The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1891-02-19
Another Staunton Invention.

chime, recently perfected in this city, We're
sold to 4. New York and Baltimore syn
dictate for s275,000. The sale was nego-
tlated by W G. Kinney, of Kinney &
Terry, coal dealers, which firm has furn
ished since last September the S15o0 re-
TOURED for perfeeting the machine. 1t
was invented by j Y. Bohannon of
Washington city q man of about mid
oie age, who is professional inventor
Ihe owners OF the patent. who made
the sale to the New York and Baltimore
parties, We're the inventor. Kinney &
Terry, and j. Ii. Rankin of Basic City,
Tie latter of whom owned a half inter~
est IN the foreign patents secured, about
thirteen in all. Kinney g. Terry reeeiy~
ed a one-tenth interest in all the patents
IN return for what money they advanced.
Their share in the proceeds of the sale
Is about $40, 0G0, of which S27, 500 is their
4 tenth and the remainder the value Of
stock allowed them in Il company lust
formed for manufacturing the machine
/ UP to the time of the sale the machine
ana all The patent rights had cost about
S4,u00 Ill cash and about two Years of
MI Bohannon's time and thought. The
iirst model was completed in the summer
or fall OF 1899, and the United States
patent was granted July 1, 1896 Besides
the thirteen foreign patents secured.
about an equal number of additional
| foreign patents are to be or have been
| applied for.
The persons who came to Stauntoa to-
close the sale were the following: O..
hammond, president of a Baltimore.
company that manufactures ice-making.
machinery; Edgar F. Jones, secretary
OF the same company Dr. S. H Moffett,
| OF Harrisonburg. who invented about
the year 1877 the bell punch for register
ing sales of liquor; and Rev DR.. s. X.
/ Cox. of Harrisonburg, pastor OF the
Methodist church there, also eonsultir z.
/ chemist or the Brown Chemical Co. OF
Baltimore, and one of the leading men
! in the development enterprises of Har-
risQn5prg. The company just organized
by these and other gentlemen for manu-
featuring the cigarette machine will! be
capitalized at 81 ,000,O with no issue OF
chasers of the patent rights Manufac-
| turing operations will be carried on in
/ Baltimore. The interest Of J II Rank
in was sold to the new company by G.
! W. Armentrout of Augusta and c. IT,.
Smith of Nelson, who held an option
from Mr.. Rankin. w. g. Kinney OBJ
tanned access to the purchasers through
DR.. S. II. Moffett
About twenty-five different machines
for making cigarettes have been invent
ed. Only two, however, are used sue
cessfully. They are the Bonsaeks ma
chine, invented by 8 Mr.. Bonsacks of
Bonsacks depot several years ago, and
the LGdington, invented by a New Jer-
sey man, the latter being an improve
ment on the former Both are manu-
featured in Lynehburg Negotiations
for purchasing the Bohannon machine
which is an Improvement upon both the
others, were carried on for o time with
Mr.. Kinney by the Eonsaeks Company
and during the last two or three months
he has correspondent with many other
parties in regard to the new machine.
business connected with a garment cut
ting machine or system that he had in
vented, and while stopping there he de
voted some time TO an attempt to over
I come one or more defects in the Bonsacks.
machine. That attempt was unsuecess~
fuf, but among its results were the IDEAS
that led to the new invention just Sold
At R0auOlya Mr. L ,na+ Mr.
non, and contracted, for an interest in
the invention, to furnish money for it's
completion. Headquarters for work
upon the invention were transferred to
Staunton last summer for the eonveni>
ence Of Mr.. Rankin. In Sept eMlber,
however, he declined to furnish money
any longer, and Kinney s. Terry were
induced to-take his placeas the financial
supporters of the invention. The cast
ing and heavier machine work in the
model Re done by b. E. Stockton Sc
Bro, of Staunton, and the finer ma
chine work by E. Wright of this place,
by whom the model was finally compile
ted about two weeks ago. 1t viii be
taken to-day from his shop t, Falti-
more. to be exhibited by the inventor.
who is a large stakeholder in the new
company, and whose proceeds from the
invention are about $685., GOA Mr. Ran
kins share, which has not been made,
public, is a sum paid over and above the
$275,0 making the total cost of all The
patent rights an amount somewha
greater than that sum-
The great point of excellence in the Boz
harmon machine is it's capacity to make
fine straight-cut cigarattes, which are
now made entirely by hand. Cigarettes
made by the two machines now in use
are not of the first grade.
Distressing Accident and Death
On Thursday evening, February 18th,
1891, at the home of her brother. Samuel
Byers, Esq, near Burke's Mill, Miss Mary
E. Byers clothes caught fire, and before
the flames could be eXtingushed, her
lower limbs and body were terribly
burned. Dr. Christian was Immediately
called in, and all that medical skill and
tender nursing by loving friends could
do was done to mitigate her sufferings,
but in vain. After twenty four hours
of the most eXeruciating agony death
came to her relief. Deceased was about
81 years of age, and had been an invalid
and cripple since early girihood. 1t is
not known just how the accident oc-
Cured. She had been left alone onlya
very few moments when the family were
attracted by her cries and ran to her as
sistance. She was afterward unable
to make any explanations.
She had been for 35 years consistent
member OF the Augusta Church, and
though a constant sufferer she bore her
Affections with the fortitude characters
istic of the true Christian. She made
her home with her brother Samuel, by
whose whole family she was greatly be-
loved and tenderly cared for. She leaves
two brothers, Messrs. SAMUEL and Rob
ert G.. Byers, Of Augusta county, and
Mrs. Slower, living in a Western State.
b,cifIac a Iar,ra family oOpnactiOD The