£06 
• ^tm?n Engine. 
I renewed my studies with increased ardor, and soon 
declared that I could make steam wagons^ and endeavor- 
ed to communicate my ideas to others ; but however 
practicable the thing appeared to me, my object only ex- 
cited the ridicule of those to whom it was made known,, 
But I persevered in my belief, and confirmed it by expe- 
riments that satisfied me of its reality. 
In the year 1780, I petitioned the legislature of Penn^ 
sylvania for the exclusive right to use my improvements 
in flour mills, as also steam wagons, in that state. The 
committee to whom the petition was referred, heard me 
very patiently while I described the inill improvements, 
but my representations concerning steam wagons made 
them think me insane. They, however, reported favor- 
ably respecting my improvements in the manufacture of 
flour, and passed an act granting me the exclusive use of 
them as prayed for. This act is dated March , 1787, 
But no notice is taken of the steam wagons. 
A similar petition was also presented to the legislature 
of Maryland^ Mr. Jesse Hollingsworth^ from Baltimore^ 
was one of the committee appointed to hear me, and re- 
port on the case, I candidly informed this committee of 
the fate of my application to the legislature of PennsyU 
vania^ respecting the steam wagons— declaring, at the 
same time, without the encouragement prayed for, I 
would never attempt to make them ; but that, if they 
^voukl secure to me the right as requested, ^ would, as 
soon as I could, apply the principle to practice ^ and I 
explained to them the great elastic power of steam, as well 
diS my mode of applying it to propel wagons, Mr, Hol^ 
IrngsiVQTth very prudently observed, that the grant could 
injure no one, for he did not think that any man in the 
World liad thought of such a thing before : he therefore 
wished the encouragement might be afforded, as there 
was a pros]?ec-t that it vroulcl produce something usefuL 
