Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-09-25
THE PATENT OFFICE FIRE.

They call it spontaneous combustion
possibly it was, and nothing more. For
tunately Carl Schurz, secretary of the
interior, was on the ground, having been
detained by an investigation of the In.
dian and other Offices, and to his cool
ness and discretion, no doubt, is owing
the fact that the most valuable records,
papers, models. relics, etc, we're first
removed. The extent and Importance
of the property involved in this FIRE can
scarcely be conceived BY a person who
has never visited the buildings and gone
through them c%onsecutiyely. The dam.
age to the building is estimated at from
three to FIVE hundred thousand dollars,
besides the destruction Of models and
other valusbles belonging to the patent
office, which is beyond computation at
present. AS stated in our dispatches
yesterday, the fire broke Quit in the model
room, where, according to the last annual
report, there we're over one hundred and
seventy-Gve thousand models of inven-
tions, and the supply has been in
creasing at the rate of thirteen
or fourteen thousand a year. 1t
is necessary to preserve these models
to enable the courts and the Office to
clearly Interpret the terms Of the patent
when it may become the subject Of liti-
CATION or is sought to be reissued. There
has been great complaint Of lack of &C.
commodation for some time. Three
hundred and Sixty-tWo glass cases, con.
tanning from $50 to 1900 models, accord.
ing to size, with numerous shelves in use,
have held all the vast Accommodations OF
models. The commissioner complained
seriously Of lack of room in every part
of the office in his last report. A greater
number Of patents we're issued in the
last seven years than in the preceding
s%eventy-elght or since the first patent
Law was passed. TWo.thirds of the
manufacturing interests Of the country
are based upon patents. The destruc.
ton Of the Patent Office would entail
endless confusion aud great loss upon
the industrial interests Of the country.
Happily the most precious relics of the
Revolution were saved, the original copy
of the Declaration Of Independence,
articles which belonged to Gen. Washing.
ton, etc, as was also Franklin's printing
press. All who attended the Centennial
doubtless recollect these things or some
of them. Fortunately, too, nearly al
the specifications and original drawings
Of the Patent Office are safe, and frou
these models eau be reproduced When
necessary. 1t is still more fortunate
that none Of the Land Office record,
we're destroyed as 1t might be still more
difficult, il not impossible, to duplicat,
these. The Patent Office suffers tn,
greatest, and the only serious ioss. Tn,
Americans are IN inventive people, an,
it is the fashion to have everything DOS
sible patented. To show the growth O
the business a few items will suffice. I,
the year 1887 there we're issued only AZ
patents; in 1910, 473; 10 1916, 5O2 in 1856
1886; in 1855, 2O24 in 1860, 1919; in 1856.
66l6; in 1870, 1881; in 1875, 1925; i
1876, l7,O26, and in the intervepio
years at proportionate rate. This give
some idea of the immense business q
the Patent Office and the i~ucalculabl
loss which its destruction would involy,
We hope that the secretary of the int,
rior will not be seriously ilupeded in n
work which has occupied bis persons
attention for many weeks past.