PROCEEDINGS OF THE POLYTECHNIC ASSOCIATION. O / 1 



while their minds were occupied with business that required all their 

 attention and abilities, it is scarcely disrespectful to them to say that they 

 will produce a contrast extremely disadvantageous to their own property. 



But it is hardly to be expected that they will come to us, or to me, or to 

 any mere projectors. We must go to them; and it is useless to go until 

 we can propose to build and guarantee, or in some way to demonstrate our 

 theories. Moreover, as the case now stands, since the new arrangement 

 with the Harlem railway, it is necessary to show that they can get leave 

 to run steam. This can be shown most conveniently by building some kind 

 of vehicles for use on pavements and common roads, or for amusement. A 

 few steam cabs, of tlie design shown, to run in the Central Park, would 

 exhibit and introduce this power, and at the same time would be a profitable 

 speculation. 



As a preliminary to the construction of a cab, it would be prudent to 

 practice with my large carriage until we can determine the power required 

 on different roads. To fit up this carriage in the style of a pleasure car- 

 riage, so that it will be allowed to earn money in the Park, and to make 

 the necessary exhibitions, would require from $600 to $1,000; $1,000 ought 

 to be ready, not necessarily to be spent. The exhibition of this carriage 

 would probably satisfy people as to whether it is expedient to follow up 

 the scheme, or to abandon it. Now, I invite, all present to confer with me 

 as to the investment, in this enterprise, of money, talent, or whatever else 

 will promote it. There is already promised to it a great amount of engineer- 

 ing talent, and several pateTit rights. I have for years represented that 

 the English were defeated by the opposition of inventors against each 

 other, and that we are likely to be defeated if we repeat their error; and 

 that it is our duty, as members of a liberal profession, to unite our inven- 

 tions so as to make the best whole, and to unite our means so as to promote 

 the invention most efficiently and rapidly. If we take this liberal course, 

 we may hope that liberal men will assist us by contributions of money, in 

 such ways as may suit their dispositions, abilities and intei'ests. One may 

 give a few dollars, to see an interesting and probably useful experiment; 

 another, instead of giving a little, may hazard considerable; and another, 

 who has nothing but his talent and leisure to spare, may contribute advice 

 and influence. 



The general condition I have proposed, and which is thus far accepted, 

 is that the profit shall be divided, by disinterested and skillful judges, so 

 that every one who assists shall receive what the judges deem his due, 

 after there has been time to learn the relative merit of his invention, capital 

 or other service, by fair and full trial. 



I have found many who say that this condition is honorable, and they 

 will accept it; if they receive less than what they deem their due, they 

 will make no complaint, and entertain no unfriendly feelings towards their 

 associates who have been more fortunate; and they also consider that the 

 profit likely to result from united effort will be so much greater than that 

 likely to result from competition, that if the most deserving gets but halt 

 his just due, he will be better off than if he had struggled in competition, 

 with all the success that sound judgment can anticipate from this invention, 

 now a century old, and modified in many different ways, and mostly free to 



