equally wise; and, therefore, as any ship that sails faster than another is said in sea phrase to wrong it, so men are apt to think themselves wronged by those who, with better talents than they, or greater skill in their use, get beyond them." The workmen employed by Mr. Slater, in Pawtucket, took advantage of their opportunity to steal patterns and models of his machines; and in this way, attempts were made to extend the business, in a short time after its commencement at Pawtucket by the firm of Almy, Brown & Slater. Those attempts were generally so weak and ineffective, that they proved ruinous to the adven turers. Wm. Pollard, Philadelphia, obtained a patent for cotton spinning Dec. 30, 1791, which was the first water-frame put in motion; whether he obtained his patterns direct from England, or by the way of Pawtucket, is not certain; but it is indubitable that he could have no claim as the original inventor, nor as the first introducer of the machinery; because it has been shown in the previous chapter that the whole of the machinery was in full operation in Rhode Island, a year previous to the date of his patent. Mr. Pollard's mill was a very early attempt at water-spinning, and I am sorry to have to record, that his business failed in his hands; which retarded the progress of cotton spinning in Philadelphia. Respect and pity are due to the character of a projector -respect, because society owes to it many obligations, and much of the progress of the useful arts must be ascribed to its existence; |