20 GOODYEAR ON GUM-ELASTIC. 



the different fabrics, or of a variety of them. The writer does 

 not mean to say, that in all cases the articles will hereafter be 

 made of the same fabrics, and by the same methods which are 

 at present adopted ; but that thus far such fabrics are found 

 best for such uses, and that the specimens are now made of 

 such fabrics and upon the plan described, which in most cases, 

 it is believed, will be found at any future time to be the best 

 method of manufacture. 



In nearly all cases where drawings are given, there is some 

 novelty in the article, or some peculiarity in the construction, 

 on account of which they are thought necessary to the descrip- 

 tion, in order that all may understand them. Among the appli- 

 cations there are included quite a number of inventions made 

 by other individuals, for the successful operation of which, these 

 fabrics have been found necessary. He has given the names 

 of inventors in all cases where he has been able to ascertain 

 them, and has placed his initials to those inventions only, which 

 he believes to be exclusively his, omitting to do this in cases 

 where the original ideas were suggested by others, notwithstand- 

 ing that they were wholly demonstrated by himself If the 

 applications appear too numerous to have been made by one 

 individual at one time, it will be remembered that the labors of 

 fourteen years are herein summed up. This work is not made 

 of speculative theories and specifications of things supposed 

 possible to be done, but it consists principally of facts fully 

 demonstrated by actual experience. 



Although it will be impossible that the various markets can 

 be supplied with many of the articles for a long time to come, 

 yet any or all of them can be obtained by specially ordering 

 them from the respective licensees of the inventor, according to 

 the branches which they have severally undertaken to prose- 

 cute. It may be thought, by some, that there is an indiscrimi- 

 nate recommendation of the different fabrics, for different 

 uses, but such is not the fact. It is believed that in most, 

 if not in all cases, there is a good reason for the selection and 

 recommendations made of particular fabrics for particular 



