STORIES OF USEFUL INVENTIONS
Thomas Edison
Guglielmo Marconi Alexander Graham Bell
Sir Henry Bessemer
Benjamin Franklin Hudson Maxim
Robert Fulton
STORIES OF
USEFUL INVENTIONS
S. E. FORMAN
AUTHOR OF "A HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES,"
"ADVANCED CIVICS," ETC.
THE CENTURY CO.
1911
The Century Co.
Published September, 1911
PREFACE
In this little book I have given the history of thoseinventions which are most useful to man in hisdaily life. I have told the story of the Match,the Stove, the Lamp, the Forge, the Steam-Engine, thePlow, the Reaper, the Mill, the Loom, the House, theCarriage, the Boat, the Clock, the Book, and the Message.From the history of these inventions we learnhow man became the master of the world of naturearound him, how he brought fire and air and earthand water under his control and compelled them todo his will and his work. When we trace the growthof these inventions we at the same time trace thecourse of human progress. These stories, therefore,are stories of human progress; they are chapters inthe history of civilization.
And they are chapters which have not hithertobeen brought together in one book. Monographs onmost of the subjects included in this book have appeared,and excellent books about modern inventionshave been written, but as far as I know, this is the[vi]first time the evolution of these useful inventionshas been fully traced in a single volume.
While preparing the stories I have received manycourtesies from officers in the Library of Congressand from those of the National Museum.
S. E. F.
May, 1911.
Washington, D. C.
CONTENTS
| PAGE | ||
| The Foreword | ix | |
| I | The Match | 3 |
| II | The Stove |