Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-08-15
INVENTIONS THAT PAY.
MINIS OF MONEY MADE OUT
OF BRIGHT IDEAS.
one Million Dollars Realized from Baby's
Rattle and Several Millions from
the Cotton TIe-The Sheet
Iron Cat.

In reply TO the question: What Is
a PATENT" the Yankee inventor once
said: ut is the right to sue some
body" And the answer really en-
bodies the most comprehensive defini-
ton OF the word that could be found.
The patent office annually issues "a, 600
patents, and it is safe to say that out Of
them not less than half that number of
lawsuits are evolved.
The great building at Washington
could supply fund of humor, Of
pathos. Of romance, and of tragedy
which might well furnish the nOvelists
Of the world with plots for lifetime.
As rule the little inventions-thatis is.
those which seemed really Insignificant
have brought forth the greatest for
tunes. The man who invented the tin
rattle for babies retired with 81, 00O,-
600 to the good.
The return ball. which consisted of
an ordinary rubber or wooden ball to
which was attached long elastic cord,
was invented by shoemaker in New
York. II met with universal favor and
the man who originated the idea found
that it profted him to the extent OF
500 per annum. 1t is said by those
who are supposed TO know that he
never secured a patent on the device,
but instead bought up all the rubber
balls in the market, attached TO them
the elastic cords. and reaped his for
tune while others were hustling around
TO find enough with which TO compete
for the prize. The wire bottle-stopper
is very simple continuance and yet it
has earned an immense fortune.
One Of the remarkable simple in
yentions is the cotton tie. Formerly
all cotton bales were tied with rope
but there were many objections to that
process which hundreds of men sought
TO overcome, and at last one by the
name OF CoOms invented what was
known as the arrowhead" tie for an
iron strap. The continuance was SO
simple that cottonmen far and near
quietly took their old pants from the
closet hooks and kicked them around
their rooms because they had moi
| thought of it themselves. The tie went
| into immediate use, thousands of ''im.
proyementsn were patented. and mil.
| lions of the straps were sold and mil.
lions of dollars were realized. The
man who at present controls the patent
| and the numerous assignments con
nected Herewith. made to him by the
various inventors of improvements. hat
purchased the famous Navarro fats il
Fifty-seventh street and is the posses
sor OF large fortune beside.
Everybody remembers the '.fifteer
puzzle" Fifteen little blocks wer'
placed in a square box. which was mad'
10 hold sixteen. The sixteenth space
was left vacant, and block Fifteen
was placed between blocks thirteen
and fourteen" The problem was 4
arrange them in order without remov
ing a block from the box. The idei
was originated by cripple, and iron
il he is said to have amassed larg
fortune. The puzzle went everywher
lin the homes Of the rich and poo
alike,
"Pharaoh's serpent" was thesinven
ton Of a Brooklyn man. 1t consiste
of little pill, 10 which lighted matcl
was touched. when snake crawle
forth and writhed and twisted after
most serpentine and fascinating fash
ion. The pills sold like wildfire-
which. indeed. they were-and brough
the inventor between $50, 600 and 500
900. But it also cost him his life. /
working upon an improvement
his laboratory he inhaled the fumes q
the chemicals he was using and die
from the poisonous effects produce
upon him.
1t was a Yankee who first thought @
putting copper-tips on children's shoe
and his check became good for mag
nificent sums.
Sometimes many years elapse befor
the good qualities of an invention ar
appreciated. The patent upon roller
skates had nearly expired before
realized any profit Then somebod
started rink, and so made the skat
inventor worth 81. 900. 900.
There is a mechanical sheetiron cal
with steel claws, which runs by clock
work and is warranted to lick an
cat in Christendom. The cat is woun
/ up and placed on the roof. Old round
. ers spy a newcomer and tackle hin
Whew! When they light on his bac
] a spring is touched and the mechanics
a works. There is small cyclone O
the roof. incessant yells. and--the oil
rounder retires to mediate on the III
/, certainties of life.