Discussing the possible uses for an invention he’s working on and its possible shipment for use in Virginia, in an autograph draft letter (with two dozen or so deletions, corrections, and additions, from single words to entire lines), signed by Read (“N. Read”), February 25, 1819, from Salem, Massachusetts, to “James Madison, Ex-President of U. States, Richmond, Virginia.”
Small 4to (22 cm). Bifolio of four pages, approximately 550 words, in part: [Responding to a recent letter from the Ex-President:] “With a view to ascertain by experiment the use of a machine most notable for different horse power, I am now constructing one at Salem, designed, nearly as I could calculate from theory, for two horse power, which I expect will be completed in about a fortnight … I am at this time uninformed of the extent & population of the counties you mention; but as it would be advantageous & highly gratifying to me to have the machine introduced into Virg. under your auspices, I assure you I shall be very moderate in my terms for the right of using it in the counties named … I ought to know the power you wish to apply that the use of the machine may be adapted to it.” The balance of the letter describes in detail technical aspects of the machine and its parts, concluding with a discussion of shipping one to Virginia rather than having it constructed there. Old fold lines, but very good. Item #70164
Read began a side-career as an inventor in the 1780s that continued well into the 19th century, along the way working on improvements in steam engines, creating a rotary steam engine and a chainwheel for paddle wheels, building a machine that made one-step finished nails, and providing many new machines and improvements for agricultural work, especially windmill, waterpower, and threshing technology. We have not found records of a Madison-Read correspondence.
Price: $500.00