The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-12-15
Big Incomes That Have Been Real
lied From Inventions Use
full to Mankind.
A Part Of Nearly Everything We
Use Goes to the Lucky
z Discoverer.
List of Some of the Many Articles Which
Comes Under the Head OF
Rcnumerative.

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''scarcely an article of human convenience
or necessity in the market to-day that mas
not been the subject of patent in whole OF
in part The sale of every such article
yields its inventor profit. 1t We purchase
box of paper collars portion OF the price
goes to the inventor: if we buy sewing
machine the probability is that we pay
royalty to rs many as dozen or fifteen in
yentors at once" Lord Brougham often
said that he would gladly have exchanged
his honors aud emoluments for the profits
and renown of the inventor of the peram-
bulator or sewing machine. We are not
wishful to lead our readers to covet what
are termed ''large fortunes rs really con-
duciye to happiness or usefulness, says
writer in London magazine. Fortune
is itself q heather and not q Christian
world. But invention" is another
thing. and the remunerative results are
fitting element for consideration in these
days. Howe, the originator of the sewing
machine derived elO0.O00 year from it,
and from their mechanical improvements
the celebrated Wheeler Wilson are reput-
ed to have divided for many years an income
of 600. 600; while the author of the Singer
sewing machine left at his decease nearly
E3,OOO,OOO sterling. The telephone. the
planinQ-machine and the rubber patents re-
allied many millions, while the simple idea
of heating the blast in iron smelling in
creased the wealth of the country of hun
dreds of millions. The patent for making
the lower ends of candles taper instead of
parallel so as to moro easily tit the socket,
made the present enormous business of
s.drive well' was an idea of Col.
Green, whose troops during the war
were in want of water. He con-
ceived the notion of driving Pinch tube
into the ground until water was reached
and then attaching pump. This simple
thousands of farmers who have adopted it
have been Obliged to pay him a royalty, es-
timated at 460O,OO A large profit was
realized by the inventor, who patented the
idea of making umbrellas out of alpaca in
stead Of and the OF the
lately left by will $4,000 out Of the profits
OF his invention. The weaving, dyeing,
lace and ribbon making trades originated
and depend for their existence upon ingen-
ious machinery, the result of an in6nity of
inventive efforts.
The discovery of the perforated substance
used for bottominR chairs and for other
purposes has made its inventor million
aire. George Yeaton, the inventor in ques-
ton, was poor Yankee cane-seater in Yer
mont. He first distinguished himself by
inventing q machine for weaving cane,
but he made no money out Of it, as some
one stole his idea, and had the process
patented. After number of years expert
menting Yeaton at last hit upon this in
vention, which consists Of q number of thin
layers of boards OF different degrees of
hardness glued together to give pliability.
He formed company, and to-day he has a
plant valued at $4,000, and is in the re.
oeipt of a princely annual revenue derived
from the invention. Carpet beating. from
being an untold nuisance, has become
lucrative trade through inventive genius
and mechanical continuance. Even ma
tural curiosity has been turned to account
in the number of automatic boxes for the
sale of goods of all kinds, and fabulous
owning the patents. The most profitable
inventions have been tho improvements in
simple devices, things of everyday use
that everybody wants. Among the num-
ber of patents for small things may be
mentioned the photographic pen' and
pen for shading in different colors, produc-
ing 100000 per annum.
A large profit has been reaped by miner
who invented metal rivet or eyelet at each
end of the mouth of coat and trousers peck
ct to resist the strain caused by the car
riaRe of pieces of ore and heavy tools. In
a recent legal action it transpired in evil
dence that the inventor of the metal plates
used to protect soles and heels of boots
from wear sold upward of 100000 plates
in 1879. and in 1887 the number reached
14O,UVO,VOs pEO0ucAAk IedIlZeu pEOut6 OF
quarter of million of money. Another
useful invention is the "Darning weaver"
ments, etc., the sale of which is very large
and increasing. AS large sum as was ever
obtained for any invention was enjoyed by
the inventor of the inverted glass bell 10
hang over gas to protect ceilings from be-
ing blackened. and scarcely less lucrative
patent was that for simply put
ting emery powder on cloth. frequently
time and circumstances are wanted before
an invention is appreciated, but it will be
seen that patience is we'll rewarded, for the
inventor of the roller skate made over
9200, 1000, Notwithstanding the fact that his
patent had nearly expired before its value
was ascertained. The gimlet-pointed screw
has produced more wealth than most silver
mines, and the American who first thought
of putting copper tips on children's shoes is
as we'll OF as if his father had left h N
100000 in United States bonds. Upward
OF $4,000 year was made by the inventor
of the common needle thresder. TO the
foregoing might be added thousands OF
trif1ing but useful articles from which hand
some incomes are derived, or for which
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