Says Mr. J.G. Briggs, in the _American Engineer:_ "Of its origin nothing is known." Also the invention is attributed to "Benjamin Baleh." I can give you the true history of the "steam jack." It was invented by my grandfather, John Bailey, of Hanover, Plymouth County, Mass. He was a minister of some note in the Society of Friends, or Quakers.--a man of superior mental ability, but poor in purse, for, like all early inventors, he reaped but little pecuniary benefit from his inventions. Among those inventions was the first iron sink in this country--if not in the world. A few years ago that sink was in use at his old home in Hanover. He also invented the crooked nose for the tea-kettle. Previous to that the nose was straight. Both sink and tea-kettle were cast at the Middleborough foundry. When he made the steam-jack he said, "In less than fifty years the common mode of travel would be by steam." People called him "steam mad." But about the jack. We have one in our possession of which your cut is an exact copy. We have used it several times. We also have the parchment _patent_, of which I send you a copy. The jacks were not in general use, for soon after the invention the "tin kitchen," or "Dutch oven," as it was sometimes called, was introduced, and superseded the jack entirely, as people were afraid of being blown up by steam. The patent says, "John Bailey, of Boston," showing that at that early date Boston was considered the _Hub_, and that it was considered a good thing to hail from there. Hanover is about twenty-four miles from Boston. Trusting I have not wearied you, I am, ANNA M. BAILEY. Bleak House, Lynn, Mass., May 12. COPY OF PATENT. _United States_.