Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1855-02-03
A Catalogue of Marvels.

From the report of the Patent Office, the Wash
ington Cotton Plant complies List of wonders:
me report explains the principles of the celebrated
Hobbs lock. Its "unpickabilty" depends upon
secondary Or false set of tumblers. which prevent
instruments used in picking from reaching the real
ones. Moreover the lock is powder-proof and may
be loaded through the key-hole and fred off until
the burglar is tired of his fuitess work, or fears
that the report of his explosions will bring to view
his experiments, more witnesses than he desires.
Doors and shutters have been patented, and can
not be broken through with either pick Or sledgs
hammer The burglars occupations gone"
A harpoon is described, which makes the whale
illhimseH The he pulls the line, the deeper
goes the harpoon.
An ice making machine has been patented which
goes by steam engine. In an experimental trial,
it froze several bottles of sherry, and produced
blocks of ice of the seize of cubic foot, when the
thermometer was standing at so degrees 1t is
calculated that for every ton of coal put into the
furnace, it will make ton Off ice.
From DR.. Gales examiners report, we gather
some idea Of the value Of patents. A man who
had made slight improvement in straw cutters,
took model Of his machine through the western
States, and after tour of eight months returned
with forty thousand dollars. Another had machine
to thrash and clean grain, which in fifteen months
he sold for sixty thousand dollars. These are
binary cases-whie such inventions as the telegraph,
the planting machine and India rubber patents, are
worth millions each.
Examiner Lanes report describes new electrical
inventions. Among these is an electrical whaling
apparatus, by which the whale is literally Z" shocked
to DEATH" Another is an electro magnetic alarm,
which rings bells and displays signals in case of
fire, or burglars. Another is an electric clock,
which wakes you, tells you what time it is, and
limits lam fnry OF hour MIC
There is "sound gatlferer," sort of huge ear
trumpet to be placed in front of locomotive,
bringing to the engineers ear all the noise ahead,
perfectly distinct notwithstanding the rattle of the
train
There is an invention that picks up pins from
confused heap, turns them all around with their
heads up, and sticks them in paper in regular rows
Another goes through the whole process Of cigar
making, taking in leaves and turning out the pure
article
One machine cuts cheese another scours knives
and forks; another rocks the cradle and seven or
eight take in washing and ironing.
There is parlor chair patented, that cannot be
tipped back on two legs, and railway chair, that
can be tipped back in any position without legs
at all.
Another patent is for machine that counts the
passengers in an omnibus, and takes their fares.
When very fat gentleman gets in, it counts two,
and charges double.
There a variety of guns patented, that load
themselves; fish line, that adjusts its own bait
and rat trap, that throws away the rat, and then
bats itself and stands in the corner for another.
The truths of the Patent Office are stranger that
fiction
There is machine, also, by which a man prints
instead of writing his thoughts. 1t is played like
piano. And, speaking of pianos, it is estimated that
nine thousand are made every year in the United
States, giving constant employment to one thousand
nine hundred hands, and costing over two millions
Of dollars.
THE DurcHMAN's VIoLINs.-Near Pittsburg,
there lives an aged Dutchman, named Jacob Hem
man, who, by his industry, accumulated a large
property. The old man is at all times ready to
yield up his substance literally for the support Of
schools. He regards it as his duty to do this feel
ing the want of education in his own case
A gentleman called upon Jacob not long ago, to
ask his aid in establishing an academy in an adj
joining county, and in the course of his appeal to-
the old mans philanthropy he casually observed
that there were many words in the English Ian
guage which signify the same thing, and chat it Was
necessary for boys to learn them from books.
"schtop- schtop-I knows dat" said Jacob;
"now I ten you how knows dat Some dwenty
years ago, goes down to Fiadelfy NIT my wagon
kits him, and up in de top Of de mountain he
sdcks fast in de moot. Den I takes off all my
goots and puts him by de side Of de road. Veil,
Mishter schoolmaster, I feels one light parcel and
I say to myself, Dere, dem poys in Macalester's
store in Filadelfy, play on ME anodder drick, dey
send one empty parrel by me clear to Bittsburk.'
Vel dakes the parrel and puts him on his het up,
and see him mark Violins.' Den I say it was one
drick, because 1 knows there was no such man IN
T ,,cl v,,S&
myself for peing made such fool Of dart choost
dake my axe and prake de empty parrel all into
little smashes. Now, mishter schoolmaster, vat
YOU dink vas in dat parrel, mark to Mr.. Violins
Fittles sure, (fddles) ftthes. Hoontret tosafs to
one Frenchman, shoost because I did not know dat
violin and fttle vas de same ding. Now give one
hoontiet tof1ars for your poy school. Here ISL de
money. -.
NAPOLEON H." The same man who landed at
Boulogne in 1916 with single steamer and few
friends on desperate and abortve expedition, re-