The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-04-07
A CENTURY OF INVENTION.

A celebration of rare interest, one in
which every American citizen may take
just pride, is the meeting of inventors
and men of science in Washington to-
morrow to commemorate the opening of
the second century of patent laws in the
United States.
Nothing can be more interesting than
a survey Of what has been accomplished
in the first hundred years of patent laws
in the republic. Prior to the signing of
the act of April 10, 1870, American in
ventors had had no protection outside
the limits of the states in which they re-
sided, and consequently there was no
incentive to ingenuity. The law in
question was introduced and urged to
its passage by Thomas Jefferson. 1t
designated the secretary of state, the
secretary of war and the attorney gen
eral a tribunal to examine and issue
patents; and these officials had good oc-
casion to know that the great Virginian
took a lively interest in the admins
tration of the act. Three years later
the law was so amended as to deprive
the executive of the power to reject an
application and imposed upon the sec
rotary of state alone the power to issue
letters patent. Many abuses grew up
opposed by Thomas Jefferson as making
the granting of a patent a purely minis
terial act; but it was not thoroughly re-
vised until 1886. Meantime, however,
Tin 1902 the office of superintendent OF
the patent office was created, to which
President Jefferson appointed DR.. Will
lam Thornton, who assumed and FOL
twenty-six years exercised autocratit
powers.
In the first year of the law only three
patents we're granted. The first was tt
Samuel Hopkins, for a process for max
ing potash and pearlash, and it bore
date Of July 81. 1890. Only the RECORD
of this issue exists; search for the docu
ment has beer made, but without sue
cess. In the National museum is The
Oldest patent known to be in existence
1t is dated Dec. %, 1896, and was ISSUED
to Thomas Passmore, of Pennsylvania
who, having paid the required fee of $50
was declared entitled TO a patent for IS
machine called a conjuror and boilin.
waters" The signatures of G.. Wash
ington, president, and Timothy Picker
ing, secretary of state, are appended
while Charles Lee, attorney general
certified that the application for letter
patent had been examined and foun.
comfortable to law. In 1871 thirty
three patents were issued, but the mex
year there were only eleven. In 1907 tn,
number was ninety-nine, and in 1908 i
was l5S. Last year, 1880, the number o
applications was Al ,03S and of issues an
reissues 26,2-92.
The patent office has quarters of it
own since 1910, when ii structure stand
ing upon the present site of the postoffic
department building was purchased an
the rooms at it's east end given over t
the "keeper Of patents" This built
ing was burned in 1896, in the grea
fire. Seven thousand models were dc
stroyed; nothing of value WAS save
from the building. What is known q
the interior department and pater
Office building, which covers the tw
squares, was built for the exclusive us
of the pension bureau; the interior dt
lartment is a rank i%nterloper. In 1874
the patent office ceased to be a burea