American inventions and inventors . Before we consider his improvements, however, we must note something about thefirst stoves. Another Massa-chusetts boy, born nearly halfa century before BenjaminThompson, also became a sci-entist, inventor, and Franklin was a trav-eler and in many other re-spects was like Count he chose to go with thecolonies when they revoltedfrom Great Britain, and he gaveall his services to his fellowcountrymen. A few years be-fore the birth of Thompson, Franklin made an inventionwhich was the first improved method of heating ha
American inventions and inventors . Before we consider his improvements, however, we must note something about thefirst stoves. Another Massa-chusetts boy, born nearly halfa century before BenjaminThompson, also became a sci-entist, inventor, and Franklin was a trav-eler and in many other re-spects was like Count he chose to go with thecolonies when they revoltedfrom Great Britain, and he gaveall his services to his fellowcountrymen. A few years be-fore the birth of Thompson, Franklin made an inventionwhich was the first improved method of heating had been so-called German stoves before his day,but they were not much used in this country. It was in 1742 that Franklin, while in Philadelphia, de-vised the Franklin stove or Pennsylvania fireplace. Itconsisted of iron sides, back and top, and w^as entirely openin front. A flue was arranged in the back which connectedwith the chimney to carry off the smoke. This movable fire-place was designed to burn wood, comparatively small logs. A FRANKLIN STOVE. HEAT—CHIMNEYS. 35 being used. It had many advantages over the stone fire-place. It was set up nearer the middle of the room, thussending heat out in all directions and warming the entireroom. It saved much of the heat which had previouslypassed directly up the chimney and been lost. In the Penn-sylvania fireplace this heat warmed the iron on the top of thestove and at the back, as well as the flue itself, all of whichwarmed the air in the room. Saving the heat saved woodalso. Franklin himself said: My common room, I know, is made twice as warm asit used to be, with a quarter of the wood I formerly consumedthere. Franklin was offered a patent for his device by the gover-nor of Pennsylvania, but he declined it. He declared thatinasmuch as we enjoy great advantages from the inventionsof others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve othersby any invention of ours. Unfortunately, however, the peo-ple did not obtain from his gen
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