Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-06-07
W0MAN'S INVENTIONS.
A Curious Compilation of Facts on the
Subject Articles of Luxury and
Utility Discovered and Patented
by the Fair Sex in all Ages
Of the World.

Of the World.
Mrs. Matilda JOslyn in the North Am1er-
jca11 ReUjc1O says: The most ancient
Chinese writers accord the invention of
spinning to YaO, wife of the fourth
Emperor, and the discovery of silk to
Si-Ling-chi, wife of the Emperor Ho-
ang-ti, 1000 years before Christ.
At the exposition of woman's work
in Florence a few years since, visitors
were greatly interested in a specimen of
the magnificent lace known as ''PuletO
di Fenezia" venetian Poin9. Its stitch,
lost since the thirteenth century, has
recently been rediscOyered by Madame
Bessani, q humble workwoman, to
whom the Italian Minister of Com
mere accorded letters patent, with ex-
elusive control of her discovery for fif-
teen years.
With Kameio, q woman worker in
bronze, the decorations in relief. so
much used by japanese artists, Origi-
mated. Wood engraving, the pioneer
of all other forms Of engraving, was the
invention of the Cunio children, twin
sister and brother, at Ravenna, Italy,
in the thirteenth century. The discov-
cry OF cotton as a textile fiber, ascribed
in the East to Semiramis, was in Amer
lea attributed to the mother of the In
cas-, who taught the Peruyians its man.
ufacture.
PillOW-lace making, which brought
this elegant addition to the toilet with
in the reach of all, was the invention
of Barbara Ultman, of SaXony, at a
period when that country was on the
verge of financial ruin.
To Mheural Nisa. best known to Eng
disappearing people through Moore's
Light of the Harem'' as NourmahaI,
is the world indebted for its priceless
Cashmere shawls, the manufacture of
which gives employment to thousands
of men and women, and forms one of
the principal sources of revenue in In
dia. To her, also, we owe that most
exquisite and costly perfume, altar, or
more properly, attyr of roses.
The straw industry of the United
States owes its origin to Miss Betsy
Metcalf, who, in 1898, made the first
straw bonnet ever manufactured in this
country. Within twelve years thereaf-
ter the State Of Massachusetts alone
produced half million dollars worth
Of straw goods. That State now pro-
duces 100000 hats and bonnets an
nuallv; a great deal Of straw is also
manufactured in other States.
The most remarkable invention of
the age, in its industrial, social and
political inhuence-the cottOn-gin-
owes its origin to 4 woman, Catharine
Littlefield Greene, widow of General
Greene, of Revolutionary memory,
with whom the idea originated. The
cottOn-gin heads the list of sixteen re-
markable American inventions that
have been adopted by the world.
Miss Louise AIcLaughlin's invention
Of under-glaze painting in pottery was
appropriated by 4 man who took out q
patent upon it.
The Burden horseshoe machine,
turning out Il complete shoe every
three seconds, was a woman's inyen-
ton. At a renewal of the patent, in
1871, it was claimed that $50, 900, 900
had been saved to the public during
the fourteen years of its use.
A third great American invention,
the mower and reaper, owes its early
perfection to Mrs. Ann Harmed Man
ming. Of Plainheld n. j.. who in 1917
Is, perfected q system for the COM
bined action of teeth and cutters,
whether in 4 transverse or revolving
direction. Mrs. Manning also made
other improvements. Of which, not hay
ing been patented, she was robbed af-
ter her husbands death by a neighbor
whose name appears in the list of
patentees upon this machine Mrs
Manning also invented clover clean
er, which proved very lucrative to her
husband. who took out the patent.
Nor was she the only woman whose
thought has been turned toward agri-
cultural machines. The name of Eliza
beth Smith. also of New jersey. APP
pears in 1861 among the list of patent
ees upon an Improvement to the
mower and reaper, whereby the knives
could be adjusted while the machine
was in motion.
The smallest inventions sometimes
prove the most lucrative. A San Fran
cisco lady. inventor of a baby carriage,
received $4,000 for her patent. The
paper pail, the invention Of 4 Chicago
lady, yields q large income. The GIN
1et-pointed screw, the idea of 4 little
Girl, has realized millions of dollars to
its patentee.
Among recent inventions of impor,
tance by women are spinning ma
chine, capable Of running from twelve
to forty threads; a rotary loom, doing
three times the work of an ordinary
loom; q space-saving clothes mangle;
chain elevator; screw crank for
steamships; a fire-escaper device for
correct pen-holding, invaluable in
schools; wool feeder and weigher, one
of the most delicate machines ever in
vented, and of incalculable benefit &c