The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-29
civil SERVICE REFORM.
Breaking Ground for the New
Political Departure.
REPORT OF A BUREAU CHIEF.
Secretary Schurz's Work in the
Interior Department.
THE ROMANCE OF PATENTS.
History Of the Inventive Genius OF the
United States.
REPORT OF A BUREAU CHIEF.
THE ROMANCE OF PATENTS.
WASHINGTON, March %, 1877.

Interior Department starting point ID civil service
reform the present condition Of the department, as de-
tailed by tho various heads OF bureaus, becomes q
matter OF considerable interest
The nrst and perhaps the most important document
In relation the condition OF tho department has boon
submitted to the Secretary by General Spear. the
Commissioner Of Patents. II gives interesting
history Of that important branch of the public service
In addition 10 representing its condition the Com
missioner makes practical suggestions upon civil
service.
GROWTH OF THE PATENT BUSINESS
perusal OF General Spears letter will demonstrate
rapidly the patent business has developed this
country aud TO what unexpected proportions It has
grown From 1890 TO 1903 the patents Issued by
= cork In the state Department. and that single per-
had rarely enough to performing his
duties to busy himself third Of each day.
In 1903 Mr.. Jefferson appointed DR.. Thornton
to issue tho patents. and the latter called himself
the Superintendent OF tho Patent ONCE This official
nued tho autocrat OF the patent business till DEATH
In 1927 For the first three years of the existence of
the Patent Bureau, from 1900 to 1893, there wero
torty-seven patents issued, the first being that Of
Samuel Hopkins bearing date the nth OF July, $780,
for making pot and pearl ashes" and tho second
tor tho manufacture Of candles. From 1893 to 1928
there $3.50 patents issued, fec Of $50 being
charged In each case which brought tho government
OF $751; ITO. The highest number Of patents
issued In any year previous to 1928 $751; while
more than that number are now issued almost every
week. The receipts from patents from the beginning
Of tho government to 1928 $751; no. the cxpend
lures, $62.l54 OF. In 1881 the Secretary OF State,
Edward Livingston called tho attention OF Congress to
the that the law permitted tho employment Of only
three clerks conduct the patent business and that
there turned into the Treasury the result OF
thoir labors more than $1,000 each year over and
above all expenses The issue OF patents increased
gradually each year, necessitating more room than
could be given to that business In the State Depart
mont and the models, drawings, &C., on hand were
removed to the old City Hail. In 1885 they were
trey destroyed by fire, and in that year Congress
organized the Patent Office and Henry L. Ellsworth, OF
Connecticut was appointed Commissioner Of Patents,
and discharged the duties OF the Office until lS45.
Alter tho reorganization the applications for patents
very rapidly increased In 1S49 there $216 SO
TO the credit Of tho patent fund in the Treasury the
entire expenses In that year being A. Tho de-
veopment of the patent business In tho years mmed-
atoy following 1910 great that the proposition
10 erect Patent Office building was favoraby consd-
sred and portion of the surplus fund In the Treasury
othe credit of the patent service appropriated for
shatpurposo The building at present occupied by the
Interior Department was constructed for Patent
Office almost entirely from the earnings that Office
EXTENT BUSINESS.
To undertake to follow the growth Of the patent
business, giving detail each years. results, would
time and space, but far idea of its
may CLEANED from the fact that 19O patents
have been issued since July T. 1885, the receipts Of
the Office now aggregate close upon ST. 900, 900 per
aunum. Almost army Of employees are required to
do work, tho business OF the Office is still in
creasing rapidly For many years the Commissioner
OF Patents exercised almost unlimited control in tho
granting and extension of patents. Naturally the
values OF patents great this power led to
ruption which has yet been erad althoug
Congress has materially curtailed the powers of the
Commissioner The Patent Office is brought into daily
intercourse with greater number of people than any
other bureau or department in Washington, and It's
model room, containing working models Of nearly
genuity, is fold of investigation for thousands of
curiosity hunters and scientists each week.
THE LETTER OF GENERAL SPEAR.
The letter OF General Spear Is as ollows-
UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. March ~, 1877
Hon. CARL ScHuRz. Secretary OF the lnterior:-
the submit: the following statements Upon
win or ss e. on
Of the force Employed and to extent the character
classes the examining ana the clerical, with the usual
The examining corps consists of twenty two principal
q an examiner OF nsefisrenses and an examiner
70 or s"' so
matter Each one of these principal examiners, with the
ss 10th to ~ w .n dsedi al
practically ns and the patent issues upon his arder In
case Of his adverse appeal may be taken to the
squsl members appointed BY the President and confirmed
s' s e Examiner sna from na
examiner intericrenccs; to review the decisions Of
ro% tss may be ,hc
in person or to the Assistant Commissioner
The cxamins intererences who has also assistants
tween applicants the applicant and patentee to pr
T6e examiner Of trade marks receives all applications
for trade marks aud labels and considers the propey Of
the Commissioner and appeals from him taken the
In addition tho assistant examiners who aid the prne
pal examiners in the adjudication Of the claims Of app
the and in the care Of the files and
Each receives at his all the applications
pertaining TO bis class but before they are sent to him all
oath petition SIGNATURES kind Of drawing &c are deter
All applications when received examined in the order
such examination into the records OF the oiice prior
as be necessary refresh and enable him
decide to the novelty Of the invention presented in the
The law requires him. If he reject state explicitly tho
then amend present IL he thinks best and tho
DO reheard Tho second decision Of the examiner
dual and from that appeal he taken herein
before stated This system brings inventors and their at.
Aithoarh strictly spenking, no money interest is here
concerned The Of none the less tina.
say exclusive OF supposed valuable invention
added thereto often the pride OF invention Added this
Is the fact that attorneys for fees
contingent success In procuring the patent Tho
result unremied pressure Tor patents Tho advant
this that the Office under and ntereseu
scrutiny sharp detect and complain of defects
On the other hand constant pressure requires constant
resistance the OF the examining In order
guard the rights OF the public and refuse patents not t
bed BY the law Changes in the head Of the office and
gradual changes In the personnel of tho examining
have caused changes IN the resultant Of these orce
that the hand there has times complaint
astc the strictness OF the Office In rejecting applications
that may have seemed frivolous. and the other hand
that the country has been flooded and people
harascd with patents which ought 10 have
granted.
THE CLERICAL
To this examining the clerical force mainly auxi
larry. The cnic clerk and his assistants receive all papers
aud orders for copies ana applications for
and deal directly with the public in
correspondence Of the Office carried through the chief
clerk his assistants In all matters
the adudcaon of applications tor patents Subordinate
the chief clerk Is division which Receives all appica
tions and distributes them
iners keeping record of such receipts and distribution this
division returned all the files In In which patents