'W' 



226 GOODYEAR ON GUM -ELASTIC. 



of what remained to be done to perfect the prominent fabrics, 

 and extend the apphcation of the discovery, the extent of which 

 he did not, even then, fully understand, he abandoned the idea of 

 all practical operations as a regular manufacturer, and has since 

 that time confined himself, with a fixed purpose, to perfecting a 

 series of improvements, embracing the various processes, and 

 so far as possible, all the important fabrics and the most im- 

 portant applications of them, so as to form a connected system 

 of inventions, and to render their application as practicable 

 and perfect as the nature of the substance would permit. 



In pursuance of this plan he has granted licenses under his 

 patents, for some few branches of the manufacture, which were 

 first appreciated, and with which the public were familiar. 

 These branches have for the most part been conducted with 

 credit, as well as profit, to the manufacturers, embracing in all, 

 at this time, (1851,) some twenty establishments for the manu- 

 facture of heated or vulcanized gum-elastic, conducted by cor- 

 porations or individuals, under his patents, with the stipulation 

 that the stamp of the patent should be put upon the articles, as 

 the patent law requires. 



In consequence of this public use of his name, it has been 

 erroneously supposed that he pursued the business as a manufac- 

 turer of the goods that are so stamped. This is a mistake which 

 needs to be corrected. The whole manufacture, under these 

 patents, is now conducted by licensees, in different parts of the 

 United States, as advertised by them, and as the labels of their 

 articles indicate. It would be the wish of the writer to pursue the 

 calling of a manufacturer of gum-elastic, as a means by which he 

 might hope to establish a better reputation for the manufacture 

 than others will be likely to establish for it, did not circum- 

 stances conspire to prevent this ; but he must content himself to 

 leave the manufacture to be pursued by others, hoping to obtain 

 such compensation from them as will enable him to devote the 

 remainder of his life, (so far as feeble health and a constitution 

 broken by too close application to the labors of experimenting 

 will permit,) to making application of this substance to the use- 



