West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1886-06-25
AN INVENTORS IDEA.
Proposing To Label Tomb-tones in Order
to Interest SightSCcr-.

iNRhhSihS to labei Hnmb-tone- tn order
tn Interest SightSCcr-.
I'm this great city there are many pc
culiar kinds of business and many
strange ways of making money, but
there are few more novel than that
adopted by Frederick Kuhn, an old
German, who lives In East Fifteenth
street He recently advertised for cap
ltal To start new business, which he
said would bC the introduction of AN
invention That would rcvolutionizc So
cicty. \ reporter found him i'm his
little shop in rear building ON the
first floor. Every thing about the
room appeared TO be muStv and tired;
two old chairs that stood i'm the middle
of the floor appealed to the reporter tn
stand up and let them fall down. There
was a strange chill i'm the air. A few
old iron and wooden mold- were scat
tered around the floor and were of cN-
cccdmgly old designs. \ stuffed crow
stood IN one corner on a perch, with
about half lis feathers fallen out I'm
the general appearance of dcsolation
and decay the old man seemed to tit
I'm perfectly He was small. with n big
head and solemn face, partially Gov
cred 10y a tangled beard In his hand
was a hammer with which he made
gestures a- II to drive his ideas into the
brain of his visitor. Between the putfS
of oVcrpowcrng smoke which came i'm
JrrkN way from pipe with a stem
an inch long tucked away i'm the far
corner of his mouth, ne said.
Well, as long as You have cot tho
money to put up I'm willing 20 take
YOU into this business But | don't
want any foolng. I've had enough of
that. Lots of people have been here
who are always coming around the
next day. I'm waiting for them vet.
These people all promise largely but
never come 10 time. But as you look
sort OF honest. come along.
The old man opened door leading
To dark room, went i'm and after the
reporter had got inside closed the door
Not a ray of light entered the room
The old man stumbled and fumblcd i'm
far corner, Knocked down several OBJ
jects, and finally struck "A match and
lighted small piece of candle which
stuck about an inch out of the end of "A
bottle. The llickcring light revealed
sight that was not encouraging To
nervous man. Standing with one end
upon the lloor and the other against
the wall were number OF collins
medium-sizcd, and all ranged in a row
The old man held the candle aloft and
viewed the lugubrious scene with APP
parent delight. His companion did
not share his pleasure. There was a
suggestive, pungcnt odoT around that
gave rise to the idea that the collins
were inhabited.
This, said MIR Kuhn, lis n tomb,
and these, with u proud wave N his
hand, ''are supposed 10 be- the people
who dwell i'm it. But what can YOU tell
about them from those characterless
collins. They indicate nothing. There
Is Just where my invention comes in
] will make them tell the story Of their
lives IN "A few moments -
Going 10 a closet ne took OH a mum
bcr of dd-looking models. and when
he had got an armful he walked
around from coffin 10 coffin and
snapped them fast on the top side with
metallic click. When he had gone
the round of the cofln- he turned sud
denly and eNclaimcd
Now you have IT, Before, nothing
but coffin, now what do YOU see?
Here upon thi, first box is loaf of
bread, prctlcl and a pie; this indi-
Gates that the man within was baker,
and the story of his life is told at
glance. Upon this next box Is a knife.
picc" Of beef and "a clcaver. Youcan
guess who is inside Here is tailor
with pair Of scissors, coat and
goose. There are wig and q razor
for a barber a Bible and hymn book
for preacher. q skull and cross-boncs
for doctor and "a copy of Blackstone
for lawyer. A dove indicates q wo-
man and y bunch Of roses whether she
was married and the number Of her
children. 80 ON would go through
every trade and profession, and have
suitable coffin for each. ! would carry.
the same thing into monuments and
make every one tell the history Of the
dead by arti~tically wrought figures,
which could bee read at glance. What
pleasure 10 would be to 90 through "a
cemetery then and YOU would not have
to wonder any longer who the dead
person was and what ne had been do
ing in life. His monument would tell
something and would mean something
moro than sign of grief Nv idea
could also be extended in several other
directions. ] have patented the pro-
cess Of making these designs ont OF
paper They are indcsuuctiblc and
grow harder and tougher with age and
exposure. and meet a long-felt want in
the community Now what do YOU
think Of it?''
"Good-dav, said thc reporter
Call again, aid the inventor
" T. TrjbuHc.