Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1845-10-23

DAAA A4D ~ - FAEEN4 S4G ~ IL
Thu Washington Union contains long
account of the Patent Office 10 that city,
10 which the origin and history oftne
present pateoi system ofihe Un9ed States
are traced with mech minuteaess. 1t
first received form from eD Act passed in
1890, entitled Gan Act to promote the
progress Of the useful arts" which enact.
ment constituted toe Secretaries Of State,
Of War, and the Attorney General a
Bontd to whom application was to be
made FIR patents Tor NV and useful in.
ventons, The Act # 1890 continued in
force pntil il was repealed bY an Act pass
e3 IN 1893 Tbs Act, whilst it retained
the general features OF The system as at
first established, made tie Patent Office
an exclusive appendsge Of tho Stale De
partment. IN 1900 the right to pateHts
Ter new inventions was secuted to Aliens
who had resided two years N the United
States; and by an Act passed in 1886 t
was extended to all aiiens--impusBg
up0a them, however, much heavier fees
taan were required to be pald by citizens.
10 tbat year the system underwent com.
plete reorganization. It was then estab.
iisaed as a separate bureau Of tie State
| Department, with an Official heed demon
mated The Commissioner Of Patents. In
al lis leading features the system con.
tlnued the same. A new feature, how
ever, q very great importance, was, by
the Act Of 1886, engraIled upon il. In
every new application for letters patent
for an alleged invention, the Commission.
ef is required to investigate the question
whether or not the invention claimed con.
tains new device and on the result of
that inquiry depends the issue of the pat
ent. II the invention is found to possess
no novelty, the patent is, of course, reIus.
ed. While adding !entold to the labors
of the office, inasmuch as each case re-
qures a review of all similar inventions
IN this and other countries, and some of
them extending over the widest field Of
investigation, this new provision oil the
law has resulted in vast benefit, not only
10 the inventor, but TO the community at
large. 1t has prevented the issue oil in
Vulnerable patents covering old devices,
and consequently has rid the courts of
Justice of an immense amount obligation.
10 1880, and for many years afterwards,
a SINGLE clerk performed all the duties of
the State Department touching the ISSUE
of patents. In 1880 the force of the
Patent Office consisted Of superinten-
dent and two clerks. 1t now has q Com
missioner OF Patents, chief clerk, two
examiners, two assistants, dtaughtsman
an assistant draughtsman, machinst,
two recording clerks, clerk OF accounts,
two copying clerks, messenger, three
watchmen and two laborers. In 1929,
(lhe fist year in which distinct account
Of its receipts was kepi,) the revenues OF
The office amounted only to the sum Of
So 81. For the year ending June
30, l945, the receipts were $4S, 472 Al,
and the expenditures S39,79S OF. The
total amount OF the receipts from 1900 to
June 80, 1915, is $643, SG5 81; expen-
dltures during same period $500, 1914 so
of which $l0S, 600 was expended IN
constructing the present Patent Office
building. Thus there were, on the 30th
June, 1915, $l7o 5ll OF in the treasury
Of the United States TO the credit Of the
I "patcnt fund" With the exception of a
small sum received for copies, &C., the
whole amount of the receipts Of The Pat
ent Office, mentioned above, has been
paid ia By inrenforS. The Patent Office
mas cost the Government nothing excep,
for the erection OF buildings Tor its accom-.
mediation. 1t now pays its way, and re-
,uins a surplus o. Several thousands eve-
ry year to the patent fund.
Besides beng the great head of the
progressive arts, it became. under the adj
min,s,raion Of It's late talented Comms-
sioner, f. l.. Ellsworth, Esq, the gov
crmrntol organ OF that greatest aud most
important OF all tAe interests OF the
countryside agricultural. Otis ser.
vices IN this respect we have oiien had
occasion to speak. The winter in the
! Union suggests lh4t the Office might a so,
with a little expense and addition to its
clerical force, pres Mt TO the country each
year view Of tie progress # msnulac-
lures, mines, and other industrial pursuits,
aud adds ;-"Copious statistics on those
subj c.s could not fail TO furnish vast
amount Of valuable information for the
use ot the statesman and political eeono-
mist"
There were issued from the lst Of MAY
to the 3l-t OF July, lsl5, inclusive l13
patents. during the sanle period Of time
four addu.nal improvements and designs
were patented uud four patents were re-
issued.
a WARr.-Captain Warner has left at
our Office a curiosity from the "ereat
waters" When we first saw the outside