The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-02-04


sued was to Samuel Hopkins, July 81,
1870, for making pot or pearl ashes, and
the second invention that received this
exalted favor was a hoe shank, and the
inventor was from that part of Yankee
dom which has ever since been most pro-
life in inventive skill the state of Massa
chusetts. In 1886 the office of commits
sioner of patents was created and the
patent bureau made branch of the state
department. Up to this time the number
of patents issued yearly was so small
and the expense Of running The Office so
comparatively large that proposition
was discussed to let each state take care
of its own inventors and inventions, but
the complications as foreseen as likely to
follow the adoption of such plan, caus-
ed it to be abandoned. For nearly forty
years from this period, the expenses of
the Office largely exceeded the receipts
from fees, but this, like the mail system,
was deemed of such importance to the
public and to the progress of the country,
that no thought was ever entertained of
disseminating the expenditure. In 1875
the office began to be self-sustainlng, and
every year since that time there has been
large excess of revenue over expenses.
From 1890 to 1909, the average number
of patents per annum was less than $50,
most of which were for agricultural i'm
pleInents. From 1910 to 1920, the invent
i've mind seems to have been directed to
ir. provements in the machinery for cot
ton manufactures, which Albright had in
augurated in England. AS early as 1897,
however, Amos Whittemore of Cambridge,
Mass, had invented the machine for max
ing cards for the carding of cotton, and
the first operation for converting raw cot
ton into finished cloth, had been com
menced in 1913, and carried forward I'M
der all the difficulties incident to the old
fashioned processes, until Slater and
Lowell and Mason had perfected their i'm
mortal appliances. From 1920 to 1915 the
business of the Office grew rapidly, the
yearly issue of patents averaging 1890.
In 1875, the first year of excess of fees
over expenses, 1887 patents were issued,
and the increase has continued until for
the year ending June 80, 1885, the appli-
cations filed, including Reissues numbered
35,6S5, upon which 22,29S patents were
granted, realizing a revenue of $1,074.35,
and involving an expenditure in the main
tenance of the Office of 1884, 1231l-a
profit of over $4,000. This surplus is
now covered into the treasury. AS it rep
resents tax upon the inventive genius of
the country it should not exist, but the
fees for granting patents should be re-
duced to figure that would wipe it out.
The cost of procuring patent is no
trifiing sum to a poor inventor, and many
are deferred for lack of it from pushing
their discoveries into public notice and
use.
The model room of the patent Office
consists of four immense halls extending
north, south, east and west in the secoL d
story of the building. The space thus oc-
cupied is about 1900 feet by 100 wide.
Here on all sides are cases arranged tier
upon tier, in which are placed on exhibit
ton about 100000 models varying in size
from the tiniest tack-nail to locomotive,
and in Importance from mouse-trap to
a telephone transmitter. 1t is veritable
museum, excelled in variety only by the
National museum connected with the
Smithsonian institution, to which
was recently removed some of the
interesting relics once stored here, in
Guiding the identical printing press used
by eniamin Franklin. the coat worn by
Gen. jackson at the battle of New Or
leans. and a number of revolutionary
relics. The first collection of models.
comprising everything between 1890 and
1896, numbering in all about 1000, was
destroyed by the fire which burned the
old postoffice building, then also used for
the patent office, December Is, 1886.
These were never restored. For some
years after, until the present building was
erected, the office occupied the building
now known as the City Hall-the district
court house. The fire of September, 1877,
which came so near demolishing the in
terror department building, destroyed
10000 models, most of which have since
been restored from the drawings at cost
of S25O,OO0. The repairs to the building
which have been going on ever since, and
were finished less than year ago, have
cost nearly three times that sum.
Among the important Inventions IN the
history of our country few may be men
toned. AT the age of 46 Franklin secur I'D
his patent for the lightning rod, the
utility of which has been fully recognized
Eli Whitney, of Massachusetts, at the age
of 20, invented the cotton-gin, having the
necessity of it suggested to him while
teaching school in Georgia. This ma
chine has reached such perfection that
one of them now performs the work re-
uuired of 5000 persons in Whitney's
time. Robert Fulton, at the same age of
%, invented his application of steam to
the propulsion of boats, and afterwards
secured patents for submarine tor
l.pedoes. Jethro Wood, at So, invented
the plowshare, which had previously
been a stick of wood plated with iron.
Wood, however, made himself pauper in
prosecuting infringers of his patent, and
died with no other reward for his benetac-
ton, than the favorable judgment OF a
court upon his claim. Thomas Blan-
chard, mere boy of Is, invented tack
machine, and afterwards the ponderous
stern wheel by which the steamboats, OF
the western rivers are propelled. At 90
he also obtained patents for the turning
lathe now in use throughout the world fol
turning irregular shaped articles, such as
gun stocks, shoe lasts, hat blocks, etc
Ross Winans, of Baltimore, was only q
when he took out his first patent fol
springs upon wagons, and he it was who
originated, designed and patented the
patent railway car double-truck, for long
passenger cars, now invariably used, ant