Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1884-03-06
PRICE 5 CENTS
THE PATENT OFFICE.
SOME ANECDOTES ABOUT ISVEN-
TORS AND INVENTIONS.
The Peculiar Fascination That Attracts
People To W aShington and Keeps
Them There.
Special Correspondence Of the Seet;nsl

Special Correspondence Of the Seetinsl
WAsuINGToE, ID. c., March /, 81.
Washington develops, or attracts,
many peculiar people. 1t is easy to
see why this is go. The government
candle is a brilliant spectacle and the
moths fly to it and get their wings
singed. As they cannot fly away thaT
remain and crawl about Everywhere
one goes he sees men who might have
been prosperous at home, but who are
complete wrecks here. They becoms
claim agents, lobbyists, in small way,
chronic ofiIcc-seekers, lunch destroyers,
guides, drummcrs for hotels, and 9th
crwise by various shifts and crooks
maintain life in their enfcebled bodies.
Not few of these so-called "cranks''
believe themselves to be wonderfully
talented. Fortune has been blind ta
their merits, but this is no fault Of
theirs; accordingly they assume an
astounding dignity, button their thread
bare coats up to the neck, talk poll
ties, parade the "arenue," visit the ho-
tells daily and look over the registers
as if expecting distinguished visitors,
who never come, write letters to AMI
''interview" public men on affairs of
State, and generally make themselves
useless and ridiculous. OF all these
vagrant characters perhaps the most
pitiabie is the stranded inventor. His
was an honorable pursuit when he
first came There is nothing like the
brilliant conception of IN invention tD
break a man up. Many a man has
sold out a prosperous business, aban-
don his home, and brought himself
and his family to want, by being just
q little to smart. \ novel rat trap
or new device for ear couplings"
or means OF producing perpetual
notion" has allureA him to follow
Cat an awful long distanee} the for
tune to be made when his invention
comes into use. OF course there are
fortunes realized il patents, strange to
say most of the inventions Of the day
are failures. The writer was approach
old man the other day, who oHarel
him the whole right and title to pat
| ent window fastener, in which there is
millions" for the paultry sum of So.
When questioned, the old gentleman
drew from his various pockets half
dozen machines, any one Of which Was
worth fortune, he said, az his fnd!ng
eyes flashed with Il momentary en-
thusiasm. But he was willing to part
with this one to get money enough to
pay for his meals week longer
\ cranky indiyidal who is known t.
Washington habitues rs "Cunnel
Maurice Pinchover, of Virginia, Sab -
and who seems to bca harmless lunatic,
is the butt Of the rough jokes Of the
bar-room crowd in Washington. The
"Cunnel'' is possessed with the infatu-
alton that he is Il great man, bat as
this is such a wide spcad dcIuzioh
here he is permitted to go at large,
unquestione1 by the police. lie
may generally be seen in public
places with placard on his back
taken, or some other coarse wiz
ticism. \ few days ago an appii.
cation was received i'll the Patent
Office purporting to be signed by
Pinchover and soliciting Il patent for
an adjustable dogs tail The claim
made is that dogs who have lost their
natural appendages have great diff.
Guilty i'll turning sharp corners, ;,a
their center Of gravitation is thrown
too near the forelcgs and they consc-
qucntly have to go slow or lose thei!
balance. The proposed tail to be tasrcn
ed to the stamp and as the dog turn.
to the right, the tail will tend to throw
his rear to the left, thus enabling him
to turn easily and rapidly without
losing his equilibrium. Cunnel Pin
chover is the same crank who claimed
to have q seat in Congress at the open
ing Of the session and had to be re
moved by the Sergant-at-.Arms. IiC
was considerably bruised in the opera
ton. He should be confined in an
asylum.
The Patent Office, by the way, give,
many such instances OF crankism. Not
long ago an inventor applied fora paten
on churn which is to be attached t
vehicle. As the wheels 90 round
while driving, the power thus obtain
ed is to be applied to the dashor thu
the farmer going to town can have til,
churn working, and when he get,
there finds his butter already made
fresh for market.
As an appendage Of this sample 0
the strange developments in Wash
ington life, one instance may be givcI
r Of i woman's remarkable grita sue
cess. Her husband is an inventor o
DETECTING. armor for ships Of war. II,
is an invalid, and has been bedrildel
for many years. But his faithful VIII;
takes on herselftho outside work. Las
session she argued the Importance O
his inventions SO successfully bet1r
the naval committees as to secure al
appropriation of $4,000. They ar
comfortably ofand remarkably cheer
, ful, happy people. FORSYTH.