The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-09-30

Ne Iata O. nniaiDcn ~. = lae1 s s'ss'
n. 3. s. - ~ s.. ssa.z CO n
Memorable 'Charsss 3lasda ~ n htnissioass{
er Of Patents, that We thody ks they yeae I
interested in knowing scsaeihing q - resr q
W6sccotdihgly ptsssst herewith lan ems
rravea uorfrnif 81 IL aiet;ngnishea 6eotla-s |
Sans 1890 11tk = lew fAC(s concerniqe |
Ma nu;s1ic life and his administrators q \
06miuiouer. The likeness 10 an excellesstl
Judes Mason 10 native Of fhS State of |
NaW YQrk, haviug, been born in OuDndaga |
nnty4 Nffing lSay life he spent four |
years ct the military academy at We4 Point |
where he graauats& * 81 II iiigl!
BILE honor, and received Immediately AFTER !
advertisement - Professor in the 6aAaeius 4
stitnfiOn, which he held for about three
.yesxs. After this he cnaaaedin the study of
Che law, and for come time resided in thc tii 4
lage Of Newburg, N. ", where he carried on
the duties Of his profession. Il
81 ana as charge e. ssu Of i .Ss Even
ing Post, during Mr.. Byrants absence Its
generally allowed that he discharged the du
ties Of an editor with that same thorough
mass, earnestoess and exoeNeYee phich has
charadteriscfl his lie ID eyb& Alpation in
which NE has been placed Subsequent TO
this he removed to Iowa, and in 1888 was
tapbeint6a Chat Justice Of that Territory,
which Office he filed for nearlyx ten years,
With great credit, and to the.N pt sdvan-
go a the pnblic - If~aS - sAis man
ner he obtained the title Of Judge Macon
During the period Of hiseanployment a. Com
missioner Of Patents, he was engaged ~ Law
Commissioner to prepare code of Laws for
Iowa. which has received On unqualified APP
probation of all who have examined its vari-
| GUS requirements.
Judge Mason was appointed to the Office
Of commissioner Of Patents in March 1858,
and held the post for little more than four
years. 81
The Patent ONCE was in state Of great
confusion when Judge Mason assumed its
administration. This was due, in part, tOinss
congruity in ito rules and fegulationo, and al
60 to Q want of numerical force II - en-
ployees. Applicants for patents were COM
PEELED to wait from six to twelve months be
fore their cases received examination. One
Of the earliest acts of the new Commission.
or was to double the examining corps, and
to augment the help in other departments.
New and efficient rules were adopted and
the workings of the entire business were
/ made better to harmonic Under the new
regime, the previous confusion and delays
wholly disappeared, and the Patent Office be.
came distinguished for the promptness and
regularity of its transactions. sa
Appeals formerly heard by examiners, af
ter long delays were now listened to by the
Commissioner in person, ut . moments mo-
tice. The eaee with which he penetrated
the mysteries of chemical inventions, or un-
rayeled the complexities Of difficult mechan-
| ical improvements astonished every one
| He was prompt and fearless in his decisions
He believed that the Patent laws were insti
ttuted for fhe benefit and encouragement of
tinyentors, and he interpreted them accord
Eingly. IL he was uncertain a. to the novely
fty Of an Invention. he gave the benefit of his
doubt 70 the inventor and ordered the patent
10 issue The inventor sensitive and smarting
under the sting Of some i'll Judged decision by
nm examiner, found o soothing balm for all
his woes when he came into the presence of
Judge Mason. He was as father to inven-
torS. Heneyer knowingly allowed an un-
l3ust rejection to stand. Mucha of his time
was devoted to the repeal of decisions by
illiberal exa,ninera He paid no attention
to Office hours Many ainidnight hour has
found him industriously engaged in the ex-
animation Of appeals, collected perhaps by
some humble unpretending aHr1icnnt To
him allapplicants for patents we're alike.
1.-The manifested any Partially at all, it was
in favor of the poor and helpless
The number ofapplicati0ns for patents
made during the year preceding Judge Ma
| sons appointment was 1853 The number
of applications for the present year is esti-
mated at 5000 This remarkable increase
may be attributed, to great extent, to the
wise government of the affairs Of the depart
ment by the Commissioner
The annual Patent Reports were former
~ meagre, uninteresang volumes. Judge
Mason caused them to BE illustrated with
diagrams of all the inventions patented du-
ring the year His report to Congress for
1856 will consist Of four handsome volumes.
1t was his desire to see all the patents, with
their drawings, Published in full by the gov
eminent But he did not remain long 0.
nough in Office to carry out the Gigantic en-
terprise.
The following extract from contemporary
gives correct idea of Judge Nason's person
"In.sperson, Judge Mason is tall and erect,
with strong, thick brown hair, O. counten-
ance highly expressive of rapid and ener-
getic thought, cheerfnlness benevolence and
.ofty feelings his frams indicates con-
siderable poyer of physical endurance; his
carriage is easy and graceful :and his
whole appearance at once prepossessing
and calculated to inspire feelings Of respect.
In his conversation he is frank, plain con-
else and methodical, seeming always to be
selfpoescssed, and seldom hesitating in q re-
ply. His perceptions are remarkably quick,
and like Mr.. Calhoun, he seems 70 come to
conclupions almost instinctiyely. All accord
t0 him great powers Of perception, quick,
close and powerful reasoning faculties, and
an that suayity and genuine good breeding
which usually mark the accomplished sol
der and scholar In short, no one can be
in company with Judge Mason, even for a
few minutes, without being fully satisfied
that he is a man of exalted mind and charac-
ter"
The father Of Mr. Mason was an honest,
hard working man, and his more honored
con followed the same laboriOus occupation
from the early age of twelve to his seven
teenth year Judge Mason is emphatically
selfmade man. sss.fr,. .s.g.5fT
NorE.-Judse Mason held the Office Of City
Solicitor, when Burlington was FIRST organized in
1887, holding the Office two years. His sue
eessors were N. D. Browning, ESQ.,, 1889, Gov
James W. Grimes 1910, ]. c. Breckenridge,
now Vice President Of the q. s., in lS43, Col.
g. w. Bowie, now candidate for Governor Of
California, in ls45, Judge Rorcr in lS47 and
Judge Stockton OF the Supre me Court in 1S48
to say nothing of other distinguished lawyers
who have held the same fortunate position
Ed Hawk.Eye.
DEATH FKoN CRKpULirY.-1he wife Of
Hartford merchant, ~ We learn from the
Courant of that city, had been sick some
three months, her case being pronouncedby
a regular physician to be incipient consump
ton. BY advice Of the physician, she left
the city to spend the summer in the country,
where her friends persuaded her, much
against the husbands wishes, to consult one
of those abominabls humbugs Of the Mrs,