The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-04-21

many months, will was found which
stated that in the inner pocket of coat
the same he had been buried in-would
be found large sum of money in bank
notes. The body was exhumed, and
the Shiny, discolored money, with
the odor OF the grave about it, was sent
her for identification. Another in
stance. illustrating how cupidity some
times overreaches ITSELF was that of
miser who had buried his savings, to
the amount of nearly $4,000, in an
earthern jar. After an interval of sew
eral months he went one day to add
few hundred dollars to his treasure, and
found the whole an indistinguishable
heap OF moldering paper. Although
living in the far West, he had heard of
the skill OF the women of the Redemp-
ton Agency, and lost no time in as
signing his precious jar to their care.
The money, with the exception of about
$500, was identified and returned to him
in fresh new bank notes, to his infinite
satisfaction.
Another conspicuous example of
ability, and also in quite new line, is
that of q woman employed in the Law
Division of this bureau, and who pre-
pares the briefs for the Solicitor of In
ternal Revenue in the various cases
arising out of violation of internal reve-
nue. laws. She is considered one of the
best law clerks in the bureau, and is
engaged upon the most difficult and
complicated compromise cases. Her
remarkable power of grasping impor-
tant points of case and presenting
them in clear and concise language is
shown by the fact that she prepares her
briefs from first notice; that is, the first
abstract is the one submitted to the So
lictor, no other copy being made. In
order to do this she thoroughly studies
the case before putting her pen to pa
per. In an important case five days
are often spent in careful, laborious
study of it, The result is a clearness of
statement and logical presentment of
the evidence which is Justly considered
remarkable. The briefs in the case of
the whisky frauds in Grants time were
prepared by her, and it is a satisfaction
to add that she receives the same salary
as men doing the same work.
The Interior Department employs 618
women as examiners of applications for
patents, clerks, stenographers, type
writer's, accountants, tracers Of draw
ings, copyists, pastors, etc. The work
of women as examiners of applications
for patents deserves the highest COM
mendation, since it requires a knowl-
edge Of physics, mathematics, chemistry
and machinery-branches of study with
which at present women have only
limited opportunities to become thor
oughly acquainted, the smattering Of
science taught at the average girls school
being of little value for any practical
uses. Consequently, the women who
have qualified themselves to fill posi-
tons in this department of the Govern
ment service have done so by persever-
ing private study, under the disadvan-
tage of a lack of proper direction, and
often after hard days work at the
desk. The work of an examiner in the
Patent Office can best be shown by CIV
ing an instance of the duties of a wom-
an filing the place of assistant examiner
to the electric division, and whose de-
partment is that of electric lighting.
The number of applications for patents
in this section is enormous, which great
ly increases the difficulty of discriminat-
ing new claims and those which have
been met in some patent previously
granted. The inventor gives at least
half dozen specific claims to novelty
possessed by his invention. It is then
necessary for the examiner to look up
all patents of this class This involves
not only careful research through all
the files of the Patent Office, but also in
all scientific books and periodicals re-
lating to the class of inventions under
consideration.
The following are few of the ques-
tons taken from special examination
of the civil-service for third assistant ex-
aminer in the Patent Office:
l. State briefly how may be produced glass
sugar, salt, iron, steel, brass, coal oil, coal
gas.
state briefly how you calculate the power Of
each; why are they enormously called
s. Describe "Barker's MILL" Give the the
4. Briefly define the mechanical terms
fange, pinion, bevel gear, friction gear, &c
centric, cam, journal, spline, Wheel bolt
piston, nut
5. What are letters patent? What are let
| tiers patent for Inventions? For what pur
pose are they granted? Upon what is the
authority of Congress to legislate thereon
based? What, in your opinion. has been the
effect of their grant in this country?
Civnp a leypr With n long arm of 20 feet
| and short arm of 8 seet; to the latter Is at
| tached the rope from wheel3 rect IN Dam
| eter on whose axle, foot in diameter, wind!
| q rope leading to a weight lying upon an III
| clined plane Having face of 5 feet and alti
tude of foot. To the long arm OF the leve
| is applied power of 10 pounds. What weigh
| will it counterbalance on the inclined plane
The long arm of the lever is moved through
| a space Of 10 feet. Through what space vii
| the weight be moved.
| 7. State the law as to reissues.
| s. Under the provisions of the law, WHIT
may receive patent? What does the lay
! require an inventor to do before he can OBJ
| tain patent?
Miss Ada Sweet, the former pension
agent of the Eighteenth District at Chi
cago, was universally acknowled by he
superiors to be one of the best agent
of the Interior Department. She sue
ceeded her father in this Office in 1874
having previously acted as his clerk
| She is the first woman who has tille'
this position, and with the exception 0
her successor the only one.
The Post-office Department employ
1874 women, principally in clerical work
but some branches of this work are of
difficult nature and require a peculia
fitness and class Of qualifications. /
knowledge of the modern languages
and complete and minute familiar.
| with localities are reuuisite in MANY q